morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-09-09
From: Rough Camp ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ Crescent Pond

To: The Birches
Miles today: 28.7
Weather: clear sky

It¢s late in the day but not too late to add a couple of new ¢highlights¢ to my experiences out here.The first came about as a result of what I know are my sometimes unreasonable worries about finding myself in situations when I¢m not in control of my destiny. Last night the demons started playing on my mind and a plan formed to avoid getting mixed up with the big group ahead, who seemed to be aiming for September 11th to summit Katahdin. It was a good plan but not without a cost ¢ that being that I¢d be aiming to do my biggest day of the whole trip (close to 29 miles ¢ in fact the biggest of my life).It was possible but only if I used every available minute. I reckoned getting up early would not be a problem as it has been chilly (read cold) at night recently and I¢ve often been awake by 4.30am. Indeed that¢s just how it turned out.I had planned on waiting for first light but broke camp at 4.30am and hit the trail at 4.50am for a spell of night walking. The cold kept me moving and I made real good time finding myself further and further ahead of schedule at each checkpoint.I made it to Abol Bridge at 12.30pm to find lots of Trail Magic which was most welcome - especially the candy as I¢d long ago finished anything tasty in my food bag. Next stop was the camp store for more snacking and a bit of a resupply. There was a ridgerunner there who told me there were only 2 or 3 other thru hikers going into the park today so everything was going as per my new found (albeit crazy) plan.I took a weight off and was introduced to the unique local drink ¢Moxie¢ which I guess is to Maine what ¢Irn Bru¢ is to Scotland. Certainly a bit of an acquired taste. Although I was pleased with my efort so far the reality was that I still had another 10 miles in front of me but again it went well, although the last 2.5 miles were tough.Made it to the shelter to find Scott (who I¢d met earlier), Caddis and Amble already there. I was understandably tired and decided to sleep in the shelter. However, Amble¢s snoring made me reconsider. It was a clear night so I just moved my sleeping pad and bag out onto the tent platform and settled down for a night under the moon and the stars.Another first ¢ what was that about old dogs and new tricks?
Date: 2003-09-10
From: The Birches

To: Millinocket, ME
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: light rain

Well this is it, today would see me arrive at the end of the road.I woke early after a decent night¢s sleep on the tent platform and with little else to do was soon on the trail. With hindsight perhaps a little too early but at the time 10 plus miles and 4000 vertical feet of ascent sounded like it might be a fairly long and challenging day.The walk as good though, with steady walking accounting for much of the ascent up to the treeline. Above treeline was a bit more challenging, not so much the walk itself but the cold and the wind which I guessed to be around 25 to 30 mph. The walk was a reasonable scramble up the ridge to the tableland with one or two bits that required some thought. However, once on the tableland I could relax and enjoy the last mile of so to the top and the ¢End¢.It was possible to find some shelter at the top and I sat and spoke to Scott while eating. It was nice and quiet with just the two of us to begin with although another 5 arrived before we started down.I didn¢t stay long at the top but as I¢ve said the end itself was never that big a deal to me and although it was over I still had to get down and find a hitch to Millinocket.I walked down with Scott and it was fun as the wind had died quite a bit, the sun was out and we took our time chatting as we headed down. By 1pm we were back at the ranger station and it really was all over.We headed off to hitch a lift to town and the very first car stopped to take us. It was a nice trip and we had a nice conversation on the way (maybe the guy a few weeks back had somehting in his argument about hitching giving you more of an opportunity to meet nice interesting people).Scott was going to hitch to Monson but a drink as in order first. One drink turned into four though and he decided to postpone his ongoing travel arrangements as we split a hotel room.It was a really good afternoon but any plans we had for a wild night were short lived as tiredness overtook us and bed called to bring this particular trip pretty much to a successful conclusion.
Date: 2002-12-23
To: Hello
Miles today: 0.0

