morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-12-09
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: moderate rain

No word from Crunchmaster yet. I will update when he connects. Internet coverage may not be available. It was a rainy day today but the trail has a lot of smooth and relatively flat sections. I recall hiking it 25 years ago and also hiked it 43 years ago, as a freshman in high school, my first taste of backpacking on the AT. More coming later.Here's more later...."Didn't get started today until 8:30. The rain was coming down pretty good but I knew I had no choice but to walk through it. I stopped for a break at Long Branch Shelter. It was just built last year so it was really nice. The rain stopped just as I was leaving. I made my way over Albert Mountain. There were no views on top so I kept on moving. I made it to Carter Gap Shelter and stopped for another break and lunch. After leaving I started climbing up Standing Indian Mountain. It was an easy climb, just really long. I got to camp at 4:00. I considered going another 5 miles to the next shelter but decided to stay. About 20 minutes after I arrived the skies cleared and the sun came out. Hopefully that means tomorrow will be good! As I was eating supper Captain came walking up to the shelter. I wasn't really expecting to see anyone else the rest of the trip! He convinced me to go into town tomorrow to split a room with him."
Date: 2013-12-10
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Dicks Creek Gap
Miles today: 16.7

The trail magic just never ends...what are the chances of someone who has been following Crunchmaster would happen upon him on their way home. Dave and Robin signed the guestbook on August 22. So pleased that Crunchmaster and Captain are able to enjoy a warm and dry place for an evening. Thanks so much Dave and Robin. Here's what Robin emailed me:They started in rain today but ended in sunshine.. we were driving home from Clayton and they were hitching into Hiawassee at Dicks Creek.We had been talking earlier as we were headed to the river and Clayton that maybe coming home Crunchmaster would be at Dicks. lo and behold he was, so when you have that kind of kismet you go with it.Here's Trevor's FB post..."Rain poured down all night long and even blew inside the shelter. As the night went along my stuff kept getting more and more wet. 7:00 am finally came and Captain and I packed up pretty quick and were hiking by 8:00. It was 38 degrees and pouring rain all morning! The wind was really strong too which made it feel even colder. We crossed into Georgia around 10:30! Within 15 minutes of entering Georgia the rain stopped and the skies cleared quickly. For the first time in 9 days we had a sunny skies! We kept a steady pace all the way to Dicks Creek Gap and starting hitching into town. We waited about 20 minutes before someone pulled over. The people that picked us up happened to be Dave and Robin Hering. They have been following my trip on trail journals. They invited us to stay at their place. We went to an AYCE southern style place for supper. We are now back at the house relaxing and resting up for tomorrow."Today's photos:
Date: 2013-12-11
From: Dicks Creek Gap

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 16.7

There will be a number of posts after Crunchmaster finishes on Saturday, December 14. We plan to answer all questions as best we can and will share how each item of his gear worked well and what didn't. We'll share lessons learned, what he would do differently on his next long distance hike. We'll commit to daily posts at least through the end of the year, and possibly longer if we haven't covered everything that needs to be.Thanks so much for the many encouraging and positive comments.Here's his FB post for today...."Captain and I got on the trail by 9:00 this morning after a great breakfast provided at Dave and Robins house. We decided to slack-pack today since we would be close to Hiawassee all day. The trail was pretty mountainous all day. We had to climb over Powell Mountain, Kelly Knob, Tray Mountain, and Rocky Mountain. I was very happy we chose to slack-pack. When we reached Unicoi Gap, Dave and Robin were there waiting with burgers and fries for us. We also decided to stay another night at their house. Tomorrow, we will go to Neels Gap to stay at the hostel. Just two and a half more days of hiking. All I can say, is that I'm really ready to be done. Onward to Springer!"
Date: 2013-12-12
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Neel Gap
Miles today: 21.2

