morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-05-12
From: 2 Miles Shy of Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 2.3
Weather: broken clouds

Day #29 On The Trail!A few days before I began hiking the trail, I began to perouse my Thru-Hiker's Companion book, checking out logistics, altitudes, re-supply points, etc. And I noticed that the Trail Days Celebration in Damascus fell within a reasonable frame of my potential timeline: 460 some odd miles I needed to cover within the first month of hiking to get there. The only milestone this town represents is the beginning of the longest state on the trail. But, most hikers see it that if you can make it to Damascus by the advent of the festival, you are making good pace to make it to Maine.So, when I eased down the 2 miles into town this morning, I was all smiles. No big milestone, but it was... well... something special.If today is to be any indication, the weekend will be one of well directed chaos. I spent most of the day wandering around town, checking out the scene, and around every corner was a friend to catch up with. A local church is sponsoring several free meals and activities in town all week, plus hot showers for all hikers. We may not necessarily deserve it, but we need it.I got free coffee and cookies and a meal ticket from the Baptists and saw Bullit hanging around, received some great care packages at the post office while Cheese Beard, Li'l Baby Deer, Oxford and Mike watched my pack, got info from Baltimore Jack at the outfitter, passed Laces and Forget-Me-Not on my way to tent city, went to breakfast with Metric and Low X, got a Klondike bar and a root beer from Gimli, spent the better part of an hour trying to track down Grimey, had Uncle Tom pass a message on for me, chatted with Sticks and 4 Trees, tossed some disc with Daydreamer, spocked Broadway's new shoes, ran into Smiley and Blackfoot, gave my meal ticket to Yoga Boy, watched Keeper win a cake eating contest, dog-sat Giuseppi for Ella, fist-bumped Brother of the Wind, ate a hot-dog with Chuck Town, watched Stitch's backpack for him, directed Coach towards a free meal, and mostly I just sat in a nice shady spot next to the Creeper Trail and watched a whole slough of other hikers roll in as the day cruised by.And the festival doesn't start until tomorrow.Daydreamer and I met with Joey, our couchsurf host, around 7. And then we got to see the real side of Damascus as we visited his friend Casey's house, and drove back to Joey's place, a cool refurbished cabin down on the river. It's beautiful country down here, and just has that nice simple country feel. Fantastic really. I feasted on a huge plate of BBQ, and then we all sat on the porch, eating cheese and listening to the river flow past.Tomorrow I will listen to bluegrass music. And all will be well.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-05-13
From: Damascus

To: Trial Daze
Miles today: 0.0

Day #30 On The Trail/Trail Days!Today, I collected free stickers from gear reps, bought a new ground cloth, tried vegan jerky, and did several laps around town. So, without further ado, I present: Thru-Hiker Profile #2.Trail Name: DaydreamerReal Name: Justin CroftAge: 19Hometown: Austin, TXTent/Hammock/Tarp/Shelter: ShelterStove: Penny Stove (alcohol burning stove)Go To Dinner: Pesto Pasta with Fresh GarlicFavorite Trail Candy: Good Quality ChocolateTrekking Poles: YesBackpack: Osprey Atmos 50 (just got it in a trade-in at Trail Days)#1 Favorite Piece of Gear: Sno-Peak Titanium SporkLuxury Item: A Paperback Copy of "Dune"Favorite Moment So Far: Hiking alone in the spruce forest on Unaka Mt. with melting ice chunks falling from the treesDaydreamer and I have been hiking together on and off for the last few weeks. We actually met briefly in Austin when I went into the outfitter where he worked one afternoon sometime in February. We had a few words about the AT, but I never thought I would actually see him on the trail. Small world we live in I guess. Daydreamer got his trail name due to his tendencies to get overly caught up in observing various natural wonders while hiking. 5 or so years ago he saw a PBS documentary on the AT, and has been plotting his thru-hike ever since. A lifelong vegetarian, he is always concoting some marvelous mixture of dehydrated and fresh ingredients in his nightly meals, a preparation which typically lasts around an hour. And for some reason we wonder why his pack weighs like it is full of Russet potatoes. One night around a campfire he revealed: "I have to finish the AT, so I can go to college." Everyone laughed, but in truth he is scheduled to attend The Evergreen State College, in Washington state. As a result, he has more of a definite deadline in which to finish the trail than most people do, and plans on picking up the pace after Trail Days. Stay focused my friend. Stay on track Daydreamer.
Date: 2011-05-14
From: Trial Daze

