morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-10-03
From: The Birches

To: Mt. Katahdin
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I was up around 5 because I couldn't sleep any more knowing that today was the day. I packed up my day pack with a few snacks, a beer, my fleece blanket (just because I love it), warm clothes, and rain gear. Bootsy and I started up the mountain at 7 15 and the first two miles were easy. Soon though, we started rock climbing more and more but with some walking in between. Eventually we got above tree line and the wind was insane. I put on my long pants, long shirt, and rain coat as a wind breaker. We continued up and the trail and it got harder and harder. We were now only rock climbing and sometimes you had to stop and figure out how to get up a section. My shoulder hurt but held up well, which was great because I definitely needed both arms. At times the wind was blowing so hard that I would have to just wait a little bit for the gust to go down because I couldn't move forward without something to grab onto. After about an hour and a half of intense climbing, we got to the tableland, which is much more flat, and we hiked up the boulders and rocks to the summit of Katahdin. When I got to the top, I walked straight over and hugged the sign. It was such a surreal moment. I walked from Georgia to Maine over the last 6 months and 12 days, and I was now at the end point. I thought I would think about things all the way up, but the climb is so technical that you really don't think about anything but the climb. I was lucky enough to enjoy my summit with Bootsy, Mooch, Rambo, Achilles, Peddles, Two Socks, Fozzy Bear, Nimbles, and Rock Dancer. We got a group picture at the summit, took our other pictures, drank a beer, ate a snack, and then had to get out of the wind before we froze. The hike down was a little easier for me, but still very technical and slow going. It took me about 4 hours to summit and about 3.5 to come back down. I can't believe it's over. It definitely hasn't sunk in yet and probably won't for a few days. I really don't know what to think at this point. I feel like I'm just going into town and might take a zero or two, but I definitely don't feel like I'm done following the white blazes. Once we got down, there was no ranger to resister with for about 2 hours, but one finally showed up and we were able to resister and call for the hostel shuttle. I was northbound thru hiker number 631 for the year. When we got to town, we went out to dinner with a bunch of hikers and Tedley treated Bootsy, Tiny Tim, and I to dinner. Thank you so much to all my family, friends, hikers, trail angles, and complete strangers for all of their help and support! I truly could not have done this with out you and I greatly appreciate everything. I know there will be more adventures in my future, but I guess I have to go back to the real world for a while so I can afford more adventures. The AT was more than I ever could have imagined. The people on and off the trail really make the AT the amazing place that it is and I can't wait to give back to the trail in the future. What an amazing journey it has been! Go to photos.
Date: 2016-11-04
From: Mt. Katahdin

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

It's now been just over 3 years since I completed the AT and I am getting ready for my next adventure in New Zealand, hiking the 3000km Te Araroa from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island. Please follow my journey on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TimePlaceDrift. My hiking partner who I met on day 2 of the AT, Swami BitterGoat, and I will be flying to New Zealand on Nov. 20 and will be starting the trail shortly after. Thru hiking the AT was an experience that completely changed my life and I have loved the direction my life took due to this life changing experience. After the trail, I never fully left the woods and worked as a Field Guide at a wilderness therapy program with adolescents and then as a Therapist at another wilderness therapy program with young adults. All of these experiences taught me so much about myself, what I'm capable of, and what's truly important in life. I have learned more about myself and others than I ever thought possible and I can't wait continue on my journey of personal growth, hiking Te Araroa. I just sat down and read my trail journal for the first time ever and it has made me even more excited to take on this new adventure. My goals for this upcoming hike are to slow down, enjoy the journey, and not to pass up any opportunity. Life truly is about the journey and not the destination and I have a feeling that this is going to be one amazing journey.
From: Springer Mtn

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0

7/14 Hiked 19 mi today to RPH shelter where trail volunteers were having a BBQ. We enjoyed grilled marinated pork steaks with onions and peppers, and corn. I am still experimenting with hiking shoes. I bounced my Oboz shoes forward 340 mi to Hanover where the trail gets rougher and am hiking in Montrail Mountain Masochist trail runners. They may be too light. I will be shopping at "outfitter" (East coast term). Today I learned hiker friend Buloo went off the trail with LD. Another friend, Grim is hiking while being treated for LD. He allowed me to video him to talk about the experience.7/15 Hiked 20+ relatively easy mi today. Nice to see the rocks abate some. Learned the AT does not use many switchbacks because of its narrow 90' corridor. Had breakfast trail magic with Bill and Amy (photo), trail volunteers from last night's BBQ. Both of them and Amy's Dad are being treated for LD. Very common around here. Into CT tomorrow home of LD. I have rash on my butt. Is it LD or just chafing? Tune in tomorrow for the answer.
Date: 2012-07-15
From: Springer Mtn

