morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-05-25
From: Thomas Knob Shelter 

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 35.7
Weather: clear sky

Hikers Zen - A trance like state of being where the only entities in existence are your left leg, right leg, and white blazes on the trees (trail markers). While in such a state such as during the last few miles of an extremely long day, the only thing that can get me out of Hikers Zen is either 1. The exquisite beauty of sherpette or 2. THE SHELTER!!! Today started out really easy, quick miles melted away while I was in a hiking frenzy. Towards the last 10 miles, however, I began my destination mode where I only want to reach the shelter. It wasn't until the last 7 miles (already working on 28 miles for the day) that I slipped into my semi-comatose state that is "Hikers Zen". All eternal forces were oblivious to me. Hunger, thirst, that itch on my knee, my sore ankle, the twinge in my neck, all these things were outside my sphere of care. I only wanted to reach the shelter. So I'm in this state for quite a while but quickly realize one huge drawback from being in Hikers Zen, hikers time dilation!!! This is when you hike and think that the hours are sweeping by along with the miles while in actuality, not much time has passed AND not much distance. So alas, I slip out of Hikers Zen and check, to my chagrin, that I still have 3 miles to go!!! Those last 3 miles I was basically on autopilot while my legs took me to the shelter. I finally made it to an extremely accommodating shelter with running water, an upstairs, and even a shower (hot water was out though). Also, turns out, I motivated Magellan (a fellow ultra-lighter) doing some serious miles into pushing on the extra 10 to Partnership Shelter.   The evenings have finally warmed up to the point where I use my sleeping bag as a blanket and I don't have to wear my cold gear. Doing a short 25 mile hike tomorrow, and planning on taking all day to do it!! This is Aphex reinitiating radio silence.
Date: 2008-05-26
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 25.5
Weather: clear sky

Got up late (on purpose), ate breakfast at camp and didn't get started until well after 9 a.m. Mosied along at a slow but respectable pace over some rolling hills, an elevation my databook calls a Mountain and through quite a few cow pastures. The trail crossed I-81 and there just so happened to be a Shell gas station fully loaded with a convenience store!!!! I surely wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to have some Diet Rock Star, Mr. Pibb Extra, and one Ice cream Snickers, so I went in and met up with Magellan and had a nice hour long lunch break inside the Shell Mart. Afterwards, and for the first time since I began this trip, I stayed iwth Magellan and got to talk to someone while hiking. We stayed together and talked about all kinds of nonsense. It was quite pleasant to actually relay my thoughts to someone other than myself. It was a nice change to say the least. Might hike with him, or catch up to him tomorrow and head into Bland, VA. The weather is getting pretty humid and I'm currently covered in several layers of dirt, grime, salt, and sweat that I wouldn't mind getting rid of. All depends on how I feel tomorrow. Got my hiking legs finally and I intend to use them to the utmost capacity. Gonna hit the sack and potentially grab a hot shower and DQ Blizzard tomorrow. We shall see.
Date: 2008-05-27
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 30.8
Weather: light rain

Started the day at 5:30 a.m.!!! Got on the trail at 6 a.m. with a mission on my mind. I heard from a little birdie that there was a Dairy Queen in Bland, VA so when I woke up this morning, the only thing that I was thinking of was a ginormous DQ Blizzard!!! Set off at a blinding speed and didn't slow down all day. Cruised over Chestnut Ridge and kept on trecking through the rest of the country side. I'm finding the trail to be less than challenging in VA so I'm making up for that with increased speed and more mileage. Nothing worthy of note between here and there, and mostly appeared as a green blur. Passing the time on trail with Magellan and some interesting riddles and a little political commentary (of course it is all old news because we're a little removed from mainstream media). Learned from a few hikers that there is a free breakfast in Bland so it is very possible that I'll hit that up. Gonna get a good nights rest, especially after actually eating 5,000 calories at DQ when I finished up the day. Hostel style washing the clothes and prepping for possible 43 mile day tomorrow to bypass the thru hiker "clump".
Date: 2008-05-28
From: Bland, VA

