morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-02-17
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Hello and welcome back. I'm so glad you are still with me! It is very heart warming to receive messages and notes from all of you as you follow along with my journal. Thanks for sharing and staying in touch. You help make this journey that much more meaningful.As the time draws near for my thru-hike, I can feel the pressure to get so many things done before I leave. My wife has been so supportive of this whole thru-hike campaign of mine. She is not putting any pressure on me. I'm the one doing it. I see so many things that need to be done before I leave home for five or six months. I make a list, see something else, add it to the list, look at something else, revise the list, and so on, and so on. I think I am starting to get a case of "buck fever" over the Trail.......hum, wonder if that's possible. Anyway, I'm getting things organized so that I'll have everything that really needs to be done completed. I have received a very good estimate to have my roof replaced, and the contractor should start to work this Wednesday. I have pressure washed the backside of the house, bought the paint, and will start painting tomorrow. I took my wife's van into the dealer and talked with them about the vibration that has been present ever since they overhauled the transmission. The service manager seemed to think the problem is in the torque converter, but he said he would call the company to sure and to come up with a solution to resolve the problem. I have bought a new lawn tractor, so my wife doesn't have to worry with the old one (I still like it even if it is 20 years old and breaks down every time you mow the yard). My food dehydrating is going well. I'll have a smorgasbord of dried fruit for my AT adventure...good stuff! Gear is really shaping up. With the exception of some gaiters, I have everything I¢m going to need for the thru-hike. I poke around or handle the gear practically everyday. Just can¢t wait to put it all together and hit the trail. Well, that¢s all for now. Just wanted you to know what I¢ve been doing and where I stood with my thru-hike preparations. Again, thanks for looking in. This is Slow Poke signing off for now. Stay tuned.
Date: 2003-03-20
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Hello once again! We just returned from a trip to Okinawa to visit our daughter and her family. It was a blast! The country is intriguing and the people are very courteous and well mannered. The food was very interesting, with a lot of seafood flavors and seasoning... but very good! My wife's deceased husband, Bob (Peggy's father), was stationed in Okinawa about 30 years ago, so she had been in the country before, but it was all brand new to me. My wife said so much had changed (lot fewer rice fields) that it was brand new to her, too. :} We certainly had a great time visiting some special sites like Peace Prayer Park and enjoying the differences (e.g. language and food) and the similarities (e.g. McDonalds and Burger King :>) in the cultures. Our daughter and her husband really went out of their way to show us a grand time, and we thoroughly enjoyed it! Our grandchildren had fun, too, showing us the things had learned since moving to Okinawa and how much they had come to understand the new way of life to which they had been exposed. All in all, it was simply a fantastic time and a tremendous learning experience.Now, it is crunch time for my hike! Things will really start hoping as I move into the final few weeks. I have bought a new had lamp and a new rain jacket, less weight. The food preparations continue, and I have just about completed my itinerary for the Hike and the associated mail drops - that was really a lot of work. It was amazing, but as I scheduled my hike, I scheduled a stop in Pearisburg, VA, at the same time my son-in-law and grandson will be over from Okinawa attending a conference in Charlotte, NC. They will drive over to meet me there - the timing is absolutely amazing (Hum, a little divine providence here). The final count down has begun....stay tuned! This is Slow Poke signing off for now.
Date: 2003-03-30
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: snow

Welcome back! I am delighted you are keeping up with my hike. The time is getting short, and I am getting more and more excited. All my family gathered today for dinner, and my son and grandson talked about the hike. They will join me for a few days in North Georgia as I kick off this fantastic adventure.Footsteps (Aka Sam Varney, Class of 2000) will be taking me up to Springer Mountain and helping me launch this thru-hike.   I have finally resolved and overcome most of the potential obstacles in my schedule.. It is finished, but not set in concrete, so I can be flexible. My mail drop list has been included in this update. Check it out if you want to get an idea of where I¢ll be at different dates in the future.   Again, it is designed so I can make adjustments as needed. Some of the men from my church will be joining me for a few days on the Trail at different points in my hike. This is fantastic. This will really add an extra dimension to my hike, a very enjoyable one at that!Just 10 days to go before "kick off."   Stay tuned. Signing off for now¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦.
Date: 2003-04-09
From: Home

