morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-29
From: Mill Creek, Paul C. Wolfe Shelter

To: Shenandoah National Park- Calf Mountain
Miles today: 12.0

Finally the Shenandoah's. I have been hearing so much about this 107 mile section. "It's so flat!" they all say. Time and time again I have heard about how easy this section is and it couldn't have come at a much better time. I have officially nicknamed my boots the "Meat Grinders" because my feet look more like something served at a susi bar than human body part. Blisters. Quite a few of them. I popped one the size of a quarter and I guess it gave birth to another one underneath itself the size of a dime. Duct tape, super glue and needles has been what the doctor (myself) has oredered. Well we made it into Waynesboro after about 5 miles for mail, resupply, library and made it to the first shelter in the Shenandoah's 7 miles in near night fall. Even though we did not go very far today, my feet are really starting to bother me again. The blisters are tolerable but the "Planter Facistis" (sp) thing is really starting to slow me down and the pain isnt at all enjoyable. Once I made it to the shelter and made some dinner Messenger and I decided to pray over my feet. I really didn't know what to pray, but I just ask that the pain would just be bearable. Just enough to get by. That is it. No sign from the heavens, no parting of the clouds, just bearable, just enough to hobble down the trail. "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science." - Albert Einstein
Date: 2006-05-01
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Lewis Mountain Campground
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: clear sky

"I don't know how the kind of faith required of a Christian living in the 20th century can be at all if it is not grounded on this experience that you are having right now of unbelief. 'Lord, I believe; help my unbelief' is the most natural and most human and most agonizing prayer in the gospels, and I think it is the foundation of prayer of faith." - Flannery O'ConnorDoubt rains on me. Where has God been in this pain? I have been constantly crying out to him. "Please just make my pain bearable, Lord". Well He's not answering. I hear nothing but my moans. Why? I don't know why He chooses to be silent? "God are you there? Are you listening to the cries of your children?" Why are you not healing me. I can't walk. Today has been another day of Hell. At nearly every road crossing I stood leaning against my trekking poles debated with myself if I should try to hitch hike somewhere for help. But I would talk myself out of it and pop another pain killer and try to go on a few more miles. I have been icing my feet in rivers and springs and that helps. But nothing lasts. I couldn't get any cell service and just kept going. I was going to try to make it to the Lewis Mountain Campground I knew they had a camp store there and someone would at least be there in the morning, I decided I had to get off the trail and rest my feet. Night was coming and I made after hours of intense pain...I thought I was going to faint, but I made it to the camp site. Messenger left me a sign on a post and I headed into the camp site. This was a campground for RV's and such and Messenger had met some amazing people from an Anderson,SC hiking club. They took us in and treated us like kings. This was one of the greatest things that could have happened to me at this moment I was at the end of my rope. I wobbled up and introduced myself and they made me hot dogs, gave me beer, soda, chips, grapes, I sat by the fire in amazement. I went from one extreme to another and so quickly. Totally agony, tears of pain, to being so overjoyed and nearly tears of joy. There were showers at this campground, so I got clean and set up my tent, exhausted.
Date: 2006-05-02
From: Lewis Mountain Campground

