morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-12-08
To: Training Begins For What It Is Worth
Miles today: 0.0

Day - minus 102 ¢ December 8, 2009Started my practice hikes again for what they are worth. By being in the western suburbs of Chicago the area does not offer even the slightest resemblance to hiking the AT. I walk in the local Arboretum and Forest Preserves. Mostly flat and manicured paths. I always wear a day pack stuffed with weights and towels (for pack bulk) to give me a pack weight of around 15 pounds. I obviously cannot duplicate the trail but by walking 5-7 miles five days-a-week I get a chance to at least roll the ankles a bit. Now that the colder weather has set in, the crowds are gone and it is peaceful having the paths mostly to myself. I will be heading to Texas the second week of January where I hope to walk in the sandy beaches for two months to strengthen my legs up even more.   Approximately 102 days before I start my hike. I am still anticipating starting around March 20th, but no later then the 27th.   I remember still another tip Greyhound said in 2006 that has once again proven to be right. It was the first night off Springer, and it was cold and windy. He simply commented on how the last two weeks of March are often thought to be warmer in Georgia but how more-often-then-not Mother Nature can and will screw with you. The first part of April does make for warmer starting conditions. This may mean that if I start on April 2nd, I could start with a lower pack weight. Trade-offs I guess, but what I really want to do is start. The colder weather just does not bother me.Although I have my gear combinations all worked out, I am always trying to see how new things or combinations work. In 2008, I wore Keen sandals from Harpers Ferry to Katahdin. Loved them and am thinking of starting at Springer with them in 2010. We just had a light snow and just for the heck of it I went walking with them. Found out my feet remained warm but the traction was not all that great in the snow. Depending on my actual start date, I am planning to put them into play no later then Hot Springs.Also something I dumped after Harpers Ferry were my hiking poles. Thinking back the longer mileage hikers like Greyhound and Ten Speed, they ran light and both passed on the poles. Actually, I found the lack of them more freeing. They were actually in the way with the rock climbs and I was always able to find a stick close by for the stream crossings. In steep ups and downs I would use my hand to grab a hold of rocks and trees. Again, the use of hiking poles was good for me at the start in helping me stabilize my larger pack and manage by heavier body weight, but try hiking without them and see if it works for you.
Date: 2010-02-14
To: T-Minus 30 days
Miles today: 0.0

Day - minus 30 ¢ February 14, 2010Certainly a Happy Valentine¢s Day is extended to those who partake in the day¢s festivities. I am sure that most larger cities have one but in Chicago there is actually a ¢I Hate Valentine¢s Day Pub Crawl¢ I always have to chuckle about that one. Enough of that, it is almost time to hike.First, I CANNOT believe that it is just 30 days before my 2010 hike begins. With nothing else really to do until I start, I have been tempted to begin my hike in early March. But then I keep going back to the fact that no matter what the historical average temps say they should be, I remember many nights with frost build-up on the face opening of my sleeping bag, my water bag being frozen and yes, even snow and ice about the trail in early April. As such, I fall back to starting in mid to late March. Looking back at my 2006 journals, even with pleasant weather during the day, the nights remained consistently cold well into mid April.One big disappointment is my body weight. Bad, bad and worse. Knowing that once I start hiking I won¢t need to worry about calories, I currently can¢t seem to take loosing weight serious. I also know that to be successful at dropping the unneeded pounds; I will have to give up the most favorite past time in my day, i.e., drinking. Crap. But starting tomorrow, I am going to get it done. I am looking to drop 12 pounds in 30 days. Sounds hard but I have done it before when I focus. It is amazing how different my feet are with the extra body weight. There is such a big difference.My conditioning also sucks. I never made it to Texas as planned and the Chicago area has seen a lot of snow. I am simply getting tired of the process of putting on all the layers just to hike six slow miles in the snow or on the roads. Well, I have 30 days to put it all together. I know I will.Again, I simply have too much time on my hands. I am beginning to ponder my long-term food choices. I cannot believe that I am considering cooking as an option. It may sound like a minor modification but for me this is a very radial concept. My last hot meal on the trail was in the Smoky Mountains in 2006. For some reason I am actually thinking about the possibility of cooking once I dump off the second batch of my cold weather gear in Damascus. The endless consumption of tuna packets may end there in Damascus. Time will tell.My mind and gear are ready, both tried and trusted. I was happy with my gear choices in 2006 and 2008 so there is very little change. Looking back at the many decisions I made also seemed to work well. The key here is to understand your circumstances and do what is best for you. I have gone back to my lighter tarp thus shaving 8 ounces. With my heavier body weight I am not anticipating pushing past the shelters early like I had hoped to do. So that means more shelters and less tent sites.Oh well, the time is ticking for all of us. GOOD LUCK CLASS OF 2010. See many of you soon.
Date: 2010-02-14
To: T-Minus 30 days
Miles today: 0.0