To: Barnaroo
Miles today: 0.0

Day #31 On The Trail! (But still at Trail Days)Today was the peak of the festival and it proved to be quite marvelous, but I will have to come back to this subject due to: Thru-Hiker Profile #3!Trail Name: BroadwayReal Name: Tyler PierceAge: 33Hometown: Columbus, OHStart Date: 4/18Tent/Hammock/Tarp/Shelter: ShelterStove: Caldera (alcohol stove)Trekking Poles: YesGo-To Dinner: Knorr broccoli cheddar Rice Side with tuna in sunflower oil and garlic parmesan baby red instant potatoes mixed together in a large ziplock bagFavorite Trail Treat: Peanut butter chocolate chip tortilla wrapLuxury Item: A largeish package of yet unused Hand-Wipes#1 Favorite Piece of Gear: Big Agnes Air Core insulated sleeping padFavorite Moment So Far: Waking up from a nap on a ledge in the middle of some exposed ridgelines in the Smokies, and having a feeling that he was the only person in the universeI first met Broadway at the BBQ feast put on by trail angels in Sam's Gap on May 3rd. He had arrived there a while before I did, despite having trekked 8 more miles than I had to get there. I was the first person to leave the feast that day, but shortly after, he cruised by me while I was hiking as if I was standing still. A lot of people have trekking poles, but he's one of the few people I've seen who actually seems to gain extra propulsion from them, planting and pushing off of them in mechanical fashion. His trail name stems from the fact that in the real world, he lives in Brooklyn and is a stage actor, performing in non-musical plays. During his youth, his father sometimes talked about hiking the AT together, but passed away before the two could ever realize that dream. This year, his job for the season got cancelled, and he had a realization that if he ever wanted to hike the AT, it was literally going to be now or never. Currently, he is 3 or 4 days ahead of me, but hitched back to catch Trail Days, and get his pack fixed. He once told a group of us that everyone has to hike their own hike, and he really wants to take his time and enjoy it, "as long as I get there as fast as possible." So, I was a little thankful that I got to spend a moment to catch up with him before he speeds his way up to Katahdin, turning mountains into molehills on his way there.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-05-15
From: Barnaroo

To: Hardcore
Miles today: 0.0

Day #32 On The Trail!Wow. Trail Days was an unexpectedly awesome weekend. I got to spend some quality downtime with friends, both old and new. On Saturday, I walked in the hiker parade, which basically entailed current and former hikers walking the two main streets while the towns people found creative ways in which to douse us with water. And vice versa. It was awesome. And in bigger news, I won a box full of cool stuff in the Backpacker magazine sponsored raffle giveaway. The box contained a Thermarest Z-Lite sleeping pad, a GSI dualist cookset, a Grand Trunk travel pillow, Wigwam socks, an Osprey Daylite 13 liter daypack, sunscreen, a utensil set, and two types of bugspray. I'm keeping the cookset and the sleeping pad, so for now I have two pots and two pads, which kinda rocks. I gave most of the rest of the stuff to my incrediby cool couchsurf host.Also, I covered my bamboo pole with a good array of stickers, so now it's all blinged out. All I need is a disco ball and some bedazzling on it, and I'm set.This morning I left the house early to walk into town for a volunteer trail maintenance program called "hardcore." It was a rainy morning, so about 25 people who signed up didn't show. But the day proved to be a lovely day of swinging pelaskies and moving rocks as we re-routed the trail up to Pond Flats. Our reward was a nice dinner of pulled pork sandwiches and strawberry shortcake with bonus blueberries thanks to a new friend.And to top it all off, I somehow snagged a bunk in the kincora bunkhouse after a dozen people had told me all of the beds were taken.Glory days.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-05-16
From: Hardcore