To: Plantar Fasciitis Injury 
Miles today: 0.0

I knew I couldn't continue in the condition that I am in. This was such a tough psychological battle for me. I feel like a weakling. But I had no choice I am physically unable to walk. I have to take time off... So I am. Messenger and I were going to take a few days off anyway for his graduation, so we decided that he would go on for 6 more days and try to reach the Penn. state line where he will then rent a car and come down to Graduation in NC. I will then hopefully be recovered after another doctor's visit, steriod shots for my feet, special fitted insoles, ice, strecthes, etc... I will then go back up with him on the 14th of May to Penn. After I reach Katahdin, Maine, I will then come back and make up this 110 mile section and my 6 month thru-hike will be completed, just not exactly like I had planned. That is the only plan I could come up with. I ask you to pray for my healing. This is so hard for me to do. To walk away even only for a moment. I know it's smart and I am looking for purpose behind it. But nothing is coming to me. Messenger and I prayed together and I watched him walk away. It was hard to do. It's strange how something could hurt me so bad, yet I still have no desire to leave with my goal unmet. But I limped back to the campground where my new friends were still helping me so much. Don and Lynn were driving to SC and were actaully going right by my exit in NC and they said they could drop me off in my hometown! So here I am begining my time off at my house 800+ miles from where I was hiking just yesterday. I will take 12, 0 mile days. That is nearly two weeks of no hiking. I will keep you updated on my doctor's visits and my thought process throughout this unexpected painful turn. Thank you again for all your support and love. It sustains me more that you know. Though I am pausing my journey, I will continue in my hope. I am more determination than ever that I will reach Maine. GA-ME'06"I have begun to learn that the beauty in life does not come from where we land- the destination. Rather, the beauty of life emerges in the journey. To focus only on the destination prevents us from journeying well, because we will not risk the chance that we might not end up there." - Meredith Dancause
Date: 2006-05-03
From: Plantar Fasciitis Injury 

To: Rest
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

"I have not given up. And each of you, with all the memories you have and the tales you could tell, you also have not given up. You also are survivors and are here. And what does that rell us, our surviving? It tells us that weak as we are, a strength beyond our strength has pulled us through at least this far, at least to this day. Foolish as we are, a wisdom beyond our wisdom has flickered up just often enough to light us if not to the right path through the forest, at least to a path that leads forward, that is bearable. Faint of heart as we are, a love beyond our power to love has kept our heart alive."Frederick Buechner from "A Room Called Remember"
Date: 2006-05-04
From: Rest

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9I am angry with you God. Is that okay? I think so. Maybe it is just because I don't understand the "Why". Can you tell me? Maybe it's because me coming off the trail is forcing me to learn rest and I love so much the comfort of my busyness? Maybe I am angry with you because you hurt my pride. I feel weak now. Somehow less than I was before. Maybe I am mad at you because of my new lose of control. Nothing is going as I have planned. Nothing. There is no way for me to hold on tighter, I have nothing left to grasp. I feel vunerable without my hands at the wheel, maybe that is why I am mad at you. This is one form of nakedness I don't like. My world is spinning faster than my eyes can follow, I feel dizzy, sick to my stomach even. So now I sit, I hurt, I wait, and I get bored. I know nothing and feel everything.
Date: 2006-05-05
From: Home

To: Doubt
Miles today: 0.0

"If you don't have any doubts you are either kidding yourself or asleep. Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving"Buechner - "Wishful Thinking"I am now more full of questions than I have ever been before. I went into the woods to find answers and I only have more questions. I am more confused. I doubt more, know less. I guess I am in a good place.
Date: 2006-05-06
From: Doubt

To: Yet Another Doctor's Visit
Miles today: 0.0

I limped into the pediatrist today to get the final judgement on my future of walking normally again and I finally got to ask the o'so dreaded question of "How long Doc?". I also ask him about 76 other questions dealing with my feet and my recovery process. (I don't think he liked me). He said the minimum time of staying off my feet will be for three weeks, the maxium time it will take to fully heal is unknown. I got fitted for Orthotics (which cost me about as much I sold my car for) and those come in 3-4 weeks. Then I must wear those and allow my feet to adjust accordingly. I got another boot to sleep in at night, so now I have one for each foot. I got stretches and all that crap to do. So that is it. I have no choice but to wait and heal. I don't have enough money to just sit here and pick my nose, so I am in the process of getting a job till I can return to the trail. So here is my rough plan, that could be totally thwarted at any moment. Work, wait long enough to totally heal and start up again in mid-august in Maine going solo, so do a flip-flop to complete my thru-hike by early November...thats it, thats all I got for ya. Ha, unreal isn't it???..all I can do is laugh, a sort of sick, twisted laughter mind you...I mean...I never would have thought this was going to happen. I never would have thought I would be here now. This was not what I wanted, not what I had planned. Even up till a few days ago I thought I was getting right back on with Messenger,..but I am still limping, still miserable. Two weeks ago I was walking fine, just a little sore, now nearly crippled.. How can things change so quickly??? This trip has slipped through my fingers like jello... How can dreams be mangled in only a single breath?? I am begining to see some light, glimpses of beauty, but only in small peices. Maybe because that is all I can handle now. "God show me purpose, that I may be able to shallow this bitter pill."
Date: 2006-05-13
From: Yet Another Doctor's Visit

