morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-03-20
From: Springer Mtn. Shrlter

To: Hawk Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 7.4

Trail was easy today. Have managed to avoid most rain so far in spite of dire predictions, still supposed to get heavy rain and thunderstorms tonight, so I decided to try sleeping in the shelter. Got here about 1:15 with only a couple of other people here. Within an hour or so the shelter was full and several tenters have set up.Today would have been my sister's 44th birthday. She was born with a hereditary disease, cystic fibrosis, and died at 15. I'd like to share this poem a classmate of Cheryl's wrote for her which was read at her funeral.Brave Soldiers, You and IBrave soldiers must we be,In time of sadness, as well as gleeBrave soldiers must we beNever to run, never to flee.Brave soldiers, you and ITo hold our heads up highBrave soldiers always smileNo matter how rough the trial.Sturdy and staunch positions must we keepThough the way be rugged, and the pathway steepIf we trust, our footway will hold¢Look straight ahead,¢ we are told.When fighting our opponent, and on the verge of defeat,We¢ll remember our duty, and the enemy meetWhen the clouds block the sun and the rain begins to fallWe¢ll look the other way and stand tall.Brave soldiers live and dieBrave soldiers say hello and wave good-byeBrave soldiers laugh, brave soldiers cryWe must be brave, you and I.We think of things aheadThough times are hard and the future we dreadBut when we think, brave soldier of mineOf our past, what will our followers find?We are soldiers in life¢s warAnd one day soon, we¢ll shout the victory evermoreAnd when we stand at the Golden doorIt will be too late to bring back the things before.Brave soldiers must we beIn times of sadness as well as gleeBrave soldiers you and ITo hold our heads up high.To my friend, Cheryl,                                                                                 Love,                                                                              Karen Ketcham                                                                              May 28, 1977I would like to dedicate this first full day of my long hike to Cheryl, my oldest son Doug, who also has CF, and to all others who have battled or are battling with cystic fibrosis.Miss you, Cheryl. Love you, Doug
Date: 2006-03-21
From: Hawk Mtn. Shelter

To: Gooch Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Dear readers, I feel that I need to make a disclaimer (or make excuses, whatever you like to call it) regarding on-trail journal entries. They may be "less polished" than prep entries due to several factors. First there is the poor light on days with no sun (all three so far); the tiny screen is not like the monitor screen for proofreading and editing. There is no spell check or grammar check. There is also the matter of frozen fingers trying to navigate the tiny keyboard. And then if I am in the shelter or at the picnic table, the conversation going on is always much to interesting to ignore! So if my entries seem somewhat disjointed, those are my excuses.It rained very steadily all night; was glad to be in the shelter, though I slept very little.(Did I mention I slept very well my first night in my tent, which was a nice surprise!) Due to the weather the shelter had hikers packed in like sardines (how do they pack sardines anyway? I have never actually opened a can of sardines) and I was afraid to turn over as often as I needed to, because I knew I would be disturbing people. It was so cold, wet, and windy that everyone was tucked in by 7:00 and we started getting up by 7:00 a.m., so it was a very long night for the hips on the hard shelter floor! Ground is usually somewhat softer. Today's hike was much more up and down than yesterday. We had no views due to fog, though I am told on a clear day there are some nice views from Sassafras Mountain, our biggest climb today out of 5 ups.I have been following advice and keeping the miles down to start with, to decrease chance of injury. Everything is feeling good so far and I am having a great time!
Date: 2006-03-22
From: Gooch Mtn. Shelter