Hello everybody. Welcome to my Appalachian Trail 2003 journal.First and foremost 'Hi' to friends and family back home (and in various far flung places). This is primarily aimed at you folks and I'm hoping that it will allow those of you who might be interested to follow my progress and to be able to share in some of the trials and tribulations I experience along the way.I won't make any outlandish claims as to the future quality of the writing or that any of this will be in the least bit interesting but it would be great to have some of you along (in spirit if nothing else).For those of you who do drop in from time to time please feel free to pass on details of this website to any of the usual suspects that you think might be interested - I haven't gone out of my way to spread the news and it would be fantastic if the grapevine resulted in hearing from some old friends from the dim and distant past (but maybe not if it rakes up any long buried and embarissing stories).To everybody else that I don't know 'Pleased to met you'Although I will be aiming this at those people mentioned above I hope that there might be something of interest in here for you as well.For those thinking about hiking this year - I am looking forward to the possibility of our paths crossing somewhere along the way; andFor those following this from home - well, I know what its like to follow the lives of complete strangers (many of them) while I was reading last years journals - and who knows maybe you will find some of what appears here as strangely compelling as I found so much of what was written in those journals last year. I certainly hope so.Lastly, thanks to everybody involved at 'Trailjournals' for making this journal possible.Anyway, bye for now.Neil
Date: 2002-12-30
To: Background
Miles today: 0.0

For those who don't know, and who might be wondering, I'll say a few words about the background of how it is that I have ended up here - planning to set out to walk the Appalachian Trail in 2003Opportunity knocked in 2001 when, after 10 years at work, I found myself increasingly restless with the day to day routine and had been thinking more and more about the potential for a change - taking some time out to go and do the major 'travelling thing'. Then the chance to apply for voluntary redunancy came along and it was one of those put up or shut up moments. Anyway, I threw my hat in the ring and now I find myself with no excuses, having both the time and the money to put some of my dreams into action.But why the Appalachian Trail? Well, unlike many people using this website it has never been a particular burning ambition, or a dream of mine to hike the AT, and it only reached the top of my shortlist of options late in the day.I first heard about the Appalachian Trail (for those who don't know - a 2000 plus mile footpath following the Appalachian mountain range in the Eastern United States) when I read a noticeboard in and around Newfoundland Gap during a visit to the Great Smokies National Park in Feb94. It sounded like the sort of romantic adventure that would be amazing to set out on some day but that was about as far as the idea would go for the next 7 or so years.The thing that most attracts me to the Trail is the significant challenge it represents - having to overcome various physical, mental and emotional obstacles along the way. I also liked the idea of being 'stripped bare' (so to speak) of all the noise that surrounds 'normal' everyday life and finding myself somewhere where the most important things will be my own wits and determination and the companionship and kindness of those that I might meet along the way.This all sounded like a pretty nice way to get some perspective on life.Only time will tell whether it was a smart decision.Neil
Date: 2003-02-22
To: First entry
Miles today: 0.0

I have been lurking around this site for over a year. The information obtained has been invaluable. Time to go put it into practice.I picked out one person to follow last year even before he started. It turned out to be the infamous "Blaze" nee Gary Monk. Don't know why I picked him. Well, I do know. Blaze it almost the same age as me and I wanted to follow a fellow retiree and see how it went. I had the great pleasure of then meeting him at The Gathering in October. That was quite a collection of characters. Pete Hoffman
Date: 2003-02-23
To: Tenative plan
Miles today: 0.0

The plan is to do a headstart type of itinerary, one of the options the ATC recommends. I would like to start at the Partnership shelter on April 1, head north to K and then finish in the fall going south. Lots of info talks about Mt. Rogers and the weather that can be encountered. I had a dose of that this fall that I will talk about later. So I figure start north of there - terrain not quite as severe. Still might have some April snow flurries, but it generally passes quickly. This should get me through Pennsylvania before the springs dry up and put me in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine in July and August - the best weather up there and out of the mid-Atlantic states in the heat of those months. I need to get a project done at work that I promised to do before I can leave. Then I can pull the plug on the part time work and really retire, at least for the forseeable future. I officially retired at the end of 2001. The company eliminated my job, gave me a nice severance package and retirement and then hired me back five weeks later as a part time contractor. I love the logic of corporate thinking! This is the stuff of a Dilbert cartoon.Happy trails,Pete Hoffman
Date: 2003-02-24
To: Test hikes
Miles today: 0.0