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0

7/14 Hiked 19 mi today to RPH shelter where trail volunteers were having a BBQ. We enjoyed grilled marinated pork steaks with onions and peppers, and corn. I am still experimenting with hiking shoes. I bounced my Oboz shoes forward 340 mi to Hanover where the trail gets rougher and am hiking in Montrail Mountain Masochist trail runners. They may be too light. I will be shopping at "outfitter" (East coast term). Today I learned hiker friend Buloo went off the trail with LD. Another friend, Grim is hiking while being treated for LD. He allowed me to video him to talk about the experience.7/15 Hiked 20+ relatively easy mi today. Nice to see the rocks abate some. Learned the AT does not use many switchbacks because of its narrow 90' corridor. Had breakfast trail magic with Bill and Amy (photo), trail volunteers from last night's BBQ. Both of them and Amy's Dad are being treated for LD. Very common around here. Into CT tomorrow home of LD. I have rash on my butt. Is it LD or just chafing? Tune in tomorrow for the answer.
Date: 2013-01-06
To: Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0

Hi Everyone,I am planning to hike the AT beginning April 15. Besides the usual reasons to hike, I hope to do some phenology along the trail. Phenology is the study of seasonal changes in plants and wildlife. Monitoring phenology is becoming more and more important with the effects of climate change. I also hope to do some Lyme disease research on the trail. More in subsequent reports.I'm a retired scientist living in Colorado. I have hiked portions of the Continental Divide Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and have hiked the entire 500-mile Colorado Trail. I'm into ultralight hiking. I expect to hike 200 miles of the Arizona Trail in March as a warm up. Hope to see you out on the trail.
Date: 2013-03-13
To: Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0

Today friend Ron and I finished the 6th passage on the Arizona Trail as a warm-up for the AT. Unfortunately, I wore some old shoes and had tendonitis and foot bruise problems and had to bail. We had planned to continue to Mt. Lemmon. We had nice spring weather, but the nights were pretty cold for Arizona (20s an 30s). I bought an older model neoair xlite sleeping pad that wast too cold and I returned it when I got home. We had a snow flurry or two and walking on old snow near Miller Peak. Was disappointed to see very few flowers. Will return later in the spring next year!I plan to rest the feet and rehab a month prior to my April 13 AT start.I have my AT planning almost done.
Date: 2013-04-05
To: Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Greetings,As a retired scientist, I became interested in Lyme disease when I decided to hike the AT. If you prepare much, Lyme disease (LD) is hard to ignore with its prevalence and serious effects (see previous post). No one has conducted tick surveys the entire length of the AT. JoAnne Oliver did work in the mid-Atlantic states in 1998 and she and others have advised me as I developed the research proposal. Since mice are the intermediate host and a source of the LD pathogen, and since mice often infest the shelters where people sleep, I thought I should sample the shelters to see if they present any greater risk than hiking. Besides shelters, I will also sample camping areas near shelters and portions of the trail and compare results.In addition to funding commitments from NPS and the Lyme Disease Association. Ellen Stromdahl and colleagues at the US Army Public Health Command will do the tick identifications and genetic testing for pathogens. I have a lot of people depending on me! We will aim of a publication in a scientific journal and hopefully prepare information packets/videos for hikers.As alluded to above, these three ticks carry multiple human pathogens, often at the same time! Deer ticks carry the pathogens for LD, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichia and others. The Lone Star tick (more in southern states) carry ehrlichiosis, spotted fever rickettsiosis, tularemia and southern tick- associated rash illness (STARI), and the American dog tick carries ehrlichiosis and spotted fever rickettsiosis. While all of these are potentially serious, LD carried by the deer tick is over 20 times more common, especially in the mid-Atlantic and New England states. See the Centers for Disease Control website for more information.As hikers, we need to be aware that these ticks are found on the AT, take the precautions described in my previous post and we should be able to identify the adults, remembering the nymphs are often too small to identify (but they carry and cause most human cases of disease). May-July is the worst time for exposure to the disease-carrying nymphs. I will be handing out tick identification cards courtesy of the Lyme Disease Association along the trail. In future posts from the Trail, I will give you a sense of where I find the most ticks and what types. Next post from GA April 13!
Date: 2013-04-15
From: Springer Mountain, Georgia