Day - minus 30 ¢ February 14, 2010Certainly a Happy Valentine¢s Day is extended to those who partake in the day¢s festivities. I am sure that most larger cities have one but in Chicago there is actually a ¢I Hate Valentine¢s Day Pub Crawl¢ I always have to chuckle about that one. Enough of that, it is almost time to hike.First, I CANNOT believe that it is just 30 days before my 2010 hike begins. With nothing else really to do until I start, I have been tempted to begin my hike in early March. But then I keep going back to the fact that no matter what the historical average temps say they should be, I remember many nights with frost build-up on the face opening of my sleeping bag, my water bag being frozen and yes, even snow and ice about the trail in early April. As such, I fall back to starting in mid to late March. Looking back at my 2006 journals, even with pleasant weather during the day, the nights remained consistently cold well into mid April.One big disappointment is my body weight. Bad, bad and worse. Knowing that once I start hiking I won¢t need to worry about calories, I currently can¢t seem to take loosing weight serious. I also know to be successful at dropping the unneeded pounds; I will have to give up the most favorite past time in my day, i.e., drinking. Crap. But starting tomorrow, I am going to get it done. I am looking to drop 12 pounds in 30 days. Sounds hard but I have done it before when I focus. It is amazing how different my feet are with the extra body weight. There is such a big difference.My conditioning also sucks. I never made it to Texas as planned and the Chicago area has seen a lot of snow. I am simply getting tired of the process of putting on all the layers just to hike six slow miles in the snow or on the roads. Well, I have 30 days to put it all together. I know I will.Again, I simply have too much time on my hands. I am beginning to ponder my long-term food choices. I cannot believe that I am considering cooking as an option. It may sound like a minor modification but for me this is a very radial concept. My last hot meal on the trail was in the Smoky Mountains in 2006. For some reason I am actually thinking about the possibility of cooking once I dump off the second batch of my cold weather gear in Damascus. The endless consumption of tuna packets may end there in Damascus. Time will tell.My mind and gear are ready, both tried and trusted. I was happy with my gear choices in 2006 and 2008 so there is very little change. Looking back at the many decisions I made also seemed to work well. The key here is to understand your circumstances and do what is best for you. I have gone back to my lighter tarp thus shaving 8 ounces. With my heavier body weight I am not anticipating pushing past the shelters early like I had hoped to do. So that means more shelters and less tent sites.Oh well, the time is ticking for all of us. GOOD LUCK CLASS OF 2010. See many of you soon.
Date: 2010-03-06
To: Minus 22 days and counting
Miles today: 0.0