I did a five week road trip in late September and October, visiting family and hiking on various pieces of the AT. The hiking part was a test of equipment, technique and the old body. I ended up hiking 17 days and spent 12 nights in the woods - 10 nights in shelters and 2 nights under my tarp. It was well worth doing, as I changed a number of things as a result. I started out using Esbit tablets. This is certainly the lightweight stove option, but I didn't like the gunky residue deposited on the bottom of the pot. I use a Snow Peak Mini Solo kit and the pot fits down into the cup. This meant that I had to scrub - and I do mean scrub - the pot bottom after every use. So I have switched to an alcohol stove. When burning methanol it is very clean afterward.The initial water treatment method was a gravity filter system. Used a Safewater Anywhere in-line filter and two Platypus bags. Fill one bag, hang it up, and clean water results with no work - no having to carry a pump and pump it. Great in theory. A royal pain in practice. When the filter was clean it worked pretty well. But the stainless steel prefilter kept plugging up, like even before finishing a bag. I have switched to coarse filtering (bandana, coffee filter) and Aqua Mira. I also changed up how the pack was rigged. I was carrying two Backsaver bags rigged off the front straps. Just too awkward to get in and out of. Switched to using a sort of fanny pack in front for stuff required while hiking. Waiting for delivery of the Moonlite pack with the vest harness.Happy trails,Pete Hoffman
Date: 2003-02-28
To: How I got hooked
Miles today: 0.0

I got intrigued with the AT a few years. I would make periodic trips back to Pennsylvania and pass under the foot bridge over I-70 just east of Hagerstown. The bridge has a sign announcing it as the Appalachian Trail. I stopped finally, but the first time I couldn't find a way up past the chain link fence and huge mass of poison ivy on the south side of the road. Subsequent times, I found the convenient hole in the fence and walked a little bit over the bridge and past the houses, then on a later stop hiked up to the Pine Knob shelter to see what one looked like. Someone had noted in the register that they were nominating it for one of the five most likely shelters at which to catch hantavirus. I grew up in central Pennsylvania and went to YMCA and Boy Scout camp, but never got to hike the AT. That was one of those extra cost excursions, like Philmont or Canadian canoe trips and wasn't in the family budget. The Boy Scout camp was at Blue Knob. Very appropriately named, since the swimming area was a spring fed 60 degrees F. I measured it with the kitchen thermometer. Stayed in the Scouts through Star and then got more interested in academics, athletics and girls. Not necessarily in that order. I did my first AT day hike in August 2001. Started at Weaverton and went to Reno Road and got a ride back to my vehicle. The next day I started at I-70 and did a loop with a very hot road walk back. Ran out of water about an hour from the end and had the beginnings of heat exhaustion. I was hooked. I started reading many books on the AT. Mueser's book indicated that the typical pack weight was 45 pounds. I put 35 pounds of bar bell weights in an inadequate day pack, put on my new boots, went out for about an hour and promptly got plantar fasciitis. The treatment is direct injections of steroid in the heel. Boy, does that hurt. That's when I decided that I needed to get as light as possible on the pack weight. Happy trailsPete Hoffman
Date: 2003-03-09
To: Mountain top weather is --- is different
Miles today: 0.0