Trevor has a very weak internet signal at Neel Gap, making the download of photos and journal more difficult. He will post in the morning when he gets a little higher on the mountain and the signal is better. He was able to reach me by phone and share this with me.Tomorrow will be a 23.6 mile day and he will finish on Saturday morning around 11:00.My two brothers, Travis, and I will be meeting him at Hawk Mountain Shelter. We're going to have a warm fire burning and a hot supper for him when he arrives. I wish Thomas could be here with us and Trevor and I are looking forward to visiting him and Lauren in Denver over the holidays.Saturday morning two uncles and a brother will be hiking with him for the last 8 miles of this 2186 mile journey. I will join them, as will his mother, grandmother, and sister-in-law, at Big Stamp Gap, which is 1 mile north of Springer Mountain. Several high school buddies and their fathers, friends of mine, will also be coming up to join in the celebration.I plan to methodically respond to all questions, so be patient if you've already asked one.There will be a lot of things to cover and to process.Trevor's FB post will follow...."Dave dropped us off at Unicoi Gap around 8:15 this morning. We started the day climbing Blue Mountain. Once we reached the top the rest of the day was much easier. The weather acted very strange today. It was sunny all morning until we got to Chattahoochee Gap. We were quickly engulfed in a cloud and snow started to fall. It quickly covered the trees and there was a dusting on the ground. Just an hour later we were in sunshine again with no clouds. We stopped for a break at Low Gap Shelter and had lunch. We made good time the rest of the day as well and arrived at Neels Gap around 4:30. We hung out in the outfitter for awhile and then made our way to the hostel. We have been relaxing all evening and watching movies. Tomorrow, Captain is going 31 miles to the finish. I will be doing 23 miles so that I can do the last 8 on Saturday."
Date: 2013-12-13
From: Neel Gap

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: overcast clouds

"Today was a long day. I left Mountain Crossings at 8 and started the climb up Blood Mountain. It was steep but didn't bother me too much. I was at the top before I knew it. The descent wasn't nearly as steep so I was flying down the other side. The next mountain was Big Cedar Mountain. It was a very gradual climb and I barely noticed it. I stopped for lunch at Woody Gap. I left there around 1:00 and made it to Gooch Mountain Shelter for my last break. I left the shelter at 3:00 with 7.7 miles to go. The last several miles were a lot more mountainous, which slowed my pace a bit. I met my brother and uncle hiking towards me around 4:30. We hiked back to the truck and got their packs before continuing to the shelter. When we got to the shelter, my dad was there with a fire going and supper ready! What a great way to spend my last night on the trail! Tomorrow I will hike the last 8 miles to Springer Mountain. The weather doesn't look good but I'm excited to finish!"
Date: 2013-12-16
To: Let me tell ya what I'm going to tell ya
Miles today: 0.0

Crunchmaster is resting a lot. He will be taking a break from everything until the new year. Christmas will be spent in CO with his brother Thomas. Snow skiing is a good possibility. Might even take a short hike in the snow, who knows...I will be asking Trevor a lot of questions. When I quote him I'll put the words within quotation marks, as I did in this journal throughout his trip. He will answer as many questions as he can and at times I may choose to 'edit' his responses to make it more read worthy. I'll try not to change his intent in these 'edited' responses.Here is a list of questions, in no particular order, that we'll plan on addressing:What gear worked well?What gear didn't work as well as you liked?Was there anything you learned regarding other hiker's gear that you would consider testing?What did you learn about taking care of your feet?What would you do differently on you next long distance hike?What was your favorite food?What food will you stay away from?What advice would you give someone with regard to hiking your own hike? how many miles a day? how often to take a zero? How often to take a nero? Hike SOBO or NOBO? What about slack-packing?What hostel(s) did you like the most?What trail town did you like the most?What were your favorite spots on the trail? Your top 3 or top 5?What part of the hike did you find to be the most challenging?Have you considered writing a book?What is your next adventure?Will you hike the PCT? the LT? the CDT? the Coast to Coast Walk? The American Discovery Trail?If you could hang out at one AT shelter for the weekend, which shelter would it be and why?What life lessons did you learn during this journey?This will take a number of posts and we'll probably mix it up a bit. We'll review all guestbook entries to assure we've addressed every question.We may miss a day here and there but will try our best to be regular in our concluding posts.
Date: 2013-12-18
To: A poem from Robert Frost
Miles today: 0.0