To: Lose of Control
Miles today: 0.0

Inspired by my new lose of control of my life-"The wind takes me. Carries me without my imput. I ride screaming and begging for control. Everyway, everywhere I ride the wind. I am lost. I am found. I am unknown. I am fear. I am joy. I ride the wind, desperately grasping the clouds for a handrail. But no safety is offered. The destination is only mystery. Light, small pieces, creeping in, just beyond my reach, it gives me small hope in what may come. As I slowly release my grasp of nothingness the light draws closer. Are you freedom light? Are you grace? Truth? Can I trust you as I ride the wind? Are you good? Will you take care of my tender places within? Can I lift my hands high above me in freedom? I am heading towards you light, as I ride this wild wind."-Me
Date: 2006-05-26
From: New Life

To: Gainesville, GA
Miles today: 0.0

A month ago I was in the woods. Silence all day. Walking from sunrise to sunset. Now reality has so harshly "slapped me around and called me suzy" as some strange people say, and I actually have to make money to live...I have gotten 2 real jobs in Gainesville, GA. Its kinda cool. I mean I feel important. I have an office. Computer. I just printed out my first official business cards with the ever so frightful words "College Pastor" adorning the top. I drive a car to work. I talk alot on my cell phone. I watched American Idol. I go to meetings, these make me feel important too. I check my email every 6 six minutes, just in case someone desperately needs my spiritually guidance right away (sarcasm laid on thick here).. But as weird as all this feels, I also feel like I am suppose to be exactly where I am ..Once again. I feel like a statue of sorts, solid, safe, confident in the sun and/or the rain. This is where I am suppose to be. I do not know if people need me here at Lanier Hills Church where I will be working part-time. Maybe I need them and I must be quite and merely watch. I will get to work with college kids, hang out and build relationships, love on people, walk with the wounded, I will get to teach and tell my stories of heartache and redemption. I feel like I am learning alot of churchy things. I have great people around me. Good friends. Good men to look up too, too challenge and be challenged back. This is not a normal church. With only men in suits. And that is what most of church leaders are now in days, only suits, in a business world disguised as "Christianity". No, this is a real place. A place that is battling to understand truth, love, and the elusiveness of our God. So though this is not the woods. Its always going to be an adventure that my soul breathes for when God is involved in it. He is too wild, too beautiful to be bored. Thank you all for all your encouragement, love, and support. I finally stopped limping this week, and will be getting my insoles mailed to me this week or next. My thru-hike may be changing into a section hike after all. Life is ever changing but all I can say is that I will continue to be honest with my heart and follow my deepest desires for love and the wild so whatever that may look like. For now, this short season is in Gainesville, GA.
Date: 2006-04-12
To: Joining the Ranks
Miles today: 0.0

After much contemplation and consideration (and yes, dad, debating and pondering) I have decided to join the ranks of hordes of other hikers and start a Trail Journal. Why, you may ask? I¢d love to tell you that while hiking I have incredibly intelligent insights and am morally obligated to share them with the world in an easily accessibly format. Instead I¢ll tell the truth ¢ I¢m trying to lessen my workload during those infamous ¢zero days.¢ For those of you unfamiliar with hiker lingo, a zero day is a day in which one does not hike at all. Often these days occur in town. Despite the relaxing images one might picture involving the word ¢zero,¢ the name is deceptive. ¢Zero¢ days are work days ¢ they are used for laundry, shopping, showering, post office runs, gorging on ¢town food¢ and running endless amounts of other errands. These days are exhausting at best and perhaps even painful at worst. Imagine yourself in a strange town trying to accomplish an endless amount of semi-urgent tasks -- on foot. During my hike last year I squeezed in relatively regular mass email updates about my hike on these legendarily busy zero days. This year I would like to attempt something simpler. By posting my updates here, on TrailJournals, I allow anyone who has an insatiable desire to know about my wanderings to simply click and read. It requires no rote memorization of endless email monikers on my part, and it doesn¢t impose unwanted mass emails on unsuspecting others. The avowed simplicity of writing and posting to a site viewable by all is irreplaceable. So for anyone whose interest has been sparked, bookmark this site and check in semi-regularly to find out more about who I am, where I am and where my wanderings have taken me.
Date: 2006-04-12
To: The Approach Trail
Miles today: 0.0