The first piece of the AT on the fall trip was to be a six day loop from Damascus via the AT and Iron Mountain trail. The third day out was to Thomas Knob shelter. The date was Sept. 25. Remember hurricane Isadore? That's when the remains of it made it to the Highlands. There were ten of us in the shelter that night. The temperature was about 45 degrees, the rain/cloud stuff was going horizontal from the wind. It was actually quite cozy and dry in the loft listening to the wind howl. In the morning it was even worse. I think everyone decided to bail out. I missed the blue blazed Pine Mountain trail, hit a horse trail/road that I wasn't sure where it went, only that it satisfied the criteria that it was going DOWN - off the mountain. Got out to a road and hitched back to Damascus. In Damascus it was very cloudy, light wind, looked like it wanted to rain, but not bad. After getting some laundry started, I jumped in the truck and drove back up to Whitetop mountain road to recover an empty cache box. The wind was howling and the rain was going horizontal. The next day I decided to drive back up there again just to see what it looked like. There was debris from trees all over the roads and the Whitetop road was blocked by several big blowdowns, that weren't there yesterday. An MCI truck was trying to use his winch to pull them out of the way . He obviously needed to get up to the top to fix something. Stopped at the Elk Garden crossing and got out. Guess what! The wind was howling and the rain/cloud stuff was going horizontal. Bailing was looking like a good decision.That experience was a real lesson on the effect of altitude on weather conditions. That was when I decided to start north of Mt. Rogers for my thru-hike attempt. Happy trails,Pete Hoffman
Date: 2003-03-15
To: Odds of finishing?
Miles today: 0.0

The latest information from the ATC estimates that the completion rate these days is 16-17 percent, i.e., 1 out of 6. I wonder how this varies with age and, more importantly, how the reasons vary for the 5 out of 6 that don't finish.The age distribution of AT thru's seems to have two peaks - the 20 somethings and 50+. Running out of time and money and having to drop out is sometimes a problem for the younger folks. The older group would generally have the time and financial assets. The question is whether the physical assets are still sufficiently there, particularly the chronic injury risk like knees not holding up. I assume that the boredom, lost interest, loneliness, not fun, sick of wet and cold reasons would know no age relationship.The ATC estimates the number of northbound starters. The folks at Neels Gap do a count/estimate and the assumption is that 20% have already dropped out. The ATC website shows that as of March 6 the Neels Gap count was 170 and the Springer estimate was 212. It seems to me that they could just count the entries in the register at the top of Springer. I can't imagine that someone would start a thruhike attempt at Springer and NOT sign the register. The only reason I can think of for avoiding signing is that they have not mentally made the commitment and if they drop out, they didn't officially start. The numbers at the Amicalola visitors center are not useful. I was at the Woods Hole shelter about April 1, last year, and most of the hikers there had not signed in at the visitors center, just went directly to FS42 and started there.One out of six finish! Those are long odds, but that is part of what makes the thru hike an interesting challange. I like to finish what I start. But sometimes, stuff happens. Happy trails,Pete Hoffman
Date: 2003-04-01
To: Not yet
Miles today: 0.0

Today was supposed to be my start date. I am still at home. I have to finish something at work, but, boy, would I really like to be gone. I was going to start at the Partnership shelter today. If I can't start until May 1, it will be at Rockfish Gap. If I can't go until June 1, then it will be at Port Clinton. If I can't go until July, then I will go to my son's wedding in Massachusetts on July 5, then go to Katahdin and start southbound. I may not finish until Christmas, but I am going to go this year. Happy trails? Not yet!Pete Hoffman
Date: 2003-04-29
To: Trailname
Miles today: 0.0

I have decided to adopt the trailname of "Old Corpus". I live in Corpus Christi, TX so I guess the complete moniker should be Old Corpus from Corpus, but that is too unwieldy. Picking your own trailname is not the purist way to do it. However, I didn't want it to be something silly or uncharacteristic. Old body is certainly a characteristic and will only become more so with time. It looks like my start date will slip somewhat to May 7 or 8. I am going to start a Rockfish Gap and go north and then finish (I hope) the southern piece in the fall. Happy trailsPete "Old Corpus" Hoffman
Date: 2003-05-02
To: Free at last
Miles today: 0.0

"Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last." With apologies to the real spirit and meaning of that spiritual, I do feel as if my burden has been lifted and I have moved on to a better place. I finished what I promised to do at work this week. This morning I filed an expense report, said goodbye to a few friends, turned in my badge, and moved on.Now I just have to get packed as fast as I can and hit the road. I have to drive first to Austin to drop two cats at my daugher's. I am planning on starting at Rockfish Gap on Wednesday, May 7. My next entry will be from on the trail. Happy Trails? Yes, definitelyPete Hoffman
Date: 2003-05-07
From: Rockfish Gap

