morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-01-11
To: My Dream of the Big K
Miles today: 0.0

Last night I had a dream.I looked around and saw white everywhere. The walls, the table, the chairs. Everything inside this town house was white. Looking out the window, the mountains were crisp and sharp, the look of a winter day. The grass was brown and dead and there was a huge fire which many hikers were huddled around, though all the hikers were in shorts and tee-shirts. It was the day after summiting the Big K.Everyone was smiles and laughter, our eyes sparkling with the "high" of finishing a six-month long hike that many of us have dreamed about for a long time. The door to the town house was open and hikers came in and went out, talking, laughing, drinking beer, and speaking with some obviously non-hiker types that were sitting inside. More and more hikers came, put their packs by the fire, and started talking.I was inside, speaking to my parents, asking them when we were going to take pictures of me on the Big K. They said we had done that yesterday when I summitted. I then realised that I had no memory of my six-month hike. I know I finished because my body was tanned and toned, looking like all the other thru-hikers that were sitting around the fire. I knew these hikers and talked to them as friends, but the memories they spoke of, I did not remember.I looked on my journal and saw all the entries and all the pictures of me and the familiar faces of my hiking friends in various places from Georgia to Maine, and yet, I remembered none of it, not even the elation of being on top of K, finished. I had the "high" feeling all the others were enjoying, only nothing before this day AFTER the trail.It worried me, but I said nothing. I smiled and laughed along with my friends, my hiking family, my real family, but felt out of place and more of an observer than a participator. I do not know what this dream means, but it is the FIRST dream I've had about actually completing the Trail. Sure I've had dreams of me along the trail, but none of me actually being done. Maybe I will make it to the Big K after all....but what will I have to give up to get there? What parts of me will change? Who will I be when I am done?It's 2 am....too early/late for philosophical thoughts, I think.
Date: 2004-01-14
To: revised mileage
Miles today: 0.0

Ok. Phew! After agonizing over mileage and mail drops for way longer than I've needed to, I've decided something that is very hard for my personality to accept. I am going to plan mileage for the first two weeks and that's it. That's it. After that there's no plan. I'm not quite sure I can handle that and I dont' know how long the "no plan" thing is going to last, but I'm certainly going to try it. No point in stressing over a schedule that will probably change anyway, right??So without further ado...the mileage plan:1-Springer-Hawk Mtn Shelter. 7.62-Hawk Mtn. Shelter-Gooch Mtn. Shelter 7.13-Gooch Mtn.-Woods Hole Shelter 11.94-Woods Hole-Whitley Gap Shelter 10.35-Whitley Gap-Blue Mtn. SHelter 11.66-Blue Mtn-Tray Mtn Shelter 7.87-Tray Mtn-Deep Gap Shelter- 7.18-Deep Gap-Plumorchard Gap 7.89-Plumorchard-Muskrat Creek Shelter 7.310-Muskrat Creek-Carter Gap Shelter 12.111-Carter Gap- Rock Gap Shelter 12.912-Rock Gap-Siler Bald Shelter 7.513-Siler Bald-Sassafrass Gap 12.614-Sassafras Gap-Cable Gap Shelter 15.215-Cable Gap- Fontana Dam 5.5So that's it. That's the big plan. I plan to take one day off a week, but we'll see how that goes, too. My first maildrop will be Hiawasee and then my parents will meet me in Fontana for the night, so they'll bring the second one.I'm not really sure how many maildrops to use, but below is my tentative list. I may have too many, I may have too few. Who knows. I'll figure it out as I go, right?Maildrops:1. Hiawassee, GA2. Fontana Dam, NC3. Hot Springs, NC4. Roan Mtn, TN5. Pine Grove, PA6. Branchville, NJ7. Wingdale, NY8. Williamstown, MA9. Killington, VT10. Glencliff, NH11. Gorham, NH12-Stratton, ME13. Monson, MEEat your hearts out!
Date: 2004-01-21
To: My house is on my back.
Miles today: 0.0