To: Hardcore
Miles today: 0.0

Day #33 On The Trail! (Hardcore Style)For the last 11 years, Bob Peoples has organized a hiker volunteer trail crew under the moniker of 'Hardcore.' The goal is to improve sections of trail to make the trail less impactful on the terrain over the years. Apparently when the AT was originally laid out, the trail pretty much went straight up and over hills, which is the easiest way to carve a trail, but also causes the most erosion.For the last two days, 100 of us volunteers, whether we be current hikers, former hikers or members of the local community, cut a new path up Pond Flats. It was tough work indeed, but was one of the most personally rewarding and enriching experiences I've had since starting the trail. Each day, we showed up at the base site, grabbed two tools and a pair of gloves each, and carried them 2 miles up the mountain to our work sections. And then for 7 hours we tore up the earth, cutting into the side of the mountain, moving rocks and digging up tree roots. But at the end of the day, we got to paint white blazes (the standard AT route marker) on our newly opened section of trail. Over 2,000 feet we laid out in all. And it is quite a beautiful bit of trail, if I must say so.Tonight we were rewarded with cabbage soup, a great spaghetti dinner, and ice cream sundaes to boot. Plus we all got 'Hardcore' patches and hats.But really the biggest prize of all is knowing that we created a part of the AT, open today for all comers and future generations.Guess what. I get to go backpacking again tomorrow.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-05-17
From: Hardcore

To: Lost Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 15.8

Day # 34 On The Trail!Well my brothers, the sun hasn't shone since the hiker parade on Saturday, but mostly the rain has been limited to the night time and early morning hours. But, I knew that I needed to get back on the trail, rain or shine. The forecast for the day was 90% chance of rain.Bob People's himslef shuttled me and three others back to Damascus in his maroon Jeep Liberty. On the drive, the weather was just plain yucky. When we arrived in town, it was still gray and the mountains were shrouded in mist, but at least the rain had stopped. I proceeded to buy way too much food and somehow stuffed it in my backpack along with my newly acquired cookset and sleeping pad, on top of all of the gear I already have.Just as I started to walk out of town, I happened to check my watch, and realized that there was a good chance that my former co-workers on Kauai might be packing up for the first Na Pali Coast kayak trip of the season. So, I made a quick call and got to talk to my good friends Adam and Candida before their venture into the deep blue. Fantastic.The rest of the day proved slow going, what with a heavy pack and muddy trails, but I slogged my way the 15 or so miles up to the Lost Mt. Shelter and pitched my tarp, luckily catching a lull in the day's downpour. I estimate there were at least 30 people camped at the site, including a group of students from a local college taking an on-site summer course in Religious Studies entitled, "The AT as a Form of Pilgrimage." I had the pleasure to sit in on their evening lecture, which proved to be a lively discussion on the topic of 'Trail Magic.'And then, with a robust party going on at the shelter, and the rain slowly increasing again, I lay down under my tarp and contented myself by listening to the new My Morning Jacket album, which is really, really, ridiculously good. You should check it out.Even with the weather, it's great to be back on the trail.Cheers
Date: 2011-05-18
From: Wayah Gap

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day #35 On The Trail!(Check out day 34 also)Dear Diary-It rained all night, and apparently I had strung my tarp upside-down, because my sleeping bag was a bit on the damp side this morning, and I noticed that a drip had formed at the very center of the tarp where there is a middle loop by which to hang it from. And a wet down bag is no fun. Plus it was cold. And I was a little grumpy.But after an hour or so, I caught up with the professor of the Religous Studies course (see yesterday's post), and we had a lively discussion about our lives and the interconnectedness of everything. It really made my day, even though everything was cloudy and gray, countless miles of scenery lost in the mist.The going was very slow today, what with very rocky, muddy and slippery terrain, but eventually I caught up with a few friends I hadn't seen since the trail days, which was nice. Today we entered into Grayson Highlands State Park, which marked a drastic change in scenery with rolling hills and rocky outcroppings. Many people say this is one of the most beautiful parts of the whole trail. Plus there are bands of wild ponies that inhabit the park, a cluster of which greeted me as I entered this new domain. I'm sure they were looking for a handout.And after I got down to the shelter and started to unpck my gear and dry my stuff out, the clouds opened up and we saw the sun for the first time in a good while. And it was glorious.Within the first few miles of hiking tomorrow, I will cross the 500 mile mark! 30 miles from where I sleep tonight there is a shelter with showers, and supposedly one can even order a pizza delivery there. Now that's a good carrot to dangle in front of the nose if I can say so.Maybe I can coax one of these ponies into giving me a ride.Cheers
Date: 2011-05-19
From: Wise Shelter