To: Springer Mountain, GA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Hello to one and all...The time has come...the moment has arrived...the day has dawned...it is time to go...the BIG ADVENTURE begins! This morning at 7:00 A.M., Sam and I depart for Springer Mountain, GA, and The Hike begins. Talk about excited - I cannot sleep. I covet your prayers for me and for my family while I am hiking the fabled Appalachian Trail. All the preparation, all the work, all the planning, all the adjustments, all the doubts, all the fears, all the hopes, all the dreams....it all comes to fruition this morning. What an opportunity and what a multitude of wonderful memories are just waiting to be made. If you want to follow along with my adventures (and misadventures) stay tuned. I do hope you will come along for the ride and enjoy my journal! :} Tom aka Slow Poke "Hiking the AT in 2003"
Date: 2003-04-09
From: Springer Mountain, GA

To: Springer Mt
Miles today: 0.9
Weather: light rain

WEDNESDAY April 9, 2003 the journey has begun! It is cold and raining as I sit here in my tent just below Springer Mountain. Sam (Footsteps) and I topped Springer this afternoon, and I signed in the Hiker Journal, so I have officially started my thru-hike. It is exciting!The weather hangs over us like a dark, wet blanket. It has been drizzling ever since we got here and now it¢s raining - welcome to Spring time in the Appalachians. It¢s cold, too. I have on my thermal shirt, my fleece pullover, and my rain jacket. And, I¢m still cold. I plan to jump in my sleeping bag just as soon as I finish my journal entry.We met several prospective thru-hikers today - Liz, Tim, and Jennifer. Liz is hiking with her cousin, who will hike as far as Fontana Dam. She is a massage therapist from Seattle, WA.Tim and Jennifer are from Kentucky and have already struck out for Stover Creek. They will camp there tonight.Sam is in his truck, reading, and enjoying his heater. He did let me sit with him and warm up a little. What a guy! He has been my motivator ever since we arrived. A man could not ask for a better friend.I hope the rain and wind stop before the morning. Well, I[¢m going to climb into my sleeping bag and warm up. That¢s all for now. Stay tuned.
Date: 2003-04-10
From: Springer Mountain, GA

To: Gooch Gap 
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: light rain

4/10 Springer Mt - destination Horse Gap 10 milesWoke up to the drizzle, the mist and the cold. It is cold. Someone told me it was down into the 30¢s last night. After I put everything on and climbed into my sleeping bag, I finally got warm.Packed up after eating a cereal bar and headed for Horse Gap. The trail was muck and mire, and it even flowed like a stream in places. Liz said she would wait on her cousin Jim. Tim and Jennifer left yesterday, so I¢m hiking by myself. There is an old adage that says, "You can¢t get to Maine without walking in the rain." Well, I have had my "baptism of fire" so to speak. It was raining all day and cold. I stopped at Stoker Creek Shelter to fix some grits and coffee. Tim and Jennifer were there and so was Froggy Pete. We talked about hiking and stoves while I ate. When I left, they were still packing up. Got to Horse Gap around 2:00, but it was too cold and wet to stop. Sloshed on through mud for an hour or so, stopped to rest, and Liz caught up with me. She said Tim, Jennifer and Froggy Pete were still at the shelter when she came by. We hiked together to Gooch Gap camp site and shelter. The rain had stopped but it was still cold. There was a church group in the shelter, so I had to set up my tent in one of the camp sites. I cooked mac and cheese for dinner, had some hot gatorade (good!), and a cup of coffee. It is too cold to do anything else, so I am going to bed. Oh, by the way, Liz said they had more snow flurries about thirty minutes after I left. Umm, sleeping bag here I come. Stay tuned.
Date: 2003-04-11
From: Gooch Gap 