Ok, so I did my first real packing of the pack tonight. I'm sure I've left things out. I'm sure I have things I don't need. It's just one of those things that I guess I won't figure out until I'm out there. Hopefully it's all things I've overpacked rather than things I've forgotten.I'm really worried about my boots right now, but I guess I'll just walk in them some more. Why do things seem to not be meshing lately? It's frustrating.Pack list:Pack: Osprey Luna 75Bag: Mtn Hardwear 600 down(in a compression sack)Mat:Thermarest 3/4 Tent:MSR Zoid 1.5 and polesClothes (in a compression sack)   sports bra/underwear   long underwear top and bottom   socks(one pr to hike in, one pr for nightime)   sock liners   convertible pants   shirt   fleece pullover   fleece jacket   rain coat (i have a heavy rain coat and a light raincoat-not sure which one to take)   rain pants   town outfit(do I need this?)   knit cap   balaclava   mittens   mitten shellswater filterfirst aid kitstovepotfuel bottle (i have two- a 22oz and an 11oz--do i need both or will the big one do?)mugcamelback Un-Bottle 100ml plus one nalgene for hot drinkstoothbrush/paste/flossq-tipslotionbaby powderrazordeoderantlightersdeetfirestartershandwarmerstpgirly thingsjournalpocketmailbookbiblemapsany thoughts?
Date: 2004-01-22
To: Financial Advice
Miles today: 0.0

It's amazing what a 90 minute late-night conversation can do for morale...especially if the person you're talking to knows about money.Here is what I learned overnight and am now getting ready to impliment in my financial life:1. If you call your credit card company and say "lower my APR," they will do so. It's true, he saw it on Oprah!2. If you get a new credit card and transfer your balance from your old credit card you can then use the intro 0%APR thing to pay less on monthly bills while hiking the trail.3. If you yell at Verizon Wireless and explain to them that no, in fact their catchy "can you hear me now" slogan does NOT apply to places along the AT, they will NOT make you extend your contract for a year when you lower your plan to the lowest monthly plan making your cell phone bill a mere $15/month. Woo!4. If you talk to your auto insurance company and explain to them that you will not be driving your car for six months, they can do some magic, raise some deductibles and lower liability and get nearly $30 taken off your auto insurance bill.So, all in all, thanks to a late night conversation I will be lowering my monthly bills while I'm on the trail by about $150-$175.Maybe I'm just financially ignorant, but I thought I'd pass this along to other people that may be or soon find themselves in the same boat as I am in.See, I told you things always work out.Woo-hoo! It's the 22nd of January!38 days till SPRINGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 2004-01-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I was reading a "currently hiking" journal on good ole trail journals and found a man hiking all of New Zealand (http://www.martinot.info/nztrek ) Along with some beautiful pictures I found a link to a healing retreat center in NZ. Below are two things I thought too beautiful to pass up.I'm in a weird mindframe right now, trying to figure out what this journal is going to be. I'm not sure if I want it to be a "this is what happened today" journal or a deeper journal filled with the things I think about while hiking. I think it will be a mixture of both, but I'm not sure how much of which I want to include. I guess I'll feel it out, much like I'll feel my hike out as I go.I do think my trail register entries will be just short entries, without any philosophical deepness whatsoever go figure. *******MY PURPOSEThe world needs me, otherwise I would not be here.I am part of the whole, and each part is necessary to the welfare of the whole.I will live, think and work in the conviction that I am not only wanted, but needed.That great truth shall be my constant inspiration.The welfare of the whole grows greater and greater, the better each part plays its part.Therefore Ambits be nothing less than all I can possibly be.I am here for a great purpose; life is too important to send me here for any other purpose;and whatever may come or go, to that purpose I shall ever be true.Life to me means the being of my best and the doing of my best, that all the world may be better.I shall not live for things, but for that greater life that reigns in the spirit of all things;nor shall the coming or going of things cause me to depart from the lofty position I have taken.To me there can be no defeat, no failure, no loss.He is never defeated who wins the life he has elected to live.He knows no failure who gains the richer life from every experience, circumstance or event that may come to pass.He knows no loss who ascends to the greater whenever the lessed seems to pass away ¢ and this I propose to do.This I must do to be true to the life I am here to live.My first thought will be to love much; my second, to do much,but I shall do nothing that will not add to the happiness and welfare of someone.My aim shall be to reach the heights,not that I alone may enjoy the splendour of the heights,but that others may find the way.My face shall ever be turned to the light of the great eternal sun;and to become a living revelation of that light, shall be the dearest wish of my heart.Christian Larsen****Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it.Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.Goethe
Date: 2004-02-08
To: Gearing Up
Miles today: 0.0