The approach trail was grueling. At first the adrenaline and excitement propelled my legs up the trail at a seemingly unstoppable pace. We were one long train of hikers pounding away the steps to Maine. As the steps grew into miles I slowed ¢ imperceptibly at first. Finally I gave in to my groaning and protesting muscles. Slowly I fell farther behind each of the six hikers I¢d started with. First two were out of my sight, then three and eventually all six. I relegated myself to a position at the end of the ¢train to Maine¢ and hiked steadily at my natural pace. ¢Surely these short legs shouldn¢t be expected to keep up with men over a foot taller¢ I encouraged myself. Of course I noticed their lightening speed and my comparably snail-like pace. But I would not let this dissuade me - it was only the first day. I knew the first few weeks would be painful and challenging ¢ why should the approach trail be any different? My body felt every one of the forty ridiculous pounds on my back. It seemed incomprehensible that after the innumerable times I had packed a repacked there were unnecessary items in my pack. Yet suddenly, with the pack on, headed yet one more mile up this mountain, I began to question the dire importance of an extra flashlight, that blasphemously heavy first aid kit, and the extra long sleeved shirt ... I laughed at my idea of carrying an orange (an orange with extra water weight!) for lunch and mentally sorted through my gear selecting the items that could be left at the first town stop. Still I pushed on. I made it to the top of Springer Mountain ¢ the official start of the Appalachian Trail. I rejoiced at the fact that I had made it! I took pictures, signed my first trail register, and rewarded myself with a snack (the heaviest one in my pack). As I sat staring at the plaque ¢southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail,¢ I laughed at the irony that I had done all this excruciatingly hard work only to get to the starting point. In essence the miles I¢d just struggled through were inconsequential because they were not officially part of the 2200 miles from Georgia to Maine. And thus began the rollercoaster ride of joys and sorrows stringing along behind me as I ventured closer and closer to Maine.
Date: 2006-04-12
To: Admitting the UnAdmittable
Miles today: 0.0

After three 12 months of this unequivocal bliss I was forced to acknowledge an important detail I had been consciously ignoring. My feet hurt ¢ and not in the typical thru-hiker ¢my feet have been trudging up and down mountains with extra weight on them¢ type ache. There were no blisters, no hot spots and no sprains. I had no bruises, no bumps and no cuts ¢ none of the ¢normal¢ thru-hiker complaints. My feet looked fine. But they hurt. A lot. In the mornings I couldn¢t stand up without help. After a couple miles of easy terrain silent tears were escaping without permission from my eyes. In towns I crawled to the bathroom in the middle of the night because I couldn¢t bear the pain of walking on tiled floors barefoot. I thought if I didn¢t talk about it the pain would just go away. Either I would get used to the pain or my feet would adapt. Not so much. Apparently no one was fooled but me. My mom and Souleman both knew I was in incredible pain but they respected my pride enough to wait for me to bring it up myself. Relinquishing my pride, (and my hopeful, though archaic belief that keeping silent would prevent this from being a reality) I hitchhiked to the ER with Souleman in tow. After a thorough examination of my feet (which smelled of hiker funk and were covered in sock fuzz) the doctor came back armed with his diagnosis; plantar faciitus -- in both feet. Ok? I asked the question any thru-hiker would ask: ¢How do I make it better?¢ I was totally prepared to buy new shoes, take painkillers, or get cortisone shots ¢ anything to stop the pain and keep me hiking. I was not prepared for his actual response: ¢Stop hiking.¢ Gulp. Do what? He can¢t mean it. Hiking is what I do. ¢Do I have to?¢ surely there was some other solution.¢This is an overuse injury. It will not heal if you keep hiking.¢ Sigh. I had to ask the next question.¢Could I make it worse?¢ ¢Possibly. It definitely won¢t get better unless you stay off your feet. The worse it gets now, the more likely it will be bad at other points in your life.¢ ¢Is it possible to keep hiking?¢ I grasped at a last straw¢¦¢Yes. But it will hurt. A lot. Every day. It will not get better if you keep hiking.¢Dejectedly I paid my bill and headed for a hotel armed with extra strength Ibuprofen. Souleman tried to comfort me and discuss options, but I stubbornly refused to deal with it. Instead, I took the painkillers, settled into the bed at the hotel and watched mindless TV shows. I talked with Souleman about what to eat for dinner, what to watch on TV, who to call with updates and where our next maildrop was scheduled. I talked about anything except my feet. Heedless of the advice of the doctor, I was determined to press on. I had handled pain for 2 months. Surely I could handle it for 3 12 more. I rested for two days and then headed back out unwavering in my decision to push on toward Maine.
Date: 2006-04-13
To: Planning the Wedding
Miles today: 0.0