To: Granny Top Mt
Miles today: 8.5

4/11/03 It was cold all night and cold when I got up, but no rain. Praise the Lord for small blessings. I had egg nog, coffee and gatorade for breakfast. Then, I headed for Woody Gap. It was still cold, and I mean cold. But, the rain has stopped. The trail was like a quagmire and very slippery. I fell once and banged my hand pretty hard. Nothing broken or bruised, except my hand. Hiked over Ramrock Mountain and into Woody Gap. Sam was there with bananas, cookies, cup cakes, and a coke. What a sight for a cold and hungry hiker. He even drove me into Suches for a cup of hot coffee - wow, was that good on a day that was so cold, wet, and windy. We drove back to Woody Gap and waited on Thomas and Gabriel to show up. They finally arrived wearing hiking shorts and t-shirts. It didn¢t take them long to change. :-} We struck out for Jarrard Gap, but had to stop at Granny Top Mountain because it was getting so late. We set up camp and had a great dinner - thanks to Thomas and Gabriel! We built a camp fire, but it was too cold and windy to enjoy it. We hung our food bags and got ready to turn in for the night. As we did, Fred "Nature Boy" showed up and asked if he could camp near us. He had a neat hammock and tarp combination. He is from Pennsylvania and is doing research as he hikes for a college course he is taking. Well, Gabriel and Thomas are hunkered down in their tent, so I¢m going to hit the hay, too. Signing off for now¢¦¢¦
Date: 2003-04-12
From: Granny Top Mt

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: clear sky

4/12/03 It was cold and windy last night. The wind was so fierce it sounded like a freight train raging through the mountains. It was so loud and ferocious that Thomas and Gabriel said it kept them awake most of the night. It was so cold that they didn¢t want to get out of their sleeping bags, but they did. :-}   We gad oatmeal and pineapple chunks for breakfast, along with coffee and fruit drink. Again, thanks to Thomas and Gabriel. We broke camp and headed for Neels Gap. The sun rise was absolutely gorgeous this morning, and a harbinger of a beautiful day to come. As the sun rose, so did the temperature. Soon, we were taking off shirts and jackets. As we hiked off Granny Top Mountain, we passed a grand spot to camp right near a stream and on the lee side of the mountain. You just never know. By the time we hiked to Blood Mountain just above Neels Gap, it was late in the day. Thomas wanted me to hike on to my next campsite (Bull Gap) and let Sam know they were coming and to please wait for them. Well, I decided I would hike on a head of them, but I planned to leave my pack at Neels Gap and come back to help them. When I got to Neels Gap, Sam was there and decided to go back up with me. We started up and in about 20 minutes or so we found them hiking like real troopers. They said they had carried their pack this far, they would carry them the rest of the way. By the time we arrived back at Neels Gap, it was almost dark. Sam had a good idea for the night. We would drive over to Woody Gap, Thomas would pick up his car, and then we would drive to Dahlonega and stay at a motel for the night. We loaded up and off we went. We are now resting in a nice bed with a full tummy. Thomas and Gabriel have decided to drive back home tomorrow, and Sam will take me back to the trail. They have been great company and a real encouragement to me. I am so very happy they came and hiked with me on the Appalachian Trail. Oh, now to sleep between nice, clean sheets! That¢s all for now. Stay tuned.
Date: 2003-04-13
From: Neels Gap

To: Chattahoochee Gap
Miles today: 15.6

4/13 Ate breakfast with Thomas and Gabriel and said good bye. I am so glad they came up and hiked with me. I have been blessed with their presence.I had my first "disaster" today. My camera broke. I took the last picture on Levelland Mountain and the film would not rewind. I have lost all my pictures of the first four days of my hike. :-{   I have now hiked through places with such names as Big Cedar Mountain, Granny Top Mountain, Slaughter Gap, Bull Gap, and Chattahoochee Gap. In fact, I got my drinking water from the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River. Hiked a long day today from Neels Gap to Chattahoochee Gap. I've seen Spring beginning to burst forth on the mountain sides. Now buds are everywhere. Mayapple and trillium blanket the forest floor. Spring time has arrived in the Appalachians!Sam met me at Hogpen Gap with cakes, bananas, and water. I have my own "trail angel", and he is a marvelous one. Tomorrow I'll meet him at Unicoi Gap and possibly again at Tray Gap. He is working hard getting me through Georgia.Well, it is getting very dark and I'm bushed. I am camping all by myself tonight, so I guess I'll turn in. That's all for now. Stay tuned for the next chapter.4/14 Camping at Tray Mountain Gap with Mitch, Constant Motion (Liz), Jim, Grandpa Bear, and Sam. The day has been gorgeous with blue skies filled with billowy white clouds. The views have been stunning with the mountains rolling and rolling off into the horizon.Sam has been a real "trail angel" to several people by helping them get off the mountain, giving hikers rides into and out of town, and by providing bananas, cookies, and water at the gaps. Today he helped a couple off Tray Mountain and brought a McDonald's dinner back for Mitch and me. What a guy!I have now hiked in the wind, the rain, the cold, and the snow. Welcome to spring time in the Appalachians!Sam played his bagpipe for us this evening - our own open air concert. Awesome! Last night I was serenaded by an owl and this morning the mountain songbirds woke me up. Other than the drudgery of climbing these mountains, this would be a great life - if you had your wife with you. :-} We gave Mitch the trail name of "Hulk". He is a big guy and is only the second person I've seen using a hammock.Well, the owls are starting their nightly chorus, so it's time to turn in. Stay tuned for the next great events. :-}
Date: 2003-04-14
From: Chattahoochee Gap

