morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-12-21
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Another leave day yesterday. And more prep.I bought another pair of hiking shoes (Mammut Tatlow LTH).My plan is now to start the trail with my meindl borneo boots. With these used boots my feet hopefully could adapt to the trail during the first 2-3 weeks.After that i will change to lighter hiking shoes, first Mammut Tatlow LTH and then to Merrell Moab. More planning is in my view not useful. For the "last part" of the trail i will have to get more shoes on the trail by local outfitters depending on actual situation.A few days ago i found an alternative to croqs as camp shoes. Looking for hiking shoes, i saw the Teva zilch (a lightweight sandal). In my view these shoes aremore flat and i can put them better in my backpack (if needed). They are breathable too.With these decisions i will finish my prep for footwear and hopefully it workson the trail.
Date: 2012-12-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

My reasons to hike the AT:- to be in nature - to challenge myself (physically and mentally)- to see bears, skunks, snakes and so on- to learn how to live with only a few things (food, water, shelter, clothes, ..)- to improve my english- comradeship with other hiker- to discover the states - to get a timeout from normal life (and work)- to meet trail magic- to give my body a timeout from working with mouse and keyboard- to eat as much as i can (only in trail towns i suppose)- to sit around a campfire at night- to have my own timetable- to have a good feeling after a long hike - to find out the question to the answer "42" (maybe the number of zero days during my hike?)- to get new idea about my life-...
Date: 2012-12-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

The last few days i was busy with getting information about trailfood.There are a lot of videos on youtube, if you search for "trailfood".I have learned also after some internet research, that i will need about 5000 calories per day (8 h hiking / 210 lb bodyweight). Thats means, i have to eat a lot during my hike! I will have to watch my weight during the hike closely. Hopefully there will be scales at the shelter or elsewhere on the trail ;-)I don't want to use much maildrops. Fontana NC, Harpers Ferry WV, and Andover ME are the execption (as i learned from some tj). In all other cases my plan is to resupply locally (grocerys, outfitters, hikerboxes).By the way i want to thank all visitors in my guestbook for their hintsand good wishes! Happy new year to all of you! And not to forget: Happy hiking in 2013 (especially for the class of 2013).
Date: 2013-01-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I spend now much time in physical preparation. In a week i go twice to the gym and i run 2 times (at the moment about 7 miles).My plan is to boost my mileage during the next weeks up to 15 miles. Perhaps i will run a half-marathon before starting the AT. Last year (october 14) i ran my first marathon. It was a good experience that my body had no problems with the long distance. No knee or ankle injuries or s.th. like that. For me this was a good signal for the AT.Yesterday i started with another exercise. Going upstairs is very strenuous,so it is the best preparation for the AT! There is a tall building with 20 floors (with 400 steps) in M14nster. Together with three other member of our local running sports club we could manage to go upstairs 3 times. For the first time this was sufficient. We will repeat it next week.
Date: 2013-01-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Some challenges on the trail i found after research in tj.Most of them have to do with food, but some are very, very sporty (in my view only for career-hiker!) My conclusion: The more you can eat, the cheaper it will be on the trail!!Food related challenges:1) pancake challengeoffered by some restaurants. I you can eat a special number of pancakes, this is for free.2) ben and jerry challengeto eat every ice sort during the trail3) half gallon ice challengefamous challenge. You have to do this at the half of the trail4) Wendy's Challenge. To complete the challenge you must eat all 13 itemson the Wendy's Dollar Menue (at Wind Gap (Mile 1263.5)).5) Wolf burger challengeThe Wolf Lodge's restaurant in Stratton fixes three massive burgers with fries and thru hikers attempt to eat them in a set period of time.6) Moosilauke monster pizza challenge If you can eat this in 1.5 hours, it is free.Sporty challenges:1) Four State Challenge Starting in PA and ending in Virginia. The challenge is 44 miles through PA, Maryland, West Virginia, and ending in Virginia all in one 24 hour period. 2) 50-mile challenge.The challenge is to hike all the way to Damascus from Kincora (50 miles) in a 24 hr period.
Date: 2013-01-10
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