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 42.9
Weather: light rain

Short day! Actually the shortest day of my trip thus far. I did about 6.5 miles... BUT these short few miles were done on 5/29. The hiking day actually entailed a total of 42.9 miles but Magellan and I didn't get into Pearisburg until 2:30 a.m.!!! That may seem crazy, but I'll explain. The day begain with a huge breakfast (FREE) sponsored by a local church that takes hikers in and stuffs them full of Southern Style Fare. Afterwards, got a ride back to the trail and started off quite slow due to the brick of food in my stomach. The trail was pretty easy with little to sweat over. It was raining about half of the day and we reached Wapiti Shelter (25 miles) around 7. Before we got there, each of us made a guess at how many people would be there. I guessed 2 and Magellan guessed 5. Turns out when we showed up, there were about 20 people !!! The shelter sleeps 8, and several people showed up after us. Granted, many people were tenting, but the shelter was still full!! I wasn't completely unprepared for this, however. Earlier on in the day, I discussed with Magellan this possible situation and decided that if it were the case, we would do a night hike on into Pearisburg (an extra 17 miles). So I ate dinner and set out around 8:30 p.m. for Pearisburg. It got fully dark around 9-9:15 so I began to use my headlamp. The miles were going on slightly slower than usual due to the darkness and about halfway (8 miles) to Pearisburg my headlamp decides to crap out!! This was not good. From then on I was completely in the hands of Magellan's headlamp. I was not the most graceful hiker to say the least. Most of the time I looked like a flailing ballerina, and the rest of the time I looked like a newborn giraffe. All the while we came across a dead wet rabbit and hear a coyote off in the not so distant distance. After the coyote, we began talking a little louder and shouted all kinds of nonsense at random intervals. Im not sure if it was the darkness or just from being delirious but we finally found a single "Family Guy" inpsired chant of "Peanut Butter Jelly Time, Peanut Butter Jelly Time". Also we thought it would be funny to growl when we passed the next shelter but thought better of it. So I'm taking terrible steps, tripping over nearly every rock and destroying my ankles. The last 3 mile descent into town were definitely the longest and hardest. We came out "FINALLY" into someones back yard and we were immediately greeted by a dog that sounded not so friendly. A mile walk later up to the motel brings us 42.9 plus miles to our final destination. WE CAME, WE HIKED, WE CONQUERED!!!! A hot shower beckons and a soft bed awaits. Aphex T.D. (tired and delirous).
Date: 2008-05-30
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 37.8
Weather: clear sky

Easy relaxing day. Not a very challenging day. Even with the late start out of town, still got to the destination in good time. Saw several oblivious deer on the trail just nibblin on the grass, a very fast snake that slithered down the trail and tons of gypsy moth caterpillars climbing over me. Also passed a shelter that had no roof due to a tree accident. The only interesting thing that happened today was when i heard a tree crashing down in the forest and eventually saw the wreckage across the trail. Got to the shelter, ate a quick dinner and night hiked six more miles to the next shelter. This time I hade a headlamp that functioned properly, so we were making good time. Got in and am getting ready for bed. Hopefully tomorrow will entail something worthy of note. Aphex N.H. (night hiker)
Date: 2008-05-31
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: John Springs Shelter
Miles today: 36.1
Weather: broken clouds

Nice day for hiking much like the rest of Virginia I have encountered. The trail today was smooth, little steep inclines, and good grades up a couple of mountains. Started to get hot close to noon and there were reports of afternoon showers. At this point I encourage the rain and would welcome it with open arms. The rain would single handedly cool me down, rinse off the sweat (1st layer), and hose down my clothes. But alas, it rained for only 5 minutes! Not enough to even get wet, but surely enough to up the humidity for the rest of the day. Took an early dinner break at a shelter that added an extra mile to my day. Climbed Dragon's Tooth and got off the mountain before dark. Walked the last 10 miles at night. Came across a 1.5 stretch of field where so many fireflies were out that it looked like the flashes of cameras at a sport stadium, quite the beautiful site. Got into the shelter late and had next to no water for the morning! Went to sleep wtih thoughts of sweet, sweet water on my mind. Head into town tomorrow! Aphex S.T (super thirsty)
Date: 2008-06-01
From: John Springs Shelter

To: Daleville, Virginia
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: few clouds