To: Slaughter Creek Campsite
Miles today: 12.4

First double-digit mileage day! Lots of climbs, and a bit of a scare at the end of the day because the water was dried up for Woods Hole Shelter. Was not planning to stay there, but was planning on getting water there. Turned out there was a running spring about .5 mile up the trail, and tent sites a little ways beyond there. Tented on the side of Blood Mountain with a beautiful view of the sunset. Cold though! Very glad for my Western Mountaineering down jacket and sleeping bag. They are great and without them I would be freezing.By the end of day #3 I was noticing an awful odor everywhere. I actually was puzzled for a while, but soon realized it was me. Oh well, part of being a hiker. I do hope I can get used to it and not notice it so much after a while. Guess what! I'm drinking my dishwater now - gross, right? I just eat my meal out of my cook pot, squirt in a little filtered water, swirl, and drink. It is really just another bite of supper and saves dumping it on the ground and attracting critters, or doing some messy dishrag work and having to carry a wet dirty cloth.Every now and then as I am hiking along the trail, I imagine I am walking to Maine - and then I realize I AM walking to Maine. I know I am only 4 days out and have a looong way to go, but I am enjoying every day. I would enjoy some warmer weather - really the only thing on my hiking wish list.Tomorrow I climb Blood Mt. and go down to Neels Gap where there is a hostel and outfitters. Civilization! That means shower, laundry, send/receive e-mail, and, if I decide to spend the night, a WARM, soft bed.
Date: 2006-03-23
From: Slaughter Creek Campsite

To: Neels Gap Walasi Yi Center
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: broken clouds

Cold again this morning; broke camp, ate breakfast, and took off over Blood Mt. I had my first misadventure coming down Blood Mountain. The trail goes over many sections of rock face, which is harder to see trail on with just an occasional blaze. Well, somewhere along the way down I missed a left turn and kept going down a long rock area that was getting awfully steep - and I realized there seemed to be no blazes. Hummm, I really didn't want to go back up that rock, so I went to the bottom of the rock area and explored the woods - no trail. So back up the rock, praying I would not fall, because off the trail, no one would fing me very soon. Found the trail (boy, are those white blazes beautiful!), and did the rest of the way to Neels Gap with no problem. I knew the hostel had a lot of hikers heading to it, and with my 30 minute delay I may have missed out on getting a spot. If no room at the inn, I would get a shower, do laundry,send/receive e-mail, and go on. They did ! have space left, and I am very glad to be spending the night because it is now snowing and they are predicting 2-4 inches. Being at the hostel has been a bit overwhelming, lots of nice people, lots to get done, 16 smelly hikers in one bunk room...There is one shower/toilet, one washer/dryer, one phone. The water was turned off for an hour or two when I first got here due to well problems. They are actually having a new one drilled today. Anyway, I got a shower eventually, and a few hours later got to do my laundry (wearing raingear in the interim), and have sent/received e-mail. Got lots of messages, which makes me very happy - THANK-YOU! I will answer as soon as possible. They will be short replies as details of my progress is in my journal.
Date: 2006-03-24
From: Neels Gap Walasi Yi Center

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

After a good night's sleep in the hostel, it was out onto the trail again. One of those days where you put your head down and plow into the cold wind. Walked through a winter wonderland with about an inch of snow, and lots of ice/snow frozen on the trees. Didn't get out of the 30s all day. I am beginning to think the GA mountains have but one weather pattern: windy and cold. Some people say the trail takes care of hikers - I believe it is God who takes care of us, but today I could see one way the trail "took care of me". It was very cold and every now and then I would start to feel chilled. Just then the trail would take me up a nice climb which had me feeling toasty warm again within minutes which was a very good thing as hypothermia is a dangerous situation!I am enjoying my food after the first day of not being hungry. My meals have evolved to a system involving breakfast (hot if possible), snack about every 2 hours during the day, and a nice leisurely hot supper, preferably done and food hung in a tree or on bear cables by dark. My snacks may consist of dried fruit, crackers, granola bar, candy bar, or gorp (love my gorp!). Just yesterday I discovered something else I really like - the sweet & salty chex snack mix. Got some of that at the outfitters. I also got a pack of pop tarts for a quick breakfast when it is too cold to cook, and a packet of gatorade. Oh, and the most important thing I got was 2 mini rolls of TP. I had forgotten to put any in my drop box to Neels Gap and was completely out! For the first time since leaving Springer I have cell phone reception. I got to talk to DH and I think we were able to work out a problem he was having with posting my journal entries.Well, I have managed to write this sitting in my tent, in my sleeping bag, with headlamp on, and with my gloves on! I thought it couldn't be done on this tiny keyboard, but you never know what you can do until you try. It is way too cold to be sitting outside, or to take gloves off; again, I am so glad for my sleeping bag! Every now and then I hear snow pellets hitting my tent - don't you all wish you were out here with me?Transcriber
Date: 2006-03-25
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Cheese Factory
Miles today: 13.0