To: Tray Gap
Miles today: 8.8

4/14 Camping at Tray Mountain Gap with Mitch, Constant Motion (Liz), Jim, Grandpa Bear, and Sam. The day has been gorgeous with blue skies filled with billowy white clouds. The views have been stunning with the mountains rolling and rolling off into the horizon. Sam has been a real "trail angel" to several people by helping them get off the mountain, giving hikers rides into and out of town, and by providing bananas, cookies, and water at the gaps. Today he helped a couple off Tray Mountain and brought a McDonald's dinner back for Mitch and me. What a guy! I have now hiked in the wind, the rain, the cold, and the snow. Welcome to spring time in the Appalachians! Sam played his bagpipe for us this evening - our own open air concert. Awesome! Last night I was serenaded by an owl and this morning the mountain songbirds woke me up. Other than the drudgery of climbing these mountains, this would be a great life - if you had your wife with you. :-} We gave Mitch the trail name of "Hulk". He is a big guy and is only the second person I've seen using a hammock. Well, the owls are starting their nightly chorus, so it's time to turn in. Stay tuned for the next great events. :-}
Date: 2003-04-15
From: Tray Gap

To: Plumorchard Gap
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: scattered clouds

April 15   Plumorchard Shelter   71.1 miles from Springer Mountain. What am I doing here? What in the world possessed me to want to do a thru-hike? I am beat, tired, sore, and just flat give out. And, I miss my wife and family.  Sam left today. He was waiting at Dicks Creek Gap with bananas, cookies and water. He is a real ¢Trail Angel¢ and a true friend. In essence, my security blanket has been pulled out from under me. With him gone, I feel absolutely alone.     Climbing out of Dicks Creek Gap was pure torture. We had already hiked 11.7 miles when we got to Dicks Creek. Then Sam left and I had to hike on to Plumorchard. Why? I don¢t know right now. Sam played his bagpipes for us again just before he left. We were ¢piped¢ out of the gap by a real piper and a true Scotsman. I hope I feel better in the morning, and my spirit to hike returns.        There are a lot of hikers at the shelter tonight (my first night in a shelter). Liz, Crazy Jim, Fisher, and about 10 or 12 others. Most are tenting, but there will be about 6 with us in the shelter. Well, I am tired and sore, so I am going to hang my food bag and go to bed. But, all is well here on the great AT. Good night and stay tuned.
Date: 2003-04-16
From: Plumorchard Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: overcast clouds

April 16   Attitude a little better today. I think Sam¢s departure, coupled with my fatigue, had just gotten the best of me. Sam was at the gaps and the road crossings so it was like we were hiking together. He is a great guy, and I will definitely miss him.      Hiked from Plumorchard Shelter to Standing Indian Shelter today - 12.2 miles. Mitch, the ¢Hulk¢, took a day off at Hiawassee, GA. He is nice guy, so I know I will miss him. Well, I did enjoy the hike a little better today, but sometimes I wonder if being away from my family for 5-6 months to accomplish this hike is really worth it. IB from Texas says this is common and that I¢ll feel better when I get into the Smokies. We¢ll see. Good night all. Stay tuned for more of the great adventure.
Date: 2003-04-17
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Big Spring Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: overcast clouds