Thanks 'Wakarusa' ME-GA 2011 for sharing the following poem:Reluctanceby Robert FrostOut through the fields and the woodsAnd over the walls I have wended;I have climbed the hills of viewAnd looked at the world, and descended;I have come by the highway home,And lo, it is ended.The leaves are all dead on the ground,Save those that the oak is keepingTo ravel them one by oneAnd let them go scraping and creepingOut over the crusted snow,When others are sleeping.And the dead leaves lie huddled and still,No longer blown hither and thither;The last lone aster is gone;The flowers of the witch hazel wither;The heart is still aching to seek,But the feet question ¢Whither?¢Ah, when to the heart of manWas it ever less than a treasonTo go with the drift of things,To yield with a grace to reason,And bow and accept the endOf a love or a season?
Date: 2013-12-19
To: The multi-purpose device
Miles today: 0.0

The iPhone 5 was Crunchmaster's phone (used almost every day), journal device (used nearly every day), gave email access (several times a week), was as good as any camera(took over 1500 photos), access to the internet (rarely while on trail, but often when in town with free WiFi access), alarm (rarely if ever used), backup flashlight (rarely used), music box (used when the going got rough and served as some mental relief when pushing long days), books (wasn't used, but could have been used, both visual and audio), device for posting journal and photos on FB (almost every day, if internet service was available), texting device (used frequently, sometimes allowing communication if phone connection was not good), calendar and clock (used frequently), and game device (used occasionally when alone and for a diversion).The waterproof case protected the phone from the elements and was a good investment - you can actually take underwater pictures, if desired.For the weight it was worth it's weight in gold.As a parent, it would have been tough not to stay in touch and know how things were going. This journal could not have been kept on a daily basis without the phone's capability. Verizon network gave service on most all high points and almost constantly from MA though VA.Crunchmaster returned to the trail today just for the day. He returned home this evening. He and I will return again this weekend for a day. We'll share more specifics and photos in a couple of days.
Date: 2013-12-20
To: Sleeping gear
Miles today: 0.0

Crunchmaster used a 15 degree Sierra Desgins down sleeping bag for all but the last couple weeks on the trail. It was a used bag (given to him by Travis, his brother) and it was very adequate until his night out in Grayson Highlands where the temperature got down around 0 degrees. The down was getting a little thin in places. The nice thing about the bag was it weighed very little (just over 2 lbs) and it compressed down to a very small size.He switched to my North Face 0 degree synthetic fill bag for the final part. We didn't weigh it but I would guess it was twice as heavy.For colder weather I'd recommend down because of its low weight and volume. Down loses its ability to insulate if it gets wet, but his sleeping clothes and sleeping bag were stored in a waterproof sack and never got wet.His sleeping pad, a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite, only required one patch job just before going into the White Mountains. Towards the end it would leak slowly, though we were unable to find the leak while submersing it in water. The leak was so slow that he still had enough air in it in the morning to be comfortable. This was a very comfortable sleeping pad, at 2 1/2 inches thick with full air and served him well. One reason it probably developed a slow leak the last couple of months is because he didn't place tyvek cloth or plastic under it. When he hikes again he'll likely add that to his gear.Trevor did not carry a pillow because of the added volume and weight. Use of a stuff sack with his down jacket and other clothing was an option, though rarely done.
Date: 2014-01-11
To: Water
Miles today: 0.0