Woke to a cold windy day (what's new?), and then it started snowing before I could even crawl out of my bag. OK, no more weather reports from this hiker until I can use some form of the word "warm". (It never did get out of the 30s). I decided it would be a good day for breakfast in bed. That involved getting out of the tent, walking a ways out of camp area to find a tree, walking back past camp toward the shelter to retrieve my food bag from the bear cables, back to my tent and sleeping bag - then I could enjoy my pop tart breakfast in bed! It was good too! Got packed and off by 9:15 hoping to get 13 miles done.When I was hiking down the mountain to Uncoi Gap, I met a man with a white dog on a leash and he asked if I was a thru-hiker. Then he said there is a green Dodge pickup in the parking lot with a box of fruit in it-help yourself to an apple and orange! So I found the right truck and enjoyed the apple with supper. Haven't eaten the orange yet but I am looking forward to it.I am camped at the cheese factory with several other hikers. I haven't read to find out why this place is called that, but believe me, there is no factory, cheese or otherwise. It was 25 degrees about an hour ago. I heard some barking and thought a hiker with a dog was arriving late. Then the howling started, and that was no dog! Coyotes, I presume. Time to tuck myself in and try to get warm. Goodnight.Transcriber
Date: 2006-03-26
From: Cheese Factory

To: Blueberry Patch/Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 12.5

Had breakfast in bed again-homemade blueberry granola with ice-crystal soy milk. Then when packing up, I had to hang onto my tent for dear life to prevent it from blowing off the mountain. (Notice, no whether report).My short-term goal has been to get to NOC by this Saturday to be able to see my family. After the last couple of "high mileage" days my knees and feet have been complaining a bit. I would have to push 6 more consecutive days to make NOC, and I have decided to slow down and play it smart. Gotta have the cooperation of my knees and feet!When I got down to Dick's Creek Gap, I was really wondering how I might get a ride 3.5 miles down the road to the hostel. No other hikers going the same place, I have never hitched in my life. What to do? Well there was a lady there with an SUV seeing her husband off to continue his GA section hike, and she agreed to take me down the road to the hostel. Great! That was relatively painless. Glad to be here warm and out of the wind! Started getting phone calls the minute I walked in. Heard from DJ, mom, and daughter. Every time the phone rings, the other hikers say "It's for you!" (One time is wasn't). We get breakfast here in the morning at 8:30 and a shuttle back to the trail at 9:30. Perfect! Transcriber
Date: 2006-03-27
From: Blueberry Patch/Dick's Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: clear sky