April 17, Great hike today from Standing Indian Shelter to Big Spring Shelter - 14.4 miles. The terrain was really great for hiking, until Albert Mountain. It is almost a vertical climb up Albert, but the view is absolutely stunning. The rhododendron and mountain laurel are fully clothed with their green leaves and, at times, made cool tunnels for us to hike through. There are pretty purple flowers along the trail. Someone said they were wild violets.      Just before we arrived at the shelter, it started to rain, and rain hard. The rain is beating out a tune on the shelter roof even as I write. The names of the hikers are very interesting. Crazy Jim because he likes to do wild and crazy things. Constant Motion because she never stops moving. Papillon for his love of butterflies. IB for ¢I be walking.¢ Muk Tuk (Eskimo for whale blubber) for his size. Had my second ¢disaster¢ today. The valve on my self-inflating mattress broke, and I had to spend a miserable night on the hard boards of the shelter last night. I¢ll try to get it fixed or replaced at NOC (Wesser, NC). Everyone has eaten and are ready for bed. I miss my family so much, but I believe I can hang in there to complete my thru hike. The Lord¢s creation is so beautiful and a wonder to walk in and explore. What rich beauty there is here in these mountians, and only the hikers will ever get to see it. Signing off for tonight.
Date: 2003-04-18
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: overcast clouds

April 18   The hike today took us through a lot of Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel tunnels which were still damp from the rain. It rained hard last night, real hard. But, we enjoyed it from inside the shelter. The shelter had a tin roof so the rain was music to my ears. When we arrived at Winding Stair Gap, Jim took us into Franklin, NC, so we could do our laundry. We also had dinner at the Normandy restaurant in Franklin - baked ham and dressing :-} The dogwood trees are in full bloom, and they are absolutely gorgeous. We¢ll sleep in Crazy Jim¢s camper at Winding Stair Gap and start for Cold Spring Shelter tomorrow morning. Met some new thru-hikers today: Spiff, Dirt, Kelsy, Wide Load, and Yonder. Well, the Lord¢s heavens are beautiful as they twinkle with their starry brillance, so good night. Stay tuned for more adventures.
Date: 2003-04-19
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: scattered clouds

April 19 Departed Winding Stair Gap, destination Cold Spring Shelter 15.8 miles. The morning was damp and misty. The fog hung over us like a huge ball of ghostly gauze and the air was cool and crisp. We hiked up to Siler Bald. The balds are really unusual and quite beautiful. At Burningtown Gap, Diamond Doug (AT thru-hiker in 2000) had cold drinks, bananas, strawberries and cookies for all the hikers - what magic! Saw a lot of dogwoods in full bloom and a couple of pilated woodpeckers. We are staying in the Cold Spring Shelter with IB, Sparrow and Wide Load. Dirt, Kelsey, Jingle Jim, and Yonder are camped near by. There is a spring right in front of the shelter, and I love to hear it gurgle. Dirt made his own pack and tarp out of silicon impregnated nylon - neat stuff. Looking forward to the meteor shower tonight. Sam, ¢Footsteps¢, we have a camp fire going tonight. :-} All is well on the trail. The Lord has blessed me in so many ways, and a lot of those are back home. Well, that¢s it for now.NOTE: I may have already done an entry for 4/19 - can¢t remember and it is in the mail April 19 Depart Winding Stair Gap - Destination Cold Spring Shelter 15.8 milesThe hike today was in beautiful weather. The skies were clear, the sun was shining down, and there was a nice cool breeze to keep you company. Watching all the wild flowers burst forth with new blooms is absolutely a sight to behold. I just wish I could name them all. (Sam could) The forest floors and trailsides are covered with ramps (a kind of cross between onions and garlic), and they are very good to eat. We had some at lunch the other day. Yesterday Crazy Jim drove us into Franklin, NC, to do laundry, dry out, and eat some real food. He is a great guy. It¢s like having Sam back again. He, Constant Motion, and I slept in the back of his camper last night.At Burningtown Gap, Diamond Doug (a thru-hiker in 2000) had set up a canopy for shade and had cold drinks, fruit, and cookies for the thru-hikers as they hiked past. Trail Magic is awesome. Camped at Cold Spring shelter with Crazy Jim, Constant Motion, IB, Sparrow, Dirt and Kelsey. Just above the shelter, Wide Load, Jingle Jim and Little Sister have pitched their tents. We have a nice campfire burning right now (That¢s right, Sam) and all is well. Good night.