morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-08-11
From: Near Stratton Maine

To: Pie Ladies, Monson Maine
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todayPie LadiesMonson, MaineI woke up in the back of my truck this morning at the trailhead at Stratton, Maine. I drove to town and had breakfast at Mainley Yours. My plan today was to look at some properties for sale.I ended up over near Andover looking at a camp that I had seen when I hiked through there. It was a nice piece of property, but the camp was built around an old r.v.I saw a phone and I gave GenerousShoe a call to thank her for the post card that she sent me at the Monson p.o. That post card of her summiting Katahdin was much better than if she had sent homemade brownies with nuts on top.I drove down East B Hill Road and when I got by the trailhead, I saw Bear's truck. I stopped and talked to him. He invited me to stay at The Cabin again, but I still wanted to drive through some back roads on my way back to Monson.While I was there talking to him, The Pennsylvania Mule, Coyote and Ishmael hiked up from the south. Bear was waiting for two slack packers, so I took those 3 to the diner and we all ate lunch together.After lunch, I took them out to The Cabin. I sat around with the others and talked a while. Trunk and Truck were also there.I said goodbye to everyone and headed on back towards Monson. I took my time and looked around the backroads I took, but didn't see anything I was interested in.I gave Frogcaller and Lew a call. They were going to a shoe sale in Skowhegan tomorrow and said I could come along. Maybe I'll find an inexpensive pair of shoes at the annual sale for New Balance. I got to Monson at 7:30pm and was going out to the forest to sleep, but decided to see if the Pie Lady had any room. She did, so I got a shower and settled in for the evening. If anyone else has a post card that they want to send me, I would like that much better than chocolate brownies with nuts on top. The post card wouldn't weigh as much as the chocolate brownies with nuts on top, so when I got tired and hungry on the trail, I could stop and look at the post card. If GenerousShoe was any kind of a friend at all, she would have sent me a post card with a picture of chocolate brownies with nuts on top, so when I got tired and hungry on the trail, I could look at what I COULD be eating.
Date: 2004-08-12
From: Pie Ladies, Monson Maine

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: mist

Zero miles todayPleasant Rd. trailheadMonson, MaineI woke up at The Pie Ladies this morning and walked down to the service station because I remembered that they had Green Mountain Coffee. I got a coffee and a sausage and egg biscuit and then walked back to the hostel. I called Frogcaller and Lew to see when they wanted to pick me up to go to the New Balance Shoe Sale. I talked to The Pie Lady until they picked me up at 9:30am. We drove to Skowhegan to the New Balance Factory. Lew was the only one that got shoes. I tried on two pair, but my toes hit the ends, so I got to keep my money in my pocket. We stopped by and picked up a hamburger for lunch and went down by the Kennebec River and ate.We ran some errands on the way back. They dropped me off back at my truck and we made plans for me to go to their cabin in the morning for breakfast. I bought a red rasberry pie from The Pie Lady to take over to them tomorrow.I drove to Greenville and ate dinner at Flatlander's and on my way back to Monson, I picked up Feather and her daughter, Wing at the trailhead and took them to Shaw's. They left Springer on March 7th, so they are making good time.I drove out to the trailhead at Pleasant St. That's where I'm planning on sleeping tonight. It's been a good day, but I'm tired and going to bed early tonight.I keep forgetting to say that I have been noticing the leaves are already starting to slowly change up here. I've seen a couple of trees that the leaves have already changed alot, but mostly just noticing some red leaves laying on the ground. The daylight is starting to get less and less pretty quick.I had to get back up and add that shortly after I fell asleep, I heard a noise outside of my truck. There was a cow moose that walked by me about 10 feet away from the truck.
Date: 2004-08-26
From: Glencliff, NH