I passed my first state line today, the NC/GA border near Bly Gap at about 5:15 p.m. I promised myself to keep the miles down for a while, but today I told my knees I would leave it up to them. When they said stop, I would. They seemed to be quite happy to just keep going. I think it is because today was mostly all up and the knees prefer that to going down. Started at elevation of 2660 feet, and I am now at 4600 feet. It was much warmer today, and no wind, so even though now in the low 30s, it feels much better than other nights. The Blueberry Patch is a really nice place to stop. When I got there yesterday they showed me the bunk room, the tiny building out back by the donkey pasture that houses the toilet and shower (almost as cold a trip as hiking to the privy, but heated inside). They tell you to put all your dirty laundry in a basket and they wash it for you! I slept on a wide shelf area, as it looked like a better option than the top level of a 3-tiered bunk bed. In the morning at 8:30, when the bell rang, we all went over to their house for a nice breakfast of pancakes, with maple or blueberry syrup, biscuits, OJ, and scrambled eggs, (with sausage for those who eat meat). Then at 9:30 Gary had us load up in his pickup with small trailer and shuttled us back the 3.5 miles back to the trailhead. Very nice people!Today since I was not planning to go very far, I took a long break at Plumorchard Shelter at 4.5 miles in, nearly 2 hours! There is just so much to do-I took my boots off, put crocs on, started water heating for lunch, read handbook and maps checking my options for water and camping tonight, ate my chilli, took some vitamin I (Ibuprofen), visited the privy, filtered water, taped 3 toes, put boots and gators back on, put knee braces on, stuffed everything back in my pack, and headed north again. My pack is bulging and HEAVY after picking up a 6-day food drop yesterday.During breakfast Gary told us he had a call from a hiker that had just finished the Smokies and he reported a foot of snow there this weekend. Hope it melts fast!I am so glad I remembered to put TP in this mail drop-tissues too! Such luxury! The TP I bought at Neels Gap is amazing. I didn't think we had technology to make paper that thin! I guess it is very biodisintegratable.Well, it is 9:30 and time to try to go to sleep, although that may be a challenge the way the man in a tent near me is snoring. Worst I have heard yet! Goodnight.
Date: 2006-03-28
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Beech Gap
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: overcast clouds

What luxury! Day 10 of my hike and for the first time I have some comfortable leisure time in camp to enjoy before dark. The morning started off with a mix of snow and rain to break camp in, stayed damp, got foggy, and was bitterly cold (30s with wind up at Standing Indian Shelter, about 5 miles into the day's hike). I headed north after a quick hot lunch with my goal being Beech Gap, 4.5 miles further. Had to go up over Standing Indian Mountain which was a long gradual climb, then really neat on top with a long flat stretch of rhododendron tunnel on a wide ridge. At 5500 feet, I could see off into the wide blue yonder on both sides through the bushes. (Yes, blue - the sky cleared and it warmed up 10-15 degrees). When I first got up the mountain it was very foggy and I could hear some kind of large bird and looked up and could see his silhouette gliding by directly overhead. So peaceful and magnificent, the way those birds glide.Today I met and got to visit quite a bit with another Trail Journaler and Woman Hiker (list), Creakybonze. There are 2 others a day or two ahead - Nira Duvan and Heartfire, also behind me is Willow, another lady hiker from the Asheville area.Got to this gap about 3:30 and took my time drying my wet rain fly and storage bags, set up camp, filtered water, hung my bear rope, and am now journaling before supper time. We got word that there is big-time trail magic about 9 miles up the trail; a good goal to aim for tomorrow, and a shelter about a mile past the place of magic. Some people have set up camp there for a couple of weeks now and feed hikers things such as blueberry pancakes and burritos -Yum!Hikers often mention the importance of setting small goals to help them make it up the trail. My ultimate hiking goal is Katahdin, but that is really way too big for me to get my mind around, so I have lots of smaller goals along the way. Passing state lines are nice landmark goals. I passed my first one yesterday, and that also finished my first map-out of 40-something total. An intermediate goal may be to get to my next drop box location, or to a town for laundry & shower. Or it may be to get to the next shelter, or the top of the next mountain, or even to take 10 more steps. Goals help get you where you want to go. I am looking forward to my first zero day sometime early next week; I will have been on the trail 2 weeks then.
Date: 2006-03-29
From: Beech Gap