so, this is it.I've activated my pocketmail and this is my first test run letting my parents post the journal entry. I imagine the nervousness I feel is somewhat akin to sending your child to school for the first time. no one has touched my writing or my journals, ever, but now I have to step back and entrust it to someone else. I hope my jpurnal doesn't feel abandoned.Yes, this entry is a bit odd, but I'm sitting here at work (only 10 days, 60 hours and a maximum of 132 trucks left to unload and scan...not that I'm counting or anything...) typing this between trucks and donuts. I have realized that typing with pocketmail is going to be quite a pain in the you-know-what, but hopefully i'll get used to it soon. I think someone left a marker cap off because I'm starting to get lightheaded. oh, time to go play with some heavy equipment! the fun never stops!
Date: 2004-03-01
From: Springer Mountain 

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 5.3
Weather: scattered clouds

What a day! How can I describe what this feels like? I¢m sore, tired andhungry, but it¢s well worth it!The hike wasn't much, gorgeous waterfall just a bit off the trail.Tons of people here at Hawk Shelter, though nowhere near 60(ah, the power ofthe internet and Burn's silly rumors). Almost 30 people, I'd say. Some setup tents and headed straight to bed without talking, others are around thefire still talking.It¢s 8:00 p.m. and I¢m ready to go to sleep already.C-Giddy came in to camp a little later than I expected, and without hispoles! After egging the story out of him, we found out that he had leanedthem against Sarah's parents¢ van and they must have packed them up! Thatand a rousing congrats to the Lord of the Rings Oscar showing createdC-Giddy's trail name: Lekiless. Still no trail name for me, but I¢m sure it¢ll come soon!The banana bread has been shared and is totally gone. Mom's got about 20guys now that want to stop by the house for food!I am looking around at the people who will soon become my trail family.Even after just a day, we¢ve got a bond that can only get stronger.However, I can¢t help but look around and wonder:Who will be the first hurt? Who will be the first to quit? Will it be me,Airferret, Burn, Lekiless (C-Giddy), Sarah, Mailar...someone I haven¢t metyet? I sure wish the odds were in our favor.One day down...-3 sleeps to Walasi-Yi-3 sleeps till my longest time in the woods-19 sleeps till I get to see my parents.
Date: 2004-03-02
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Shelter
Miles today: 8.9

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. If saying "ouch" a million times would help heal thepain, I would do it three times. Today was, by far, the hardest day I¢veever hiked. I definitely need to get rid of some things. The jacket andextra clothes are going. I¢m thinking about going to an alcohol stove, forweight and ease of cooking. I'm also thinking of switching water filters.Everything is about quickness and the least amount of muscle movementpossible.My back hurts, my feet hurt, my arms hurt. If my eyeballs could hurt, I¢msure they would.Tons of people in the shelter tonight, even a few UNDER the shelter to stayout of the rain.Can't wait to go to bed...but its only 5:00 p.m. ...ugh.
Date: 2004-03-03
From: Gooch Shelter

To: Woods Hole Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: light rain

OI! 12 miles today, plus .5 to the shelter, but finally the shelter isquiet. Just about 10 of us here tonight.Long day today and hard, too. We stopped for lunch at Woody Gap for aboutan hour. Burn was going to hitch into Suches to call Sarah¢s parents to seeif they would overnight Lekiless' poles to him at Neels Gap, but afterclimbing up on top of the park sign he finally got cell reception.Sugar Daddy caught up to us at lunch time, but he and burn went past thisshelter, either to Blood Mountain or Neels Gap. Lots of people are trying tomake the push to civilization. Soda and ice cream are calling, but my kneesare hurting and I think I did bloody good! I know I can hike 12 miles!Weight still needs to be cut.BEST MOMENT OF THE DAY: I stumbled into the shelter and had missed thepoorly marked water supply. I thought I was going to have to hike back outto get water when Haiku and Mailar said they¢d go get it for me. I almostcried--my first trail angels!Now Bloody Cactus and Haiku are trying to start the fire with alcohol!Hopefully no one will have less eyebrows when its over!Thank God for the sunshine! The sunset sure was ¢purdy¢!
Date: 2004-03-04
From: Woods Hole Shelter