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 32.0

Greetings from Georgia,Started Saturday from Springer Mountain and arrived at Neel Gap (32 miles) yesterday. Cool and rainy. Slept in the hostel last night. Woods aren't leafed out but there are a few wildflowers: bloodroot (white) and trillium (purple). Two tick surveys Saturday but no ticks. Probably too early at this elevation (3,000 feet). Did phenology survey at Woody Gap; the flowering dogwood was beautiful! Today it's foggy. Met lots of hikers.
Date: 2013-04-17
To: Katahdin
Miles today: 35.0

Monday I was at Low Gap with a group I had hiked with for a day. About 1/3 are retired, 1/3 are in their 20s (some returning military) and the rest foreign or section hikers. Folks from everywhere and each with a story to tell. Ted is retired from the Air Force as a film producer and filmed my tick research for a film he is making. He also made a video for me on my iPhone. Tuesday I hiked to Trey Mtn shelter and there was a younger crowd there. Found a dead tick on my tent (I had treated the tent). My first tick! Attached is a pic of the shelter.I am having lab issues about confirmation of tick positives and am making calls and writing emails from the Trail. Hope to resolve this soon. We on the Trail are connected enough to hear all about the bombings in Boston. Awful.Today I am in Hiawassee GA, tomorrow is the NC/TN border! Beautiful warm weather! Raining at the moment. I hear it has even been snowing in Colorado.
Date: 2013-04-20
From: Springer Mtn

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 40.0
Weather: clear sky

4/17: 17 miles, great breakfast at Blueberry Patch hostel. Camped at Standing Indian shelter. Saw trout lilies, like glacier lilies out West. Saw thousands of spring beauties, and many blueots. Also saw about two centipedes per mile; rhododendron buds at lower elevation. Heavy rain was predicted for Friday.4/19: 7 miles. Weather did not disappoint. It rained last night and I hiked 7 miles in rain. Some leakage in raincoat. Waited in shelter deciding what to do. Decided to stay here in the Carver Gap shelter. Good decision as it rained until 4 pm.4/20: 12 mi. Last night it was 25 degrees. Today it's clear. Arrived in Franklin, NC, at 106 miles total since I started in Georgia. My second state! 60 miles until the Great Smokies. Did a third tick survey and no ticks. Probably too early at this elevation (4,500 feet).
Date: 2013-04-22
To: Katahdin
Miles today: 30.0

4/21: Earth Day weekend was spent hiking 15 miles to Wayah shelter with friends Ted and Terry. Saw my first "balds." These are treeless areas on high ridges. Their origin is unknown but may be manmade (Indians burning and white farmers). Wayah Bald is now growing trees. Had a trail angel give us water and snacks near a road. The AT is famous for this.4/22: Today I hiked 16 miles to Nantahala Outdoor Center on the Nantahala River, elevation 1,450 feet, so a steep descent from 5,000 feet. Dropped into the green zone, with more flowers and trees leafed out! The river is a gorgeous whitewater mecca. Met a woman with five kids thru-hiking the AT! Homeschooled. Staying in hostel tonight. Amazing and admirable. Big climb out tomorrow. Mile 137. Smokies are two days away.
Date: 2013-04-24
From: Springer Mtn