Water is the single most important resource, even more important than food. You can go a day or two without food, but only a few hours without water.Crunchmaster had several 1 quart water bottles. He elected not to take a hydration system (great for those who like to sip rather than gulp). The greatest challenge for finding water for him, as a SOBO, was through NY. This was even more critical because it was probably the hottest section for him with temperatures in the mid 90's. Fortunately he was blessed by trail angels who left water jugs at multiple places throughout this section. What a blessing.Trevor used a gravity feed system that worked fairly well. The first thing he'd do when getting into camp was fill his 2L water bag and while he was setting up camp the system would filter out impurities. AWOL's guide was very valuable. A thru-hiker is always looking ahead to where the next water source is and any notes regarding its reliability is taken into consideration.When you're at a water source you drink as much as you can stand (beyond what satisfies) and you fill up your bottles only to the point of what is needed until the next water source. There is no reason to carry extra water except when necessary or when there is a possibility of an upcoming unreliable source. Temperature and humidity all play into how much water to carry. You don't want to run out, as there is nothing more frightening than being out of water in the middle of nowhere, particularly when it is hot.The most water Crunchmaster carried was 3 quarts. The least water carried when leaving a water source was 1 quart. Water consumption on a hot day would approach a gallon and a half. Minimum water intake on a cool day when there was little sweating was about 3/4 of a gallon of water. An evening meal will take a quart of water at minimum, more is better, again depending on how much rehydration is required, which is largely dependent on the temperatures and on the amount of exertion during the day.Water is life.There is nothing more satisfying than clear, cold spring water on a hot day. I repeat, NOTHING is more important than water.
Date: 2014-03-15
To: Conclusion
Miles today: 0.0

I had good intentions to write more in conclusion but just couldn't find the time or motivation to do so. What is motivating me now to enter my 'concluding' remarks is Trevor's announcement of his plan to hike the PCT beginning in April of 2015. I have created a journal for that hike. Just click on the PCT button to the left.We had many followers and supporters on Crunchmaster's AT journey and are hoping you'll join us for the upcoming trek. I'll be posting regularly during the planning and preparation stages of the PCT hike. We do extensive planning and I'll describe what all we do to get ready for the next adventure.Please take a moment to sign his PCT guestbook so we can know who we're 'talking' to.
Date: 2013-04-01
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

This picture is my friend Mary who I have been teaching with for many years and her daughters Kate and Emma. They are two of the coolest kids in the world and I love to hike with them. The photo here was taken on an overnight backpack with our other teaching buddy Matt and his son Orion. It's spring break and I have lots of details to take care of to get ready to head east to the AT. I will be driving across the country from Washington to Mississippi. Then to Georgia. I'm moving out of the house I have been living in since 1997 and putting most of my belongings in storage. It's amazing how much stuff (most of which I have no use for really) one can collect in 16 years. I will need to have a big yard sale to dejunkify. I have been a gym rat for years and spend a few hundred hours a year on my road bike. I used to do triathlons and run a lot but plantar fasciitis put an end to the running a few years ago. With all of that and as much hiking and backpacking as I can squeeze in, I'm in about as good shape as possible for the trail (and my age). I'm adding in some serious weight workouts for the legs as I get closer to trail time. I know that the real challenge of the trail will be psychological but it doesn't hurt to be physically at my peak, too. I'm getting more and more antsy to hit the trail and test myself.
Date: 2013-04-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I have been following a bunch of hikers on trailjournals. As I sit here in my warm dry house I am almost physically feeling the freezing cold and snow of the descriptions. All of the folks who have been hunkering down or pushing through the abysmal conditions have my total sympathy. As anxious as I am to get started (still over two months away), I am really glad that I'm not sharing the weather on the trail, especially in the Smokies. I have been taking advantage of spring break to get in two workouts a day at the gym. Have been concentrating on upper body for much of the winter and have now started working on legs. Since I usually average between one and two hours a day on the stationary bike, I think I have the endurance part down so now I can start to work on strength.Had a couple of days of warm (60ish) sunny weather so I was able to get in almost 40 miles on the road bike in addition to the stationary. Hiked Mt Peak Sunday and Tuesday without weight. I think I will start adding a pack in about three weeks and increase the weight incrementally until I get up to full AT weight. Probably should get busy packing some things while I have time off. Have been collecting packing boxes for a while; I promise I will pack at least two boxes tomorrow. Since it's supposed to be raining big time for the next three days, I might manage more than that. Since I will be moving out as soon as school is out, This will be a great opportunity to dump a lot of junk (I'm not exactly a hoarder but I do hate to throw away anything that I convince myself I might need later), and man have I collected a lot in the last fifteen years. Nice talking to you. Now, I'm going to read some more of Theodore Rex, the second volume of Edmund Morris's bio of Theodore Roosevelt. It is truly a fascinating story.
Date: 2013-05-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