Day - Minus 22 ¢ March 6, 2010Well, the clock is ticking for all of us. Many hikers attempting to be members of the class of 2010 have already begun. Some have already called it quits and many others are pushing on. Reading their journals reminds me why I am not currently hiking. For me it is about the hiking. By starting early in the year before the winter lets go can cause many hardships that I personally just don¢t feel are necessary. I know that if I hike for five to six months that I will make it to Katahdin for a second time. Even by starting in late March or early April, I know that the weather will still test me time and time again as it has so many times before. Adding massive amounts of snow and extremely cold temps is simply something I could do without. Also by starting later I am able to reduce my pack weight by not needing the extra warmth gear. I commend those who are pushing past the weather obstacle and who are still pushing on.And with that said I have firmed up my start date. It looks as if I will hit the trail either on March 28th or 29th. That will give me a solid 6 months to hike and still have two extra weeks in October for back up. I think if I stay healthy, five months should be all I need. It is still to be seen, but my son may start with me at Springer and hike to Neels Gap. This certainly is not the most exciting section to hike. By just starting out, the hiking days will be short and therefore doable for him without any training. It has been many years since we have hiked together and it would be a lot of fun to hike with him once again. I will very much look forward to this if it materializes.Since my last posting I did indeed start to drop my weight and get into better hiking shape. I stopped my excessive booze and coffee drinking cold turkey. For about four days my body let me know how much it did not appreciate me stopping in such a manner. To-date I have lost nine pounds with seven more pounds to lose before I go. That will allow my feet to carry my pack weight as a replacement of my fat weight. It is a good substitute.My gear and pack are ready, my date is set and my mind has gotten around the concept of flowing with the trail. I am stoked. With the later start date, I am looking forward to fewer cold nights then last time. The weather will continually play an important role in your hike no matter what your start date is. Embrace the weather, don¢t fight it. If you try to fight it, YOU WILL LOSE. Hiking in the rain and mud is doable and becomes routine after awhile. Hiking in waist high snow drifts however can be both dangerous and demoralizing. I find the rock and root surfaces slick even when dry. For a (F)at (O)ld (G)uy like me (FOG), ice would likely be a hike stopper. Keep the faith, hike your hike and always be safe above all things.   See the end of March starters soon.
Date: 2010-03-12
To: Ready - Set - Nearly a GO
Miles today: 0.0

Day - Minus 16 ¢ March 12, 2010The day is set. Gear is ready. And it looks as if I will summit Springer with my son on Sunday March 28th. How cool is that. I always felt that if Rob and I hiked the entire trail together I wanted to go as the tortoise and Rob as the hare. Rob and I will be leaving the Chicago area Friday the 26th, head to the Hiker Hostel for stay Saturday night and get a ride to the base of Springer on Sunday the 28th. So there it is ¢¦ I always hoped he would spend time with me farther down the trail but the start is a good start. It should keep me from pushing too far too soon. Hopefully Rob will enjoy his hike and will still join me farther up the trail later on. Our goal is to hit Unicoi Gap on day five and get a ride back to the Hiker Hostel for a shower, meal etc.Conditioning Update: My knee finally seems to be getting better. To this day I am not sure how I injured it. I seemed to have pulled a muscle at an attachment point. I was trying to continue to train through it but the pain got to the point that I simply needed to get off of it and give it time to heal or risk possibly ruining my chances of even starting at all. It killed me but I took two easy and four consecutive days off. I started walking again on it two days ago. Yesterday I put in six miles with a very light 5 pound pack. Today I adjusted my pack to about 12 pounds and went about seven miles. There is still some pain, but it at least seems to be getting stronger. I have been able to maintain my nine pound body weight loss during the time off.   My goal is still to lose at least six more pounds before I leave in two weeks. Now the only remaining issue seems to be my hammer toe. I simply need to continue to reduce my body weight and keep the swelling down. With the 28th as my firm start date, I am planning to start with my sandals and 30 degree bag. A bit of a risk perhaps but worth it if it works out.I am starting to see some of the hiker group forming that will be starting the trail at the end of March. The groups change everyday. I know to enjoy the time with the group you are with since the dynamics change everyday with the change of the people in it. That is part of the fun, certainly in the beginning. I can¢t wait. See many of you soon.(F)at (O)ld (G)uy - FOG
Date: 2010-03-28
From: Day Minus 1