During the last weeks winter in germany has been disappointing. It was much too warm .. typically about 45°F during the day. But the weather will change in the next days, temperature will drop to 23°F at night. Thus I will get the opportunity to test my tent and my sleepingbag by lower temperatures.The comfort zone for my sleeping bag goes until 19°F. There should be no problem whith the predicted temperature. I will see. To be on the safe side, iwill have my Silk Mummy Liner with me.Hopefully the temperature will further drop, than I can perform another test with silk Mummy Liner and perhaps additional clothing.Friends of us have a small garden, where I can pitch my tent. If it get's too cold for me, i can get my bicycle and within 10 minutes i am in my warm and cosy bed.
Date: 2013-01-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night i did it. It was as cold as predicted during the night (21°F or -6°Celsius).At 10 pm i went to the garden with the tent. After inflating the thermarest i snuggled rapidly in my sleepingbag. It wasnt necessary to put on some other clothing as socks or long johns. It was warm enough in my bag. The only exception was my buff bandana, which i needed to warm my head.It was a better night as expected. Normally i sleep uneasy in tents, i often need to turn to lay in another position. This night was also uneasy, but in my mind i got more sleep as otherwise in warmer nights (in the first night of camping). The tent was icy in the interior, but this didn't matter, no danger for my down sleeping bag. Tent and bag did a good job!At 7 am i got up and left the garden. I just want to sleep some more hours in my bed ;-) In the course of the day there was the first snow in this winter! You can see the snow on the tent.
Date: 2013-01-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I bought some trailfood during the last week. I wanted to check whether it is possible for me getting enough calories per day.Of course it is possible! You need to add chocolade and trailmix (gorp) to your diet and then it works. Olive oil is also very rich of calories. I will add it too...2 bars of chocolade (1200)1 package Trailmix 7 oz (1200) 1 breakfast (600)2 diners (1200)3 snacks (750)1 package biscuits (430)Result: 5400 kcalories Weight 3 lb (1,3 kg)This amount of calories should be enough for a regular hiking day for a tall person like me, some days i will need more (up to 6000 kcalories). Trail Magic is very welcome at these days!! Otherwise i need to fill up my stomach in the trail towns!Buying this special trailfood (like trek'n eat) is very expensive, during my hike i will switch to regular ramen noodles, mashed potatoes, rice and so on. The typical hiker diet.
Date: 2013-01-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