To: Whitehall, Pa. Goosebump and Rainbow Slick's
Miles today: 0.0

I woke up and went inside the hostel to make some coffee, but Gary was already making a pot. I hung around and said goodbye to some of my friends that were there...Tennessee Jack, Bramble, Big Stick, Gary, A-Ron and my new friend, Coyote.I headed on towards Whitehall, Pa. to see Rainbow Slick and Goosebump The Snow Princess.I had checked a map and they were right on my way to Skeemer's, so it made a good stop and I know how much Goosebump The Snow Princess missed me and wanted to see me again.I got there at 6pm and took flowers in for Goosebump The Snow Princess. Seems I said something to tick the pregnant lady off, so for my own safety, I stopped and bought her some flowers...it worked!!Pregnant ladies can be REAL moody.It was good seeing the two of them and she had made some chili, so we sat right down and ate.Underpants and his girlfriend, Simone came over and brought some beer and some Rochester White Hots...kind of a sausage/hotdog. He made some good, hot saucy hanburgery topping for them and we ate again.Rainbow Slick was helping me to download 130 pictures off my digital camera.We got them on a disc, but weren't able to upload them onto my journal, so I'll have to work on them again later.We all stayed up until midnight...that's really late for a hiker.I gave Dr. Dolittle a call at midnight...she lives in Oregon, so it was only 9pm there.We ended up talking until 1:30am.Liteshoe wants me to make a list of preparations for hiking the JMT. I guess this is the start of the preps.I'm slowly making my way across the country to hike out west.My list of things that I've done so far;1. Got my Leki fixed.2. Bought a new photon light.3. Stopped hiking on the A.T.4. Started driving in that general direction.When I get more, I'll list them.
Date: 2004-08-27
From: Whitehall, Pa. Goosebump and Rainbow Slick's

To: Off Trail
Miles today: 0.0

I woke up and went inside the hostel to make some coffee, but Gary was already making a pot. I hung around and said goodbye to some of my friends that were there...Tennessee Jack, Bramble, Big Stick, Gary, A-Ron and my new friend, Coyote.I headed on towards Whitehall, Pa. to see Rainbow Slick and Goosebump The Snow Princess.I had checked a map and they were right on my way to Skeemer's, so it made a good stop and I know how much Goosebump The Snow Princess missed me and wanted to see me again.I got there at 6pm and took flowers in for Goosebump The Snow Princess. Seems I said something to tick the pregnant lady off, so for my own safety, I stopped and bought her some flowers...it worked!!Pregnant ladies can be REAL moody.It was good seeing the two of them and she had made some chili, so we sat right down and ate.Underpants and his girlfriend, Simone came over and brought some beer and some Rochester White Hots...kind of a sausage/hotdog. He made some good, hot saucy hanburgery topping for them and we ate again.Rainbow Slick was helping me to download 130 pictures off my digital camera.We got them on a disc, but weren't able to upload them onto my journal, so I'll have to work on them again later.We all stayed up until midnight...that's really late for a hiker.I gave Dr. Dolittle a call at midnight...she lives in Oregon, so it was only 9pm there.We ended up talking until 1:30am.Liteshoe wants me to make a list of preparations for hiking the JMT. I guess this is the start of the preps.I'm slowly making my way across the country to hike out west.My list of things that I've done so far;1. Got my Leki fixed.2. Bought a new photon light.3. Stopped hiking on the A.T.4. Started driving in that general direction.When I get more, I'll list them.
Date: 2004-08-28
From: Off Trail

To: Off the AT and on to the JMT
Miles today: 0.0

I'm taking a break from this thru hike of the A.T. and going to California to hike the JMT. I'll be back to finish up this thru hike starting again in October.To see what I'm up to now, just go to the left side bar on this page and click on; JMT 2004I'll be keeping that journal just like I've kept this one with one exception, it may be longer between entries on some days because of the lack of a telephone to send in my journal from the more remote trail.I'll see you back on this A.T. journal in early October...but feel free to still log and and add to my count by clicking on this journal. I have seen Liteshoe in person and saw the fear on her face when she logged on to my journal and saw how close I'm getting to the number of hits on her journal...true fear!!Thanks for reading and I hope you have enjoyed it. I'm having fun writing it.
Date: 2004-10-02
From: Off the AT and on to the JMT