To: Calf Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: broken clouds

First day in. Gonna be sore tomorrow. There are seven people here tonight.When planning this out, I had grandiose illusions of covering the distance to the next shelter tomorrow - 13.0 miles. After all I did this last fall going south. However, last year I had 12 days of hiking under my belt and was in better shape to start. May have to reconsider that.Last year I was here alone. Or rather, just me and the rat. Worked out well. He (or she) ran around upstairs and I slept downstairs of this two level shelter.That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger.Happy trails.
Date: 2003-05-08
From: Calf Mtn Shelter

To: campsite
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: scattered clouds

It rained last night for a couple of hours. Nice to be snug in the shelter. Going to pitch my tarp tonight. Just as soon that it doesn't rain.One advantage to camping alone is that no one will be waking me up because I am snoring too loud.My right thigh was cramping up yesterday and it is still sore. I decided to plan on camping rather than getting to Blackrock shelter. There is no water for about 12 miles before Blackrock. So I got an extra 4 liters at the last spring. Camping then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. You know you have the option and carrying an extra 9 pounds of water guarantees that making Blackrock is that much harder.This is going to take longer than I planned. Have to make some adjustments.Breaking in is so hard to do.Happy trails.
Date: 2003-05-09
From: campsite

To: Doyles River
Miles today: 8.7

a.m. camped assuming it would not rain so just ground cloth and sleeping bag. Started to light rain at 3:30 a.m. Pitched the tarp quickly. Good thing there was no wind. The pitch was not very secure.Stopped at Blackrock Shelter for a late breakfast, water, and to dry things out. The pack rat is still here from last year.p.m. Thunderstorm arrived about 1:30 p.m. Put on my Seal Skinz socks and poncho/packcover/tarp. Like with any rain gear, you still get wet only it is warm wet from your own sweat.Found a tick on me and one on a sock. Look too big to be deer ticks.I think that I will take a short day tomorrow to the Loft Mountain Campground. I can get a shower, wash some wet, dirty clothes, buy some additional food, since I am not going as fast as I hoped, and eat some junk food. Not necessarily in that order.You can't get to Maine, if you don't hike in the rain.Happy trails.
Date: 2003-05-10
From: Doyles River

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Started this morning in the rain. Made it to Loft Mtn campground. Accomplished my purpose there. Got a shower, washed clothes, bought more provisions and had a Pepsi, Haagen Daz bar and SnoBalls. Yum! Sugar high! Was finished by 11:45. The choice was tarping at the campground or going to the next shelter so I moved on.Lots of people here, although some are talking about moving on. These guys (and one gal) look like thru-hikers.Had another first today. Managed to fall down on slippery rocks crossing Ivy Creek. No damage. Won't be the last time.Happy trails.
Date: 2003-05-11
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: light rain

It ended up that the stayers at the Pinefield Hut last night were four guys and a 10 year old girl named Katie. It is a commentary of sorts on the demographics that the youngest guy was the girl's father.Stopped early today ~2 p.m. since it was too far to the next spot for me. No one else here yet, but that won't last.The huts in the park have bear poles from which to hang food and other smellables at night. However, the poles are located 30 feet from the shelter! My first thought was what maniac thought that was a good design criteria. One fellow last night commented that if they put them furhter away, people wouldn't use them and would hang food in the shelter. Unfortunately, he is probably right.Martin from Austria and I are the only ones here as yet - about 6:30 p.m.
Date: 2003-05-12
From: Hightop Hut

To: Bearfence Hut
Miles today: 12.4

What a great day for hiking. Cool, breezy and mostly sunny. Martin from Austria has been thru hiking for 11 weeks and really wants to see a bear. Well, I got to see one today. About 40 yards away and leaving the scene real fast. Retrieved my first cache just fine. Nothing was disturbed. My first 10 mile day. Whoopie! Don't know that I will ever do a 20 mile day, except out of sheer necessity of circumstance. But 15's ought to be doable with some more trail time.Tonight I have swollen, sore feet. Goes with the territory. There are 6 people here including two thru-hikers, Mauka and Makai, who started Feb 23.