After buying a lot of trailfood i have learned now, that sending them as a maildrop to the states is not possible (due to import restrictions).My plan was it to send at least three maildrops (e.g. Fontana NC, Harpers Ferry WV, and Andover ME). My new plan is to buy the trailfood in the states after landing in Atlanta on April 1. I will spent a night in Atlanta (before getting to the hikerhostel) and therefor there should be enough time to arrange my maildrops on location.Another idea to increase your daily calorie-amount (see last journal entry): - Yogiing- AYCE Restaurants in trail townsA few days ago a co-worker (Stephan) brought an exchange student (Rachel) with him to our firm. Rachel comes from upstate New York. After my co-worker told her, that i will hike the appalachian trail this year, she answered, that her father did it already. Stephan and I were very surprised. Sadly Rachel didn't know much about her father's hike, because it was so long ago.Only 65 days to go and the meeting with rachel shows me, that the AT comes closer and closer!
Date: 2013-01-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday evening i got a call from my mother. She told me, that there is an AT-documentation on tv. I switched to the documentation on tv and it was the same, i saw a few years ago (the reason why i am here on tj planning my thruhike).Short time later i got a few other calls from relatives and friends. They allwanted to tell that there is a movie over the AT on tv!This is the link to the first part of the documentation in youtube.Of course in german, but often you can understand the hikers, when they talk in english. In my view it is a very good description of the AT (from 2008).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmi8MGA8L-4In the next years some more germans will join the trail after watching this movie!Although i have seen this movie a few times, it was great to watch it again.I could feel my strong committment to the AT. It is good to know that i will be there in about 2 months!!
Date: 2013-02-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Last week there were two bad events for me. First of all i was sick for a couple of days. Of course not a good timing nearly 50 days before the big journey. My ambitious training was interrupted and is still affected today. The second disaster was caused by the router of our wireless LAN. Suddenly our wireless LAN didn't work anymore.This problem took about 5 days,until i found together with support from my provider the root cause.In these days we found out, how important internet access is in our "normal" life.Happily in a few weeks internet access will be no longer such a necessity for me. I will need it primarily for updating my journal ;-)Hopefully the router is not going to crash again in the next months (when i am on the AT). Otherwise my lifepartner Christine will have the pleasure to handle this problem...
Date: 2013-02-11
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Last weekend we visited friends in Wernigerode. A small town in the Harz.Some more information about the Harz you can find here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HarzOn saturday we did cross-country skiing. The weather was marvellous and there was a lot of snow. However it was very strenuous for me with PUD's (pointless ups and downs). On sunday i hiked onto the Brocken (the highest summit in the Harz). It was only a 5 mile hike (from Schierke to the Brocken) but it was also arduous. My sickness from last week is still not yet completely overcome. On the summit it was very cold (17 F, -8C) and stormy, but i had a wonderful view to the surrounding. After a short stay i returned with a steam train to Wernigerode.Hopefully in the next weeks i will get in good shape for the big adventure.Only 49 days left for me!!
Date: 2013-02-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

My gearlist is now complete and i will check it during the next week, when i have a few days off. During this days i will do some training hikes in the surrounding of M14nster.Unfortunately we do not have some mountains within reach. The highest elevation in the surrounding is 450 meter (1300 ft), so you can't really compare this with the AT. During the training hikes i need to improve my endurance. This was limited in the last weeks. I will get to the AT in good shape!!In the next weeks i will send a package to an relative in the states with summer clothing and other things i will need on the AT.He lives in NJ, very closely to the AT. This arises the opportunity for meto visit him during my hike and to plunder (rifle?) his fridge ;-)Nearly all prep is done, only bits and bobs are left to do.Only 41 days left. I can't imagine, that i will be in that short time on the trail!
Date: 2013-03-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

In the last weeks i was very busy with crashed computers and naturally a lot of prep.Inspite of the computer problems i had enough time to do some hikes last week, when i had a few days off.My longest hike was about 20 miles, but that was on level ground with 23 pd in my pack. Of course no comparison to the conditions on the AT, but it gave me a good feeling that i could hike six hours without a longer break. It was simply too cold for a longer break, which i would have appreciated.My last hike was in the "Sauerland" (hilly area spreading across most of the south-eastern part of North Rhine-Westphalia). It was different to my previous hikes in the last week. Snow on the trail and the in- and declines made the hike much more exhausting. In my view i will need some time to get "familiar" with the AT with his PUD's.Last weekend i put all my gear in my pack. The result wasn't satisfying. There was too little room left for trailfood. I will have to do some more attempts to organize my pack and the gear better. Perhaps it is necessary to fix my tent or the neoair at the pack. 3700 cu / 61 L isn't much capacity for such a long hike for a tall person.27 days left. I would like to say it with Karmas words:"Migrate safely, class of ¢13. See you in Georgia or North Carolina, or at Trail Days, or somewhere!"
Date: 2013-03-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I have got the news, that we will start on April 3 with five germans!! Why did i spent so much time to improve my english??Three of us are going to do the approach way, i don't know what the other two will do.. Eventually i am sure, i will need my english on the trail..What about 5 or 10 germans in comparison with 2 or 3 million other hikers on the trail??I really want to know, from which nationality (outside united states) do come the most hiker? Does anybody know that?
Date: 2013-03-23
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Yesterday i did another prep hike in the Teutoburger Wald from Bielefeld to Borgholzhausen.I arrived by train in Bielefeld and soon i reached the Trail "Hermannsweg",so called after a chief of a german tribe, who (with his troops!) defeated the romans in 9 AD in the "Varusschlacht".The trail has a highest elevation of 900 ft (300 m), but it always went up and down. It was close to the freezing point and i couldn't make any breaks in the meantime. The trail was nice, mostly in the forest. There was much snow on the trail, but this wasn't a big problem. My pack (about 24 lb / 11 kg) and shoes did a great job, so after 6 hours and about 19 miles (27 km) i reached my destination borgholzhausen whithout any blisters. From Borgholzhausen i took the train back to M14nster.My GPS-watch showed me afterwards an incline of 2100 ft (740m) and a decline of 2200 ft (750 m). That was more than expected from me, because as i mentioned, the highest elevation was 900 ft.In the meantime i saw in the forest a white blaze on a tree (see extra photo). That was mysterious.A good omen for my soon coming start of the AT?Last week when i did another prep hike, i had afterwards muscle ache in my foot,triggered by my heavy hiking boots. Today this is not the case.A little success in my prep.
Date: 2013-04-02
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