To: Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

Day #36 On The Trail!(Check out days 35 and 34, also just posted)Today is the third day in a row I've gone without being able to obtain a signal on my cell phone, which is okay, because that's a major point of being out in the woods. To get disconnected from society. But I do miss being able to post on my blog. Oh well.The sun shone for a minute this morning, and it was glorious, but shortly thereafter the clouds came in again, and that was okay too because at least it never really rained today. Right when I reached what I deemed to be the 500 mile point, I let out a big 'whoop' into the wind, and a few minutes later a flock of wild ponies came stampeding by, emerging from and disappearing back into the mist.I was prepared to hike the 30 miles to the Patnership shelter, with its allure of a shower and pizza delivery services, so I drank a little bottle of 7 hour energy drink that I received from my aunt Patty. Boy, that thing really fired me up, and next thing I knew I had pretty much cruised 15 miles in a little less than 5 hours.I ran into my good friends Blackfoot and Smiley just before Dickey Gap. Joe, a frind of theirs had joined them for a few days, and we all decided to sit down and have a trail lunch in the grass by the road. A few minutes later, Daydreamer rolled in, hopping out of an old ambulance that is serving as a free shuttle to the town of Troutdale, which only has a restaurant, convenience store and a hostel. The shuttle driver informed us that the 'pizza shelter' would probably be super packed, and that the Trimpi shelter, just 4 miles away, was nice and had a fireplace. So, after a rousing round of frisbee, we all found our way there, and it's been a lovely evening of catching up, meeting new friends and keeping a warm fire going in the fireplace. Good times.Tomorrow, my friend DVD said she may have some pizza for me, if I can trek the 10 miles quick enough in the morning to meet up with her. If that doesn't work out, I hope to pass through Atkins in the early afteroon, and I hear their Burger Barn serves up a 16 ounce hiker burger.Better make it a double. With cheese. And bacon.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-05-20
From: Trimpi Shelter

To: Davis Path Campsite
Miles today: 25.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day #37 On The Trail!(check out the recently posted last 3 days)Last night was so cozy in the Trimpi shelter. We had a furnace of a fire in the fireplace, and there were just enough hot coals to get it going again this morning.Today, the clouds finally parted and the sun shone all day. The terrain was relatively easy, and I was cruising nicely. Had a 16 ounce burger in Atkins, and did a quick resupply at the Exxon Station there. In all, it was a really great day to be alive.Here are some other notes and updates.I recently discovered that my friend Walkabout, who I had spent the better part of my first week hiking with, is somewhere far ahead of me on the trail. Last I saw him, he was nursing a bad case of the shin splints at the NOC. But I found his blog online, and it seems like he is cruisin nicely.My friend Gimli has taken to the habit of stopping in every town to get a good meal, and has been doing big miles in between stop overs. I think he's a day or so ahead of me.Back in Hiawasse, when the playoffs just started, I told a friend that I would really like to see a Bulls/OKC NBA finals pairing, and found out today that both my teams are still in the running.I've been cooking all of my meals on the fire ever since I got my new GSI pot, and I love it. Last night I had a beef stroganoff Lipton Side, with Four Cheese instant potatoes, and a packet of yellowfin tuna in olive oil. It was delicious and filling.A few family members have sent me care packages so far, and a few others have expressed a similar interest. Mostly, I am lackin very little, but who doesn't enjoy receiving a care package. So, without trying to sound like a total beggar, feel free to send anything you like. Click the maildrop section on my sidebar, and it will tell you where/how to send stuff. Home baked goodies are great, as I can share them with friends. Dehydrated/dried fruits and vegetables totally rock, as do protein bars and powdered drink mixes, especially those of the sports/health variety. Okay, maybe I am a beggar.So, for now I am trying to get to the Woodshole Hostel by Tuesday morning, so I can kick it there for my birthday. And maybe some friends will be there too.Here's to sunny weather.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-05-21
From: Davis Path Campsite