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 58.0

4/22: Hiked from NOC 15 miles to Brown's Fork shelter on a lovely spring day. Hard climb out of the gorge. Met up with Phillip from Vancouver and Andy from Boston. Another steep climb to the shelter. I slept in the shelter, but between the dog snores and human snores it was hard to sleep. Dog commotion all night. Owner is a nice guy but should be tenting. I've seen a half dozen dogs thru-hiking, but they are a challenge and sometimes run off.4/23: Hiked 13 miles to Fontana Village, a TVA resort. Stopped here to dodge the rain for this afternoon and night. I'm back in the green zone and the woods are green and flowers very beautiful. See the photo of toadshad trillium and squirrel corn. Feet a little sore at 165 miles but no blisters. Tomorrow I enter Great Smoky Mountains National Park, home of the greatest biological diversity in North America! Expecting 2 nice days followed by 3 days of rain as we traverse the Smokies.
Date: 2013-04-27
From: Springer Mountain, Georgia

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 43.0

4/25: Hiked from Fontana Village 15 miles into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Trails are more evenly graded and pleasant to hike. The shelters are larger and made of stone with fireplaces. The first shelter was a tick survey (negative again). We are at 4,500 feet and climbing to Clingman's Dome (6,600) on Saturday. Rain is in the forecast. National park rangers on horseback today rescued a woman hiker.4/26: Hiked 17 miles to Double Spring shelter in the balsam firs. Did a tick survey at Siler Bald shelter - no ticks. That shelter is at 5,400 feet so no surprise. I will be at high altitudes for the next week or two. Tomorrow we summit Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the trail. Rain and cold are expected. The hardest part of the Smokies will be done but still have another 35 miles to go. Saw incredible carpets of spring beauties (millions of them). 4/27: Hiked Clingman's Dome in the fog this morning and continued to Newfound Gap in the rain for a total of 11 miles. Trail angel Godspeed fed us lunch and eventually gave us a ride to Gatlinburg. Such nice people! Nice to get out of the rain. Some hikers were getting hypothermic. I am doing well.Sleeping in the shelters is a bizarre but mostly uplifting experience. Crammed in like sardines, snoring etc., but fun to share camaraderie with folks from literally everywhere. I've been hiking with Phillip from Vancouver Island who is my age and Andy from Boston who is about 22.
Date: 2013-04-28
From: Springer Mountain, Georgia

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 51.0
Weather: moderate rain

4/30: Hiked 18 miles to Standing Bear Farm hostel. Stopped at a shelter where the National Park Service was dealing with a nuisance bear. We saw the bear and I took a photo of the bear biologist. Also saw our first salamanders. NPS says salamanders are greater predators than all the bears in the park on a biomass basis. Tomorrow we hike toward Hot Springs (33 mi) where I have a zero day planned (no hiking). Hot Springs is a great trail town.5/1: Hiked 19 miles today and tented. Crossed Max Patch Bald where I did some phenology observations. At this elevation (4,629 feet), most trees and shrubs have just burst their buds for leaves or flowers.5/2: Hiked 14 miles into Hot Springs and got the last motel room as the hostel was full. Tomorrow I will take more phenology measurements. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has about 25 sites that are monitored along the Trail and I am trying to do them all.Word is Norovirus is on the AT north of here. We will avoid the shelters for a few days.
Date: 2013-05-07
To: Katahdin
Miles today: 50.0

5/3: Hot Springs is a cute little town filled with hikers and attendees of a music fest. Before leaving Hot Springs today, I monitored plant phenology at two locations. At 1,340 feet, Hot Springs is in the "green zone" and plants are well ahead of the same species we see at higher altitudes. Even with the constant up and down of our daily hikes, I can tell we are following "green up" as we move north about 15 miles per day. Full leaf-out is still weeks away above 4,000 feet. We are avoiding shelters to avoid the norovirus. We have heard it extends to Erwin and we should outrun it in a few days. We are seeing more younger hikers and more women (about 20%). I took a photo of a white-blazed tree. There are so many of these markers, there is little navigation needed.5/4: Our first 20-mile day! Big rain expected tonight and tomorrow, so wet hiking is probable. Unbelievable trail magic today. A hiking club had tents set up with hamburgers, hot dogs, sides, desserts, and drinks. We gorged ourselves. 5/5: Only 9 miles today in the rain, but at least we got shelter space. High winds felled a tree near Phillip as he was hiking. 26 miles left to Erwin; doable in a long day, but I have a phenology site at Sam's Gap. Hope I can find the trees without wasting a lot of time. I had difficulty finding them at the Hot Springs site.5/6: Hiked the 26 miles to Erwin. I broke a tooth eating cold candy! So I'll try to see a dentist tomorrow. Poor luck finding the phenology trees despite coordinates, sketch maps I made from Google Earth, and map descriptions from ATC. I have another site in Erwin to do tomorrow. Staying at Uncle Johnny's hostel tonight, but will probably motel it tomorrow and take a rest day. I made a dental appointment for the tooth. I've only taken one rest day so far in 3+ weeks. I'm at 342 miles so far.
Date: 2013-05-08
From: Springer Mountain, Georgia