To: Miss Janet's House, Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Zero miles todayMiss Janet's HouseErwin, Tn.I'm writing this on the 3rd of October from memory...it was a long day yesterday. I got up early and was at the local Damascus, VA Cracker Barrel at 6am for breakfast. I went back to my motel room and sorted out my stuff and cleaned out my truck. It was time to clean it out!!I left there just before 11am and headed down to Miss Janet's in Erwin, Tn. It was good to see her again...it's always good to see her.She wasn't very busy today, so she said that she would help me download my pictures onto her computer, so I could upload them onto my JMT webpage. We got them onto the computer, but spent so much time talking to a few other people, that we got hungry and decided to go into town to eat and then on out to look at that 52 acres that is for sale near the A.T..There is a new little restaurant that opened in town. I don't know the name of it, but I hope it makes it in business. It will be a nice place for hikers to eat at next year. We went on up to Sam's Gap to look at the property.It was a very nice piece of property, but it borders the interstate and I couldn't live with that. I need quiet!!The property has a couple of streams and a few springs.There were a couple other hikers there and we all talked for a while before Miss Janet and I headed back.I got on the computer and started uploading my pictures of the JMT hike and spent all evening doing that.I got off the computer at 11pm and went out to grab a bit of food and then came back and didn't finish until a little after 2am this morning. I didn't put many captions on the JMT photos yet, but I will the next chance I get. (Transcriber's note: And I helped! ;-0). I bet I spent over six hours posting those pictures, so go over and take a look at the photo section of the JMT hike.I pulled my truck into Miss Janet's back yard and crawled into it and slept great!I am still planning on getting back on the trail in Glencliff, NH and walking south to Glasgo, Va. after The Gathering this weekend...I just haven't decided yet whether I'm going to drive up there and leave my truck at the hostel or if I can leave my truck farther south and get a ride up there from The Gathering.I'm sure everything will fall into place...it always does.
Date: 2004-10-03
From: Miss Janet's House, Erwin, TN

To: South of Atlanta, Ga.
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todaySleeping in back of my truckSouth of Atlanta, Ga.I woke up this morning in the back yard of Miss Janet's. I slept in the back of my truck there and although I didn't get to bed until late, I slept great.I went into the house and Miss Janet was already up. I said goodbye and took off to Ashville, NC to spend the day with Mrs. Moosie and Goldilocks.I got to their motel and we went to check out a college campus that Goldilocks is thinking about attending next year.They had never been to see the Biltmore Estate, so we headed there and spent the day touring the mansion and gardens. It was really good seeing the two of them again...too bad Moosie couldn't come along.We stopped at Starbucks for a coffee after we left there and I did get to talk to Moosie when he called. Moosie and Goldilocks are doing a nobo thru hike next year starting in March. I hope Moosie can keep up with Goldilocks. He's getting pretty old.We went back to the motel room and I checked my email and talked a little more. I was already tired from not getting much sleep last night and it was 6pm when I left for Fl, but the Starbucks must have kicked in because I was able to drive until 11:300pm.I headed over to Hayesville, NC to see if a friend was home, but no luck, so I kept on driving until I got to the south side of Atlanta.I'll finish my drive to my place in Fl. in the morning.
Date: 2004-10-04
From: South of Atlanta, Ga.

To: Sumterville, Fl.
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todayHomeSumterville, Fl.I slept good last night at the truckstop, but not long enough. I got up at 6am and went into the truckstop and got some coffee.I headed south and stopped to get gas before I crossed into Fl. I paid $1.76 a gallon in Ga. and it was $1.93 in Fl.I got to Wildwood and drove over to where I get the oil changed in my truck and got that taken care of.I got home at 1pm and was swamped with mail from all the way back to June. I spent the afternoon going through the mail and calling friends, although most weren't home.It is hot and humid down here and there's lots of mosquitos. I can't wait to get out of here and get back on the trail. I should be able to get done here by Wednesday and get back up north in time to go to The Gathering in WV.When it was dinner time, I thought about going out to a restaurant. I looked in the cabinet and found some Quaker Oats, so I made those and really enjoyed it. I haven't cooked anything on a stove in ages.It was strange taking a shower at home, too.I made somemore phone calls and before I knew it, it was late.I'm going to be busy for the next couple of days so I can get back out on the trail for the rest of the year.
Date: 2004-10-05
From: Sumterville, Fl.