Loooongest 19 miles ever. I was exhauseted, tired (sleepy), and thirsty to start off. Picked up water about a mile down trail which turned out to have a funky smell/taste. Plodded along over McAfee Knob, Turner Cliffs, and everything else that barred my way. Finally found my extra reserves of energy and picked up the pace the last few miles. FINALLY made it past the 3 mile mark and raced to town. Good thing too, because I was covered in sweat, grime, dirt, and everything else imaginable. Taking a breather here in Daleville.
Date: 2008-03-23
To: prep entry #1
Miles today: 0.0

After many years of dreaming about hiking the Appalachian Trail it will finally become a reality for me on Monday March 31, 2008. I will be attempting a thru-hike from Georgia to Maine hiking through 14 states. I will be updating this journal to let my family know of my progress and to keep my poor mother from worrying so much.
Date: 2008-03-23
To: prep entry #2
Miles today: 0.0

My name is Paul Stutzman. I am 57 years old and on Saturday March 29th. I will be retiring after 25 years in food service. For the past 17 years I have been manager of Dutch Valley Restaurant in Sugarcreek, Ohio. DVR was the best job I ever had and to give it up was one of the hardest choices I ever made. I Work with so many really wonderful people and will miss them so much. Running a 700 seat restaurant with 130 employees is a high stress job and kills off brain cells at a very high rate. I came to realize that with two good legs and about two brain cells left I had better hike while I could. So now you know what it takes to attempt a hike like this. Any more brain cells and a person probably would not attempt a hike of this proportion. Now that I've insulted everyone who has ever hiked the A.T. lets move on to prep #3.
Date: 2008-03-23
To: prep entry #3
Miles today: 0.0

People have asked me why I would give up a good job to go hiking for up to 5 month. Here is the answer. My wife Mary and I were married 32 years with 3 great kids and 2 grandchildren. For most of those years we struggled financially as many families do, but always with a goal of getting out of debt and saving money and doing mission projects and traveling together. Finally in May 2006 the last house payment was made, wow! what a relief, out of debt at last. Four month later on September 7, 2006 my wife died of cancer. We really should enjoy the journey because the destinations we dream of are often just unkept promises we make to ourselves, or often hollow empty achievements when we do get there. I seek no pity but ask for prayers for safety and healing for my family. Finally, this journal is not for everyone, if all you are looking for is trees, rocks, and hills climbed, you will be dissapointed. This hike is about healing and thoughts and revelations I am hoping to recieve, and I wish to speak openly about what I am learning. Also if you follow my journal I will most likely insult most of you at some point in time. If not soon, be patient your time will come. My humor can be irreverant at times. At least I am hoping so, because I wish to laugh,love, and live again. On my next posting I will explain my trail name, Apostle.
Date: 2008-03-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Only two more days of work before leaving for the trail. It has been a difficult week of goodbys to some very special co-workers who have made my years at the restaurant such a good experience. They say change is good for you, however I find it very unsettling. I am looking forward to getting into a routine on the trail and getting to know my fellow hikers. Most people use a trail name that either they choose or is given to them by other hikers. Often times it is the result of something stupid you may have done, so rather than give someone else the satisfaction of tagging me with some silly name I choose to go as Apostle, as in "Apostle Paul". One day the Apostle Paul AKA Saul was hiking toward Damascus when he got zapped by a bright light. Turns out God was trying to get his attention. After a name change and a change of heart the Apostle took to doing a good bit of hiking. I also will be hiking toward Damascus, [Virginia] and am hoping for an enlightening experience. Hopefully not in the form of a lightening bolt though.
Date: 2008-03-29
To: SPRINGER MOUNTAIN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Arrived at Amicalola Falls State Park today. I am officialy hiker # 391 leaving for Springer Mountain in the morning. This is my first attept at a journal entry using my new Verizon Treo phone. My technical knowledge started with the super eight movie camera and peaked with the eight track tape deck. Its amazing to be able to have web connections on the trail. I will try to do short updates from the trail where possible and do longer updates in towns about once a week. Thanks to all you who have signed my guest book. I am kind of nervous and scared but it's time to take that first step.
Date: 2008-03-31
From: SPRINGER MOUNTAIN