At 5 pm i arrived today at the famous Hikerhostel. this will be my last night before getting on the trail. The weather is getting better here in Georgia. Today we had about 75 F. The winter seems to be history. I met my four german comrades at northern springs. these are two couples, one from Berlin and the other from the surrounding of Stuttgart. Both couples seems to be very nice.Our shuttle to the Approach trail will start tomorrow at 8:30 Uhr. We will be there at 9:30. Then the adventure begins.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Um 17 Uhr bin ich heute beim beruehmten Hiker Hostel angekommen. Das wird meine letzte Nacht vor dem Trail sein.Das Wetter wird deutlich besser in Georgia. Heute hatten wir 23 Grad Celsius. Der Winter scheint Vergangenheit zu sein.I traf meine vier deutschen Gefaehrten heute am bahnhof northern springs. Es sind zwei Paerchen, eines aus berlin und das andere aus der Umgebung von Stuttgart. Sie scheinen alle sehr nett zu sein.Unser Shuttle zum Approach Trail geht morgen um 8:30 Uhr los. Und wir werden dann eine stunde spaeter da sein. Und dann beginnt das Abenteuer.
Date: 2013-04-03
From: Amicalola Falls State Park

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: overcast clouds

We reached the visitor center at 9:30 am. After signing (i am truhiker number 810)we started the approach trail. The weather was good and the hike was strenuous, but OK. At 2pm we reached the first goal Springer Mountain, the official start of the AT. We made a break and took a lot of pictures. The vistas were very nice.After Springer Mountain we run into Mountain Squid, who offered us our first trail magic. During the hike we met Amitai, a guy from israel, who hooked up with us.After 11.6 Miles we reached our destination Stover Creek Shelter. I pitched my tent, while the other germans stayed in the shelter.So we are here with Stefan, Mariko, Mario, Tina, Amitai and me and many other hiker. The shelter is almost full. There were a lot of other hiker tenting.I met section hiker Rain Cloud and his wife at the visitor center and in the shelter. That was nice.After diner we sat for a time around the campfire and then called it a day. This first day was a pretty good start!!_____________________________________________________________________________Wir haben das Besucherzentrum des Parks um 9:30 Uhr erreicht. Ich war der Thruhiker mit der Nummer 810. Und dann ging es los! Das Wetter war gut und die Wanderung anstrengend, aber ok. Um 14 Uhr haben wir das erste Ziel erreicht, Springer Mountain, der offizielle Startpunkt des AT. Wir machten dort eine Pause und natuerlich auch viele Fotos. Die Aussichten waren sehr schoen. Kurz nach Springer Mountain haben wir Mountain Squid getroffen, der fuer uns Trail magic bereithielt. Waehrend der Wanderung haben wir Amitai (einen Israeli) getroffen, der sich uns angechlossen hat. Nach insgesamt 11,6 Milen haben wir dann unser Tagesziel Stover Creek Shelter erreicht. Ich habe mein Zelt aufgebaut waehrend die anderen im Shelter geschlafen haben. Nun sind wir also hier mit Stefan, Mariko, Mario, Tina, Amitai und mir und vielen anderen Wanderern. Der Shelter ist fast voll und es zelten auch noch andere Hiker. Ich traf section hiker Rain Cloud und seine Frau am Besucherzentrum und auch im Shelter. Das war nett.Nach dem Abendessen sassen wir noch etwas am Lagerfeuer und das war es dann auch fuer den ersten Tag. Dieser erste Tag war ein sehr guter Start!!
Date: 2013-04-04
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Justus Creek Camping Site
Miles today: 12.1