To: On the way....
Miles today: 0.0

Arrived at hiker hostel around 4:00 after a short wait on the way due to an accident on one of the mountain roads.On Friday, day minus 3, I took my final practice hike. Unloaded my pack, washed and put away all the practice gear.On Saturday, day minus 2, took the final scale step. Lost 18 pounds since February 15th. Thanks Holly for the support over this time with the diet and exercise.The two day trip was fine. Stopped at Nashville for the night. Went into the city for a drink and food.On Sunday, Rob and I slept on the floor. Got up at 6:45 to head to Wal-Mart for hand lotion for Rob. Ate breakfast of eggs and pancakes, jumped in the van with 11 other hikers and headed to Springer.
Date: 2010-03-29
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: light rain

After a long and winding road, half on a forest road, we got dropped off at the base of Springer at about 9:30. Put on our packs and Rob and I started the 0.9 miles to the summit of Springer.Near the top, we ran into Many Sleeps. He works for the ATC keeping track of the number of people starting the AT as a thru-hike. His time on the hill was cut in half but he said we are about number 350 in the last 10 days or so.Got to the summit, took some pictures and started down around 10:00. On top were the German couple and Shadow. At the shelter, Shadow had pegged the pack scale at 60 pounds. OUCH!!On the way down, we ran into a woman (excuse me) and her husband. It seems she is pondering not starting.The trail was good the entire day. A bit cold for the day, 45-50 degrees, but nice hiking temps. Met Brian, a.k.a. Bismark, on the way down. The trail had many hikers on it. Got to the shelter around 2:00.At the shelter, I found out I forgot my mayo and index cards for my journal. Bummer. Puma and his girlfriend were at the shelter and he too is a tuna and mayo eater as well. He hooked me up. YUM!!Rob hiked well. Foot bothering him a bit. He is young enough to bang out the miles we older type need to train for.Ate, talked, had a nice fire.Many people in and out of the shelter all day. Of the original group, Shadow, Brian (Bismark), the German couple, and Wayne. Wayne is a bit older, 60-65 or so, and just was not doing well at all. He made it to the shelter around 4:30 or so. He made the phone call to be picked up in the morning. Day 1 was enough for him.Time for bed. Seven in the shelter, many more tenting.Day 1 is done. Goodnight.Life is good.
Date: 2010-03-30
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: few clouds

Last night was cold and damp. 35-40 degrees. Body was warm but my feet were cold. Probably too early for a 30 degree bag, but it was all I can fit in my pack. Rob has a 15 degree and said he was warm, so I am right at the fringe.It was nice not rushing out of the shelter, but hiking is what gets me to warm up. Packed up and started hiking around 9:15. The day warmed up. Bugs are out. It was nice taking it easy, even stopped to cook a hot lunch. This is the first hot lunch I have ever had on the AT.Rob is doing OK, but his foot is really starting to hurt. I wasn't sure about the easy pace at first, but it seems that was the right choice.Was told by a section hiker that night was supposed to be very cold. As it turned out, it was no worse than last night. Ate, then Rob and the other two young guys (I call them "Just Walkin" since that is what they say when asked how far they plan on hiking).Heard about a woman on the trail who is hiking with her bird. The trail has many strange stories.At the shelter is Shadow, Just Walkin, Brian (Bismark), and a father/son, Bryce.The day was good, the campfire is good, trail life is good. It is nice to be back.
Date: 2010-03-31
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Woods Hole Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Up at 7:30 with group. Woke Rob up at 8:00. Ate and on the trail at 8:45. Morning hike was OK but the day quickly became much hotter. We are prepared for cold temps but this unseasonable heat threw me at first. Wasn't ready for all the water we needed. We were both dehydrated most of the day. Again, we stopped and cooked lunch. Fun. Hiking with Rob has been great. We are doing the things that I skip to get the miles done. These simple things make it very enjoyable.Rob's foot is causing a lot of pain. We are going slow and stopping as needed. Got to the shelter, ate and fire. The same group as the last two nights.After we went to sleep, I heard some banging. Then I hear Shadow say, "Guys.. we have a bear." Sure enough, the bear was banging on the food cables. I grabbed my camera, but it was just out of the flash zone. He eventually left, but came back a few hours later and came within 20 feet of the shelter. It was fun and there was never any real aggressive behavior from the bear. As it turns out, it is a local bear that lives in a cave at the base of Blood Mountain. The next day we learned that it made the rounds, getting a couple of food bags of the campers, including Peter, who camped at the top of Blood Mountain.Very good day. Even better night with a bit of bear excitement.End of day 3 and all is good.
Date: 2010-04-01
From: Woods Hole Shelter