To: horse gap
Miles today: 10.2

I am under way. It seems like my life has been nothing but painfull goodbyes lately. My friend Ina dropped me off at the top of springer mountain this morning and with a final goodbye I headed up the trail. If Ina would have told me to get back in the car and go home I probably would have. I followed a small stream for a while beside a forest of large hemlock trees.At 3 o'clock I came to Hawk mountain shelter but it was full plus it was to early to quit so 4 of us men hiked 2 miles further and set up camp in the woods. It started to rain and rained all night. To bed at 8 o'clock but hardly slept at all. The rain on my tent kept me awake. I figured I would eventually have to use my rain gear, just didn't figure it would be the first day. The saying on the trail is "no pain no Maine".
Date: 2008-04-01
From: horse gap

To: Dockery Lake Trail
Miles today: 12.2

April fools day, time for all fools to be hiking in the rain. Took the tent down in the rain and everything got wet. This morning while hiking a refrain went through my head, It went like this, "I"m hiking in the rain on the way to Maine while I could be home where it's warm and dry". It then repeats itself several thousand times.The sun finally came out at 2 o'clock and it was great hiking. I got my first trail magic at Woody Gap. A lady was there asking if anyone wanted a cold Coke. Wow only my favorite beverage. It tasted sooo good. I am hiking with a group of 5 guys from age 48 to 70. The 70 year old also lost his wife to cancer, then today I found out he was also in the restaurant business, a kindred spirit of sorts. Tonight we are tented in the woods where its nice and dry. We dryed of all of our gear. Tomorrow we climb over Blood Mountain the highest Mountain and then to Neels Gap. We plan to stay at a hiker hostel and clean up. I am starting to smell pretty ripe. My legs, feet, back, shoulders are very sore. Oh what a good feeling. Well our food bags are hung up in trees to keep them from bears, so I will go to bed or sleeping bag.
Date: 2008-04-02
From: Dockery Lake Trail

To: Bull Gap
Miles today: 8.8

Two owls kept me awake last night. They were screeching for hours. This morning we hiked over Blood Mountain, the highest in Georgia. There is a stone shelter on top of Blood Mountain buult by the ccc in the 1930's. It was a beautiful sunny day today and the view was great. We hiked into Neels Gap an outfitter located right on the trail. The trail goes right through the building. A group called Georgia Mountain Resort Ministries was there giving out free hamburgers. They were awesome, I ate three. Three of our group stayed at a cabin at Neels Gap and two of us decided to hike another mile, so after cleaning up a bit we headed for an area called Bull Gap. There is a group of about 10 of us here. Sat around a fire and shot the bull at Bull Gap.It was a good day.
Date: 2008-04-02
From: Dockery Lake Trail

To: Bull Gap
Miles today: 8.8

Didn't sleep much last night, two Owls decided to screech at each other all night. Hiked 9 hard miles today over Blood Mountain into Neels Gap. When we were young us guys would floor the accelerator and exclaim we are running the carbon out of our engines, well today I ran the carbon out of my lungs as I accelerated over Blood Mountain. We arrived at Neels Gap to find the Georgia Mountain Resort Ministries giving out free hamburgers, oh what a treat, I ate 3. I took a shower at Mountain Crossings, an outfitter at Neels Gap and continued to hike another mile to Bull Gap. There is a group of about 10 here tonight. Everyone is very friendly. It was sunny part of today, otherwise it rains elmost every day in Georgia. It was a good day.
Date: 2008-04-03
From: Bull Gap

To: Red Clay Gap
Miles today: 15.3

Today was hike to survive day. Rain, fog, high wind, sleet, another good day to hike. Richard, trail name 26.2, he's a marathon runner and I left camp at 8 o'clock this morning and hiked 10 miles to Low Gap Shelter to eat lunch and filter water from a nearby stream. It was a nice shelter but to cold plus we had to keep moving just to keep warm.I put on all the cloths I had along and hiked another 5 miles. There sure was a lot of Georgia I did not see because of the fog, you could just see about 50 feet ahead of you.Stopped to make camp at 5 o'clock. Had dehidrated pasta privamera and was it ever good. To my sister Carolyn, yes my feet are staying warm and dry, those Gore Tex trail shoes really work. Time for bed it's raining out right now, just another rainy night in Georgia. Thanks to all of you who signed the guest book, that was so exciting to read tonight. Now I really can't quit.20 percent quit at Neels Gap, so I'm already in the 80 percent bracket.
Date: 2008-04-04
From: Red Clay Gap