It has rained almost the whole night, so my tent is wet. We started with our hike at 8:40 am and it was very cold. The rain started again, sometimes it was hailing. Our plan was to make a break at Hawk Moutain Shelter. It comes out, that the shelter was almost full of hiker, who sought security for the cold rain.We ate a little and then we hiked onward. It was too cold in the shelter.The Trail was very muddy and we reached our destination (Justus Creek Camping Site) drenched and very muddy.In the meantime we run into The Prophet, who spent us a can of moutain drew.That was great!All in all it was a miserable day due to coldness and the mud and the rain._______________________________________________________________________________Es hatte fast die ganze Nacht geregnet, so dass mein Zelt dann auch nass war. Wir sind dann um 8:40 gestartet und es war sehr kalt. Der Regen fing dann auch wieder an und ab und zu hat es dann sogar gehagelt. Wir wollten im Hawk Moutain Shelter eine Pause machen. Es zeigte sich dann aber, das der Shelter fast voll war, da dort noch andere Hiker Schutz vor dem Regen und der Kaelte gesucht hatten. Wir assen ein bisschen und dann ging es weiter. Es war einfach zu kalt im Shelter. Der Trail war sehr matschig und wir erreichten dann unser Tagesziel (Justus Creek Camping Site) ziemlich nass und sehr dreckig. Waehrend der Wanderung haben wir dann noch The Prophet getroffen, der uns eine Dose moutain drew spendiert hat. Das war klasse! Alles in allem war es ziemlich schlechter Tag mit der Kaelte, dem Regen und dem Dreck.
Date: 2013-04-06
From: Lance Creek

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: clear sky

After a cold night we started our hike onward to Neels Gap in the hope of pizza.The weather was again very warm and i got my first sunburn in my neck.We climbed Blood Mountain (4500 ft), the highest elevation in Georgia and took there a break.I met there for the first time Johnny Walker, a great guy!We know each other from our TJ.I reached Neels Gap at 2 pm. At Neels Gap there is a hostel and an outfitter. Then we had a big disappointment, there was no pizza!!Then we had a busy day. Eating, showering, laundering and buying food and some other stuff from the outfitter. We were so happy to made it to Neels Gap!The first milestone on our trail. I was thruhiker number 616 at Neels Gap._______________________________________________________________________________Nach einer kalten Nacht ging es morgens dann wieder los in Richtung Neels Gap mit der Hoffnung auf eine Pizza. Das Wetter war wieder ziemlich gut und ich bekam meinen ersten Sonnenbrand am Nacken. Wir kletterten auf Blood Mountain (4500 ft) hoch, die hoechste Erhebung in Georgia und machten dort eine Pause.Dort traf ich zum ersten Male Johnny Walker, einen sehr netten Mann.Wir kannten uns bereits von unseren Blogs. Um 14 Uhr erreichte ich Neels Gap, dort gibt es ein hostel und einen Outdoorladen. Leider gab es dann eine grosse Enttaeuschung, es gab keine Pizza!!Ab dann gab es viel zu tun. Essen, duschen, Waesche waschen und Lebensmittel und sonstige Sachen beim Outdoorladen einkaufen.Wir waren so froh, dass wir Neels Gap erreicht hatten! Den ersten Meilenstein unserer Wanderung. Ich war der Thruhiker mit der Nr. 616 dort.