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 34.0

5/8: Hiked only 13 miles today to the base of Unaka Mtn. It's a big climb and I was sluggish today. I strained a muscle above my left knee on my last big mile day and it bothered me today. Cloudy, but no rain until just after I got my tent up! Unaka is 5,180 feet and in the fog. Phillip and Andy decided to zero today so I am solo. Weather and knee permitting I am planning a hard day tomorrow up 6,217-foot Roan Mountain, 21 miles and 6,000 vertical feet for the day. That positions me to do a phenology survey at Carvers Gap and a tick survey at Overmountain shelter on the 10th, then hit the Mountain Harbour Hostel for the night.5/9: Pretty sunrise in the fog this morning. Today is my son's birthday. I can't call not only because I have no cell service (AT&T is poor on the AT), but because he is out of range too. Hiked 21 hard miles today. The climb up Roan Mountain was steep, muddy, and rocky. It's been said the AT is a 2,185-mile obstacle course and there is some truth in that. Weather was fair today. I hope it holds for my phenology and tick surveys tomorrow.5/10: Tick survey was negative; however, the randomly selected shelter was at 5,000 feet so no surprise. Phenology survey was also disappointing. Only found one of the plants but found same species in the general area. I'm not sure if the data will be usable. Navigation on the AT is simple; just follow the white blazes on trees every 500 feet or so. Totally different than other hikes I have done. It's raining tonight but I got to the small town and hostel.
Date: 2013-05-09
From: Springer Mountain, Georgia

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 52.0

5/11: Hiked 18 miles today, but the best part of the day was the buffet breakfast at Mountain Harbour B&B where I stayed last night. There have been intermittent showers today. I was scheduled to do a tick survey at this shelter, but it was too wet, so I will default to the next dry shelter area. I saw a pretty waterfall today - Jones Falls. I also saw my first blooming rhododendron (see at left). A word about wildflowers: common ones we see in Colorado blooming now are: wild geranium, white, purple, and yellow violets, larkspur, senecio, and of course, spring beauties by the trillion (not to be confused with trillium). Trail names are common aliases used on the AT. They are a conversation starter: 9 Lives, Mash, Cat Lady, etc. I am using Speed, an old family nickname. People want to know if I am fast, and I tell them I used to be. I am averaging 18 miles per day, passing most folks and seeing mostly new faces everyday.5/12: I've been on the trail a month and have traveled 425 miles. Great trail magic again today! Chili dogs, baked beans, chips, cherry cobbler - wow! The weather was fair today but still cool (60s). Damascus is about 42 miles (2 days). They have a huge party called Trail Days the 17-19th, but I will miss it as I have a date with family members to hike June 6 near Waynesboro, Virginia. Too wet for the tick survey yesterday and today. I will survey tomorrow.
Date: 2013-05-13
From: Springer Mtn

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 42.0
Weather: scattered clouds

5/13: Hiked 21 miles today; 1 day left to Damascus, maybe the best trail town on the AT. They have a major festival called Trail Days this weekend, but I will be there early. I plan to spend tomorrow night there and hike on Wednesday. I may get a shuttle back to Damascus on Saturday. Today I ran into more trail magic at 21 miles and decided to stop. It is a big pre-party with burgers and beer. About 50 people are camping at the top of a long meadow, see photo. First time I have not tented in the woods on this trip.5/14: Hiked 21 miles to Damascus; 465 total miles. I'm in Virginia now. What a cool little town. Staying at a hostel with linens, shower, laundry and breakfast for $25. Picked up my resupply boxes and will ship some cold weather gear home. Enjoyed a big dinner with Bill and Gene and Burt, a German who I keep seeing. Conducted a tick survey today at 4,000 feet, which was negative again. It is frustrating, but the cool spring and high elevation are dictating negative results.