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 30.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Day #38 On The Trail!Today I would like to talk about the tortoise and the hare. Some days, I feel like the tortoise, and others more like the hare. Today was a tortoise day: slower going, never really got up to a fast hiking speed, but at the end of the day, I had walked 30 miles. Although, I did get blessed with double trail magic, the first in the form of a Dr. Thunder, PBJ sandwich, and a Lil' Debby oatmeal cream pie. The second came at the end, when I caught the last gasp of two gentlemen who had spent the day servin chili dogs and sodas to hikers. I got two sodas, and ate an uncooked Spam single and what seemed to be a nutrigrain bar. Awesome.We were having a discussion about the tortoise and the hare the other day, trying to rationalize the moral of the story, which is: slow and steady wins the race. In a cartoon version of the story that some of us had seen as kids, the hare loses the race because he is constantly getting sidetracked, hanging out with friends and generally carousing and having a good time. But he still finishes the race. He doesn't win, but he finishes. And he has a better time doing it. The turtle, on the other hand is constantly laboring, focused on the goal, and yes he does win, but is winning really that important? Another adage I heard a lot growing up is: it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.I recently met a fellow who completed the AT last year, and I was telling him about someone who was a super fast hiker, maintaining a minimum speed of 3mph no matter the terrain. This former thru-hiker didn't appear to be that impressed, and all he said is "yep, that'll get you there."So maybe, it's best to be part tortoise and part hare. Slow and steady, but take some time here and there to make a new friend, share a snack, tell a joke, smell a flower, eat a Spam single, dance in a stream, and then continue on your merry way. Steadily.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-05-22
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Jenny's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 23.8
Weather: light rain

Day #39 On The Trail!Today was a bit on the warm side, but it was another wonderful day in the life. I cruised along very nicely, even though I left camp much later than normal: 9 a.m.Today I would like to talk about my daily routine, to give you my dear friends a glimpse into the life. My watch alarm goes off at 6. Most mornings, I have already woken up before this, as I sleep somewhat fitfully. Plus the birds start singing a bit earlier than that. It usually takes me around an hour to break camp, eat breakfast and get going. Breakfast these days is 4 frosted pop tarts with peanut butter. This morning I also had a 7up with breakfast. It was delicious.And then, after a good stretching session, I am off. I tend to hike in 3-4 hour bursts, taking quick breaks if I arrive at a nice spot, or at a shelter along the way. I eat some kind of granola bar every hour while I hike, to keep the gas tank full. The shelters all have log books, called registers, that most hikers sign when they pass through. So, lately I have been spending more time digging through them to see where friends are, and what's been going on in the trail world. Today, I learned that Broadway is 5 day ahead, Walkabout is 9 days ahead, Gimli is 1 day ahead, and Grimey is really cruising these days, and is maybe 2 days ahead.I don't usually stop for lunch as I eat while I hike, but sometimes, if the mood strikes, I'll sit down and slice up an apple and have it with some cheese or peanut butter. And if I'm getting really crazy, I'll have some GORP too. Right now, my GORP bag is a mixture of 4 different flavors of peanuts, smoked almonds, cashews, craisins and cheez-its. And really, most of the day is spent walking, with the occasional pause to talk to people along the way. I like to get to camp before six, so there is time to get set up, cook dinner, clean up, get water, stretch, brush my teeth, hang out, write my journals, and go to bed. Fires are nice to have, because they keep the bugs away, and I've been cooking my meals on them, so if someone doesn't already have one going, I'll get some wood and fire one up. For dinner, I usually just boil water, add in a lipton side (either rice or pasta), let it cook for a bit, then add some instant potatoes, a tuna packet and a few cloves of fresh garlic. It's pretty hearty. Then, I'll boil some more water to clean the pot out, as that kills all the bacteria and is better than using soap.Before I go to bed, I read through my AT Hiker's Companion to plot out my options for the next day. And then, right around dark, or sometimes earlier, I lay down and listen to a few songs on my mp3 player and drift into wonderland.Repeat as necessary.Cheers