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: light rain

If you want to find out what it's like out here, buy a rain suit and throw 35 pounds on your back and hike in the rain for 10 hours. Today was one of the worst days of my life.Rained all day the trail is muddy and slippery, thank God for hiking poles, they saved me from falling many times. Everytime I slip or twist my ankle I say, "thank you Lord" I was thanking the Lord all day. To stay warm we kept hiking all day. Finally at 6 o'clock we ended at deep gap shelter. We climbed over 4 substantial mountains today. The last one Kelly Knob was so difficult and slippery that I just barely made it.I was so slow an inch worm and a snail passed me. It was my first night in a shelter and it was horrible. I was so cold and wet I quickly got nekkid and jumped into my bag. I did not even hang up my food bag, since I would have welcomed a bear eating me. All he would have found is another bare. Plus he would have to get over the smell. I stink, not just a small strain of b.o. but a full blown stench. Also my sleeping bag is made of down which is feathers and you know what happens when feathers get wet, that's right it smells like a poultry operation inside my tent too. I could not sleep the whole night. Hard floor, stinky bag, chainsaw snorer started up beside me, bullfrog snorer started up, the upstairs loft chimed in with a tenor snorer. A group of men had made a batch of western chili bean soup, what a foolish thing to do in a shelter. I was in my bag at 7 o'clock and at 11 o'clock the gas blasters kicked in. What a choir. Belchers, coughers, flactulators, one smoker, it was horrible. It got so bad I laid there and counted the hair on my chest. That only took a half hour so I recalled all the warm places I have been in my life. I went back as early in childhood as I could and recalled every memory I ever had. It of course rained all night and mercifully 7 o'clock finally arrived and we got up, put on our wet clothes and hiked 3 miles to the Blueberry Patch Hostel.I am warm and dry now. Six days hiking 5 and a half days rain. Tomorrow we leave Georgia, into North Carolina, praises be. 67.5 miles hiked.
Date: 2008-04-05
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: The Blueberry Patch
Miles today: 3.5

What a difference a day makes. Hiked 3.5 miles to Dicks Creek Gap where Gary Poteat picked us up at 10 o'clock. Gary and his wife Lenny have a Christian ministry at the Blueberry Patch Hostel. They do not charge but only take donations. While I took a hot shower, Lenny washed and dryed my clothes. What a good feeling to be clean and dry. There was a group here just leaving and one young man was Kirk Miller. He is a Mennonite boy from Louisville, ohio. I knew he was on the trail but I did not think I would catch up with him this quick. He left 4 days before I did. He is hiking with some girls he met on the trail. They are slowing him down but they need his mechanical ability, and he seems to be enjoying himself very much. He knows our assistant pastor Beau Hummel. Gary gave me his car and 5 of us went into Hiawassee to eat at Daniels restaurant. Another young man here is from Pennsylvania. His family is Mennonite and he knows Amish people from Mt. Hope. We played the Mennonite game much to the amusement of those with us. There is a youth pastor from Kansas here, and had a good conversation with him about church issues. Another man here has a brother who is the star of a Discovery Channel show called "fight quest". What an awesome group of people here tonight. Today was as good a day as yesterday was bad. I try to learn from difficult situations and last night when I could not sleep I wondered what I could learn from that miserable situation. Then I thought, this is only one night, My wife, Mary fought cancer 4 years, she went through much worse situations that that and never complained, and I again admired how she handled adversity. Today was so restfull my equipment is dry and hate to leave this place. Thanks again for all the encouraging messages on the guest book. I have been doing these updates on my phone and see there are some misspellings. I will edit them when I have time. Yesterday I was discouraged but not defeated. My brother in law P. weaver says he thinks I will do well on the trail since I am one of the most stubborn people he knows. He should look in a mirror.