If you ever want to do a unique camping trip, try out the deck of a ferry heading to Alaska. Set up on the back deck, substitute a little duct tape for tent pegs and sit back and watch gorgeous scenery go by. Kind of a polar ;-) opposite to hiking the AT but nevertheless a great visual feast passing by. I have been somewhat casually packing things away as I prepare to move out of my house after 16 years. Time is starting to seem short and and I only have 19 more days of school in my last career. Soon I will be homeless on the AT (or maybe a better way to say it is carrying my home on my back on the AT).Day after tomorrow I will make a last trip to Seattle to the REI to fill out my gear needs. There's the Anniversary sale and a 20% off coupon to go with my still unspent dividend. Still need to get a new headlamp, some Sawyer permethrin spray (cannot tolerate a tick) and a new pair of gaiters. In character with my procrastinating ways, I'm still working on signing up with Medicare and a supplement plan, getting my teacher retirement finalized, cleaning out my classroom, and other details...seemingly ad infinitum. As George Carlin said, "Don't sweat the petty stuff and don't pet the sweaty stuff." At least I can look forward to life becoming simpler (or maybe just more elemental) on the trail...when you have blisters on your feet, everything else seems to shrink in importance.At any rate, I am starting to feel a little intimidated by the impending reality of the trail. I need to shake myself out of the pretty darn comfortable groove I have been in for the last 20 or so years, but I'm already starting to miss the comfort I haven't even left. It's sort of like when, as a 14 year old, I stood frozen on a forty foot high diving ladder, looking out at the blue water so far below and hundreds of faces looking up at me. I wanted to feel the exhilaration of the free fall and the splash and I wanted to keep my death grip on the ladder. For what seemed like an eon I couldn't let go and jump and I certainly couldn't turn around and climb back down the ladder...and then I jumped...and when I burst back up to the surface, I couldn't wait to do it again. And I'm pretty much hoping that my jump from the comfy conventionality of my quotidian existence will bring that same thrill. It will be an adventure one way or another.
Date: 2013-06-15
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

At this moment, I am sitting on the balcony of a motel room in Baker City, Oregon. About eleven this morning, I managed to leave my home of 22 years and get started on my AT adventure. I have about three days of driving ahead of me (about 2200 miles) and then, some larger number of days hiking an equivalent distance. For the last thirty minutes, as I sat sipping a cold beer (well, maybe sipping is a little weak, and maybe it was more than one beer), I reflected on the preceding week of finishing my work life, moving out and cleaning my old abode. I truly believe I threw away or stored about four times as much matter as a house that size can hold; perhaps I was actually living in a wormhole to the multiverse. From a fairly regimented existence as a history teacher, I am now homeless, jobless, and destined for an adventure I can¢t really fully envision. And I can¢t wait. I have left behind all of those mundane things of the workaday world, but far more important, I have left behind a bunch of the best friends a person could have. I was lucky enough to be born into a wonderful family and value all the members of that family more than I can say, but I have also acquired a new family and I want to thank all of them for welcoming me into their families. Mary and Vic and daughters Emma and Kate; Shon and Shelly and Ethan and Little Emma; Matt and Selena and son Orion; Clay and Shelley and the rest of the Hall Family, Kathy, Mark, Curtis and Mama Jean and their spouses; all have made me feel a part of their families and I don¢t know what I would have done without them. I couldn¢t have chosen a better family if I had a hundred years to work on it. So, to all of the above and the many, many other wonderful friends in Buckley, I can only echo General MacArthur: ¢I shall return.¢ My plan is to be on the Trail at Harper¢s Ferry by next Sunday.