To: Sumterville, Fl. still
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todayHome Sumterville, Fl.I got up at 6am and drove to town to have breakfast with a running buddy of mine, but he wasn't there this morning.I had breakfast and drove by the other restaurant and ran into Bob Emmons, another friend. He didn't even recognize me at first...has my beard grown that much?? I went in and had a cup of coffee with him and caught up on some of the local news. The hurricanes have caused a bunch of damage, but everyone seems to have made it through them ok. There was a tree on the property I sold last year that was over 18 feet in circumferance and part of that huge tree split off...too bad. It was probably 400 to 500 years old.When I get off the trail and come back to Florida, I always seem overwhelmed. Way too much to do in a short time and this time I am only going to be here a couple of days.I went and had new tires put on my truck. The old tires had 94,000 miles on them and I was starting to worry about them even though they still had plenty of rubber on them.I couldn't get in touch with my health insurance agent, so I'll keep trying to get that straightened out.I spent the afternoon putting the captions on my JMT photos and posting a few pictures on my A.T. journal from when I hiked through Maine. I put up 18 pictures and they are all listed under 7-10-04 on the A.T. photos section of my journal. They didn't all happen that day, but that will make it easy for anyone who wants to see the new pictures. I'll date them correctly at a later time.I called Dr. Dolittle and talked to her until 12;30am. We talked about two hours.Hey Dr, sure hope to see you again in about a month.One more day and I can head back up north!!I am having a hard time waiting to get back to hiking again. Hopefully I'll be back on the trail and walking south next Tuesday.
Date: 2004-10-06
From: Sumterville, Fl. still

To: Still Sumterville, Fl.
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todayHomeSumterville, Fl.It was a busy day, but I'm ready to leave Florida tomorrow morning. I got up this morning and ate breakfast and then got busy for the day.I went through hiking gear and got a few winter items out for the rest of my hike. I haven't done anything to my truck all summer, so I spent half a day washing, vacumning, detailing and repacking it.I made a run up to Ocala to pick up my health insurance papers and ate an early dinner.I feel pretty good being organized for a change. I feel bad because I didn't have enough time to visit relatives, but I'll be back around the end of the year. I thought I would have more time, but I was wrong.I'm starting to get excited again because after this weekend, I'll be back on the A.T!!!
Date: 2004-10-07
From: Still Sumterville, Fl.

To: LiteShoe base camp, Southern Pines, NC
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todaySlept in the back of my truckSouthern Pines, NCI was going to sleep in a little later this morning, but I woke up before 5am and decided to get ready and leave early. I left Fl. today!!I took care of unplugging everything in the house and drove out the drive with the intentions of heading north on the interstate, but it was 6:30am and I still hadn't seen my running buddy, Jim Blount, so I headed south into Bushnell and found him at our usual breakfast place. He knew I was around because of some other friends that I had seen. We ate breakfast and I showed him a bunch of pictures I had. He has run 29 road races this year. He and I did that for a number of years and I miss that the most now that I'm always out backpacking.I headed north and it was great to leave Fl. I like that state less each time I go back.It was basically just a noneventful ride and I got to Southern Pines before 6pm. I am catching a ride from there up to the Gathering with Jan Liteshoe and then hopefully catching a ride with some other hiker up to Glencliff, NH from the Gathering in WV.After supper, Liteshoe was tired and we have alot of driving to do, so I dropped her off at her house and I drove over to her property where she is having a house built and slept in the back of my truck.It was great not having to sleep in air conditioning like I did for three days in Fl. It got down to 50 degrees and I slept really well.Getting closer to actually hiking again...I can't wait!!!
Date: 2004-10-08
From: LiteShoe base camp, Southern Pines, NC