As we began to plan our wedding, we couldn¢t think of a single suitable location. The more we talked, the more we realized we wanted an outdoor wedding ¢ and not just any outdoor wedding ¢ a trail wedding. Not expecting any results, Souleman searched for wedding sights on the Appalachian Trail. Amazingly we found a venue that is located right on the AT. We set a date and pretty soon we were planning a trail themed wedding ¢ complete with trail related games, a guided hike to a waterfall on the AT, a bonfire, and a special (secret) cake-topper. Talking about the trail so much resurfaced all of our dreams about finishing the next 1100 miles. After a lengthy look at our checkbooks we excitedly made the decision to finish our hike for our honeymoon. We will be getting married June 10 and then starting our hike June 15th. Our hike will start in Pine Grove Furnace State Park in PA, the exact same place we walked away from following the ice-cream challenge last July. This time, though, we will be married and more ready than ever to finish this adventure. My feet are stronger now -- I have done stretches faithfully and had custom orthodics made. Together we will push on toward Maine and the final goal of summiting Katahdin - together. I will have each started in Georgia alone and will end up on Katahdin married to my hiking partner.   It will be an amazing feeling to stand by that sign together, wearing our wedding bands, and knowing how much we have gone through to reach that point.
Date: 2006-06-13
To: honeymoon
Miles today: 0.0

Everyone says that rain on your wedding day is good luck. If that holds true, we should have enough luck to last a lifetime. It rained, poured, and all but monsooned during our wedding weekend. Despite the rain, the weekend was perfect and we are now officially Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Soule. For those of you who were unable to attend our wedding, here are a few highlights: the cake was a Ben and Jerry's icecream cake decorated to look like green mountains and the caketopper was a tent. Our vows talked about "walking together through life," some good friends sang beautifully during the ceremony and our pianist and DJ were both excellent. Despite my two left feet, I somehow survived the dances with Jeremy and my Dad without mishap (and even had a good time!). We had a wonderful time seeing so many of our family and friends. It seems surreal that the weekend is over. Now that our wedding festivities are over and we have shiny wedding bands on our fingers, we are looking forward to being back on the trail!
Date: 2006-06-16
To: @ 2 miles after Tagg Run Shelter
Miles today: 9.7

Today we finally made it back to the Appalachian Trail! After over a year of agonizing over our forced decision to leave the trail, we were thrilled to step back onto the beloved path. We brought a little trail magic for any hikers we ran into at the Pine Grove Furnace State Park store. Then after meeting our first couple hikers, we walked an easy 7.2 miles from Pine Grove Furnace State Park to the first shelter. We passed the exact spot from which we called my parents last year to tell them we were coming home. It was an emotional moment. But this time we were healthy and excited. Today was an incredibly easy walk and we were at the shelter, completely rested and energized at 2:00. I surprised us both by suggesting we push on. We went about another 2.5 miles and camped in the woods. We are using our new tent for the first time and are in love already.