To: Neels Gap - Walasi -Yi
Miles today: 4.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Whoopee! 30 miles down, just a few miles left! Blood Mountain wasbeautiful, but I¢m definitely glad we didn¢t push it last night. The hikeup wasn¢t nearly as bad as I¢ve heard tales of, but the hike down wasbrutal!Getting into Neels Gap was an amazing feeling. The first big marker of thetrail. At Walas-Yi I got two mail drops, sent emails, got some gear and cutmy pack weight by 6 pounds. Going to look at some stuff tonight and doublecheck that I can¢t get any more weight out.I¢ve been dubbed Xena Warrior Princess and you¢ll have to click on the trailname link.Right now I¢m sitting in the parking lot of Blairsville¢s Seasons Inn wihBloody Cactus, the Camera Crew, Beavis and Butthead, Joe and Bo, Mark andJohn. We¢ve all had showers, eaten dinner, washed laundry and are nowwatching the Thursday night cruisers drive around the square and waiting forthe thunderstorm to come.Not sure if well take a zero day tomorrow--depends on the weather.Read Bloody Cactus¢ journal for an interesting dinner story about athree-year-old boy locked in the girls bathroom at Papa¢s Pizza!
Date: 2004-03-05
From: Neels Gap - Walasi -Yi

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Zero days can be fun!Up with the sun this morning, even off the trail! We ate breakfast at a cute local diner, then went grocery shopping. After that it was time to cut pack weight some more and send stuff home.Bloody Cactus and I sent a 15.4 lb box home to my parents! Clothes and gear and other little things have been sent and our packs have been reorganized, so hopefully things will be a bit easier going next week. After the post office we did some crosswords and shopped some more before heading back to the hotel for channel surfing, napping and more crosswords. Our AYCE buffet at the Cookie Jar was amazing and now we're all watching Point Break. John has been named Castro because of his beard and green military town shirt. Sasha is curled up at my feet and I'm having an all around enjoyable time, though I am very eager to get back to the trail.Right before dinner Beavis showed back up at the hotel after he, Butthead and Georgia Boy headed out this morning. He had a nasty slip and hyper extended his Achilles heel and has to rest for the next few days. He'll be back on the trail soon though, and I'll have to admit I'm going to miss the little booger. Look for some pictures soon and more updates in a few days when I reach Hiawassee.
Date: 2004-03-06
From: Blairesville GA

To: Whitley Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today was not so good. I think zero days in town might not be such a good idea. Not only is it expensive, it relaxes the body and gets you out of hiking mode. It also didn't help that I am not feeling well at all. I started with a cough last night and this morning woke up with a bad stomach ache that has stayed with me all day. Wanting to curl up in the fetal position does not make hiking an easy task. I didn't eat lunch and it's almost dinner time, but I'm still not hungry! Well, on with the day. After our pre-arranged shuttle ride canceled on us and the diner we were going to eat breakfast at didn't open, we finally got a shuttle up to Walasi-Yi. The hiking seemed steep, but it could be that John, Bloody Cactus, Heather, Arwen and I just got soft in town. The bright side of the day was that we got to see the beautiful sun, amazing views, and our very first trail angels! Soda and snacks after a wicked downhill on Cow Rock Mountain. After taking too many breaks and getting to the blue blaze to Whitley Gap Shelter, we decided to hike the 1.2 miles to the shelter rather than the 4.8 to Low Gap Shelter. It'll make for more hiking tomorrow, but we should get going earlier than we did today. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow. If not, oh well. Just gotta keep hiking anyway. Pack is still too heavy. Gotta get rid of more weight...somehow. Cool poem on shelter wall: I take a bottle of wine and go to drink it among the flowerswe are always threecounting my shadowand the shimmering moonhappily the moon knowsnothing of drinkingand my shadow is never thirsty.
Date: 2004-03-07
From: Whitley Gap Shelter

To: Blue Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: few clouds

Nearly 13 miles today, including the 1.2 out to the shelter.Made good time to Low Gap, 5.7 miles in 2.5 hrs. Had a nice break for 2 hrs with Geek, Buhdan and Birdlegs, some old thru hikers camping out to meet the new thru-hikers.Then it was on to Blue Mountain Shelter.The map said flat, but oh how the map has let me down.Anyway, we're here, it's windy as can be and we're all freezing.Time to cook and crawl in the bag.Oh! We found Lekiless! He's well and has his poles back. Glad he's back with us.Met Nuffy today, too. She's got the right idea about hiking! Check out her Journal!
Date: 2004-03-08
From: Blue Mtn. Shelter