To: The Gathering, Athens, WV
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todayTentingAthens, WVOk, today Liteshoe and I have something in common with Martha Stewart...we are all heading to WV. I'm glad Liteshoe and I are heading to the ALDHA Gathering though and not where Martha Stewart is going.I slept in the back of my truck on the property where Liteshoe's new home is being built. She picked a great spot. It's so beautiful.She picked a great spot. It was so quiet.It's in the woods. It's so peaceful.She has made the transition back to the "civilized world" after her thru hike last year. I'll keep on hiking though...I'm not ready for that transformation yet. I got up a little before 5am and drove down to the local Wal-Mart to resupply for the trail, and then went to her house and picked her up for breakfast. We ate at the best local place and then headed for the hiker gathering in WV. My plan is to ride with her and catch a ride up to New Hampshire to resume my A.T. thru hike for this year. I left my truck at her house and we took her car and drove the 4 hours to WV. Seeing all the leaves changing just made me want to get back on the trail that much more...I can't wait to start walking again.This was the first time I've gone to the Gathering, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Right away I started seeing friends. I thought I would have time to take it easy, but I stayed busy all day and into the night. The Gathering is a little more low key than Trail Days in May, but it is still overwhelming with all the friends that you run into all in one place. I tried naming everyone I ran into at Trail Days earlier this year in my journal, but I'm not going to try that again. I'll just say I was talking to old and new friends all day and into the night. I set my tent up earlier and when I got back tonight, LWOP had set his tent up really close to mine. Right at my doorway. I know he always tried to stay close to other hikers on the trail because of his fear of critters, but I doubt if there are any bears going to bother him here. (Transcriber's note: As usual, read between the lines here) I let it go and didn't say anything because his wife, Bonnie was with him and I didn't want to embarass him in front of her. He's supposed to be the woodsman, after all. It did feel good to sleeping in my tent again though. It's been a while. Some of the JMT dirt fell out of it when I set it up.
Date: 2004-10-09
From: The Gathering, Athens, WV

To: The Gathering, Athens, WV
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todayTentingAthens, WVI woke up early and crawled out of my tent. I went into the kitchen area and got some coffee and, as I was instructed before I went to sleep last night, I got Liteshoe some coffee and a little of the breakfast breakfast Mountain Man had cooked up and took it back to her. She was just waking up from where she had slept in her car...I guess now that Liteshoe is a "Cotton Person," she forgot what it's like to sleep in a tent. LWOP made it safely through the night too, thanks to him setting up his tent about on top of mine.We all got ready and drove over to the University to start enjoying the events and workshops that were scheduled for the Gathering today. I'm going to keep this short and just say that I was busy from early morning all the way until past midnight with all the stuff going on. I also ran into lots more friends. I do have to mention one name, LunchBox just because he is part of the SLOBO group I hiked with earlier this year in Maine and NH. And he is still hiking south on his thru hike. I was able to find out about the rest of the Slobos'. Good luck LunchBox and happy trails!!! Ok...just two more names...clean-shaven LWOP and his wife Bonnie. After Liteshoe and Bonnie went to bed, LWOP went out of his way to burn me four picture CDs of my JMT hike pictures on his laptop, late at night. And when Liteshoe is not around, he's actually a good guy. Liteshoe is an "instigator" full of mischief and when she gets going on someone, she can really...uh, let's just say, she can really have an impact. (Transcriber's note: Three words here - pot... kettle... black...) I mention Bonnie for two reasons; 1. She went to Katahdin and actually climbed to the top of it to celebrate the end of her husband's thru hike.2. If half of what Liteshoe says about LWOP is true, Bonnie is a Saint for putting up with him.
Date: 2004-10-10
From: The Gathering, Athens, WV

To: Roanoke, VA
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todayComfort InnRoanoke, Va.Once again I got up early, even though I didn't get to bed last night until almost 1am. I went and made a pot of coffee in the kitchen area and once again, I delivered Liteshoe coffee to where she was sleeping in her car, as instructed. I took my wet tent down and packed it up, and packed all my other stuff. I'm going back to NC with Liteshoe to get my truck. All the people I know that were going back to NH were all going other places first while they were this far south, and I'm eager to get back on the trail. So I'm going to drive my truck up to NH.Now that I have taken my tent down, LWOP and Bonnie will have room in front of their tent. I wish old Dewdrop wouldn't have set their tent right next to mine, but at least we weren't there very much. All four of us got ready and went to the University cafeteria for breakfast. Thanks LWOP for springin' for the food!!! I don't think all the things Liteshoe has said about you are true, since you have been so pleasant to be around these last couple of days. After breakfast, Liteshoe and I headed back for NC. We got back to her house around 3:30pm and I left heading north for the trail. I'm stopping to see Dr. Dolittle on the way up, so I drove to Roanoke, Va. and got a room at the Comfort Inn and will drive the rest of the way to Rhode Island tomorrow and visit with the Dr. for a day or so before getting back on the trail at Glencliff, NH.This was a fantastic weekend!!! I still can't believe how much fun I had all weekend.