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Woke up. Rob cooked his last meal in his pack, eggs. We packed up and were the first out of the shelter at 9:30 or so. Shadow is taking a zero day at the shelter.The climb up Blood Mountain started right away. Not an overly hard climb, but very hard on Rob's bad foot. He still did great and we were quickly on top.Met an AT volunteer who was picking up trash from the summit. Blood Mountain is said to be the most visited spot on the AT. Rob and I hung for a bit, took some pictures, and looked into the shelter on top. Clear day made for some nice views.Took out my phone, had reception, and left a message with the hiker hostel that we were headed down and would be ready for a pick-up after 12:00.The climb down is always fun. Some rock climbs at the top third made it a bit harder to come down. Arrived at Neels Gap at 11:45. There was a church group serving burgers to hikers, so of course Rob and I grabbed some. Yum. Rob grabbed a drink from the outfitters.While we were sitting there, a woman came up to me, said hi, and then said, "You don't remember me do you? I'm miss Janet." With that I went wow. She looked good. For those that don't know, Miss Janet is at folk lore status on the AT. She ran the most popular hostel on the trail in Erwin, TN. A couple of years back, she lost the property due to the conditions of a prior divorce. It was great to see her again. A real AT hero, an icon.About 1:15, Josh picked us and two others up and went back to the hostel for the night. 21 in all at the hostel, so I got the floor again. Ate breakfast at 7:30 sharp the next morning. After breakfast, Rob drove me back to Neels Gap. I will miss my hiking buddy.
Date: 2010-04-02
From: Neels Gap

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

While sleeping on the floor at the Hiker Inn, I heard someone get up and use the bathroom. Then he actually went to the dryer, put something in, started the dryer, and went back to his room and closed the door. Not a big deal if it wasn't 4:15 in the morning and there were 3 people sleeping on the floor in that room. I said out loud, "Are you fucking kidding me?" So I got up and turned the timer to 5 minutes and went back to sleep. What a total asshole.Got up at 7:15. Dressed and up for breakfast. 21 people in all. After Rob and I ate, we jumped in his car and he brought me back to Neels Gap. I needed Aqua Mira since I ran out, so I went to the Outfitters and picked some up. I repacked my bag. We said good-bye. He drove away. I will miss my hiking buddy. I had a great time with him and it was nice hiking with someone for a change.My pack was 19 pounds without my ejector food of 2 pounds or so. My ejector food was 2 oranges and 2 bananas. They were all gone in 90 minutes.Hit the trail at 9:10. Not bad. Along the way, I ran into Baltimore Jack. Got to Low Gap Shelter, got some water and backout at 2:00. Next shelter is seven miles and I have three hours to get there.Along the way, I stopped to get water. Sharp downhill to get it. Right before the shelter, I stopped at the water source. There was a couple from New York getting water. A hiker came by and said he was quitting, and therefore wanted to dump his food. I followed him to the shelter where he, indeed, dropped off his food bag. I grabbed his tuna pouch and two snack bars. Within seconds, all the food was accounted for.There were a lot of hikers there. Probably 20 or so. Most tenting out. Two hikers included 2 girls hiking together who met in London and decided to hike together. One was from Australia and the other from Canada, I think.My shoulder and neck are badly burned. I used my bandana as a neck cover. It did some good, but I am fried. I did not have any sunscreen since this weather is not normal. Oh well. Great hiking day.