To: Tray Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.9

Ah, old man winter. How sneaky you are to blow in on 40-mile-an-hour winds while in a not-so-solid shelter 3,900 feet up. So....last night...not the greatest night ever out here. Freezing, windy, rainy, and snowy. Arwen's little thermometer read 27 when we got up and the radio said 40 miles an hour for the wind. So, all in all, going to bed at 7:30 and crawling out of my bag 12 hours later made for a long night all around, especially when each time I turned over a rush of cold air would seep into my bones. Now we're at Tray Mountain, and I'm in my sleeping bag at 4:30. Still cold. Castro is singing the Plastic Jesus song that a section hiker says Cool Hand Luke sang. Pretty funny song. Pretty views today, though we couldn't stay too long to enjoy them. Had some nice sodas right before Tray Mountain. Yeah for trail magic. Root Beer hits the spot every time! Lots of ice along the trail today. Time to warm the hands up.
Date: 2004-03-09
From: Tray Gap Shelter

To: Dicks Creek Gap - Hiawassee
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: broken clouds

Well, it was an early morning, and too cold to sit still long. Bloody Cactusand I headed out around 7:30.Everyone caught up at Deep Gap Shelter where it was great watching theCamera Crew see their first snow fall. "Wow, it's just like the Christmasmovie specials!" "Oh my gosh, it¢s a blizzard!"After that it was a steep down hill to Dicks Creek Gap where there wassoda¢courtesy of Jan Litefoot and Stumpknocker (Thanks, guys!)--and we gotan awesome lift into town from a couple starting the trail April 20th. Theypiled the six of us and Sasha in their truck. Absolutely incredible!It¢s now two hours past our bedtime, but we¢re still planning on hitting thehot tub!Two days till North Carolina!
Date: 2004-03-10
From: Dicks Creek Gap - Hiawassee

To: Plum Orchard Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: clear sky

This shelter is so cool! This three-story shelter was HELICOPTERED in by the good ole boys of the 5th Ranger Training Battalion of the U S Army. Hooyah!Lekiless, Bloody and I had our first experience hitching today. It took two rides but we got to Dicks Creek Gap.Its kind of funny how we can eat three meals a day out of the same pot and then drink hot chocolate too, but spit on the bed of a pick up truck made us all want to puke.Tomorrow is North Carolina! We rock! Glad Nuffy will be with us for the experience, but wish Castro had waited for us instead of going on. Oh well. Hike your own hike, right?It amazes me how well we¢re doing. Other than the minor complaints about knees or feet, no one¢s really upset or depressed. Maybe we¢re still excited, maybe were just a good group. Whatever it is, I hope it stays.
Date: 2004-03-11
From: Plum Orchard Gap Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: clear sky

Well, a big mile marker today! I¢m now in NC and boy oh boy, North Carolina must not like hikers much! We were welcomed with the steepest mountain we¢ve climbed yet!So now we¢re all camped by the shelter because its too cold to stay in the shelter. My first night tenting! Not sure if I like it though. I feel very unsociable.10 things I learned in Georgia:1. Mountains in Georgia are hard. Everyone talks about the Whites and the Smokies, but they forget to mention Georgia.2. The company you keep can make you or break you. Thank God my company is making me.3. What you think you can¢t live without, you probably can.4. Hiking is hard.5. "Some jobs just require fingers."6. Be sure you know where your hiking poles are and which one goes in which hand.7. North Carolina isn¢t that far away.8. You¢ll never sleep as well outside as you do in a bed, but it¢ll make you appreciate beds even more!9. Hot tubs are good.10. Georgia is purdy!
Date: 2004-03-12
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Betty Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

Easy day, today. North Carolina might not be so bad after all.We got some pretty views, but wanted to wait until tomorrow to get to Albert Mountain fire tower so we could spend some time up there.I think we¢re getting our trail legs. We¢re getting about 8 miles done by noon and are geared up to do more. We¢re also getting trail appetites. It hit us like a ton of bricks yesterday and tomorrow we¢re doing a mad dash into Franklin because we¢re all eating about twice as much and don¢t have enough for the four days we were planning.Arwen called Heather a SWiMBO today which got us all eager to know what that meant. She Who Must Be Obeyed!Finally! A new goal to thrive for. I want to be a SWiMBO!!!