To: Big Spring Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

Major trail magic today! Quite easy hiking all morning with the exception of one tricky stream crossing. With before and after (please and thank-you) prayers I made it across without out a fall. There was a beautiful view on the top of Little Ridgpole Mt. Took some pictures and found I had cell phone reception, so spent some time making phone calls. So sunny and warm today; perfectly comfortable weather.About 2:20 I arrived at a dirt road crossing with a sign up saying "Trail Magic" with an arrow pointing a few yards through the trees. There Gatorade, Fishin¢ Fred, Flat Bread, and Skirt were providing soft drinks, chips, and quesadillas (sp) fried on a large saw blade suspended over a fire. They were so nice and the food so good! They have been set up for more than 2 weeks and plan to stay through Sunday providing magic. After that nice break, the climb up Albert Mountain which was definitely the most difficult climb so far! Very hard to pull myself up those high rocky places with that elephant on my back!
Date: 2006-03-30
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: clear sky

I passed the 100-mile point this morning! I've now done 110.3 miles plus the approach trail. The total mileage at the top of the page is off because some of the entries' data got duplicated. Will get that corrected when I get home for a zero day early next week. (Fixed now)Lots of easy hiking today with a few climbs. I guess you can't believe a word I say about "going to keep the mileage down". The past few days we have been hanging at around 4500 feet elevation without a lot of downhill. The next couple of days that will change with a 5-mile downhill stretch into Wesser.Review of SystemsHead: If someone were to do a mini mental status exam on me, you would find I have a positive mental attitude, clear thinking, but am not terribly oriented. I don't usually know exactly where I am, or what day it is unless I have just looked at my watch. I call my friends names like Stones, Creakybonze, Wonderfoot, Coffeybreak, Silverback, Rusch Hour, etc., and in most cases have no idea of their "other names". Cardio-Respiratory: Doing great!Integumentary (Skin/Nails): Nails are dirty and cracked. Hair: Yikes! Skin-as I said to DH, "I have never been so dirty in all my life!" He seemed to think that was amusing. Digestive: No problems. (keeping my fingers crossed); many people seem to have difficulties here when out on the trail, especially after eating town food. I feel like I am getting good nutrition and have good strength and energy. Love my gorp! Musculoskeletal: Doing quite well. Leg strength is good, knees somewhat achy on extended downhills. I have taken Vitamin I three times so far; none the last 2 days.Feet: Get their own category. They whine and cry at times. One blister on the bottom of the right 4th toe. I do the best I can for them, then ignore them. Today they did better than usual, considering the mileage.I am afraid our lovely weather is about to end. We are supposed to start getting some thunder showers tomorrow. Wouldn¢t want the rain gear to think it has just come along for a free ride! Everything I carry must earn its keep.
Date: 2006-03-31
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: broken clouds

Long day with lots of climbing and low energy. I had stopped and taken pack off 5 times in the first hour and 45 minutes trying to find the solution to my boot problem where it was pressing on the top of my foot. Finally found the right pair of eyelets to omit with re-lacing. That helped a lot, but I felt drained from getting my pack off and on so many times! My main company today was birds and a chipmunk. The bird-song was really pretty going up Wayah Bald. I saw no other thru-hikers once I left the Siler Bald Shelter until I got here at the Cold Spring Shelter. I did see a handful of weekend backpackers.It just started raining. I have my tent set up and the guys in the shelter are concerned about what looks like a less than reliable roof. I am planning to get to Wesser tomorrow to meet DH and take a couple of zero days. I expect it to be a hard day on the knees and feet with several miles of downhill. I have figured out my game plan: Start the day by applying Body-Glide (comes like a stick of deodorant, and helps reduce friction) to bottoms of feet, take 2 vitamin I, and wear knee braces. About midday, repeat the above. Hopefully that will do the trick. This is going to be an early-to-bed night.
Date: 2006-04-01
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Wesser
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: light rain

Good day of hiking; my plan worked (see yesterday). Feet and knees did quite well. I did have to pack up a wet rainfly from a rainy night, but slept warm and dry in my Zoid 1.5 tent. As I descended down from Wesser Bald there were some tricky steep downhill spots. I took my pack off once, and was very slow and cautious at several other places. I began to see more birds, more spring wild flowers, and I saw 2 garter snakes. The first one I scared so badly that he threw himself off the trail which was down the side of the mountain, and he flipped head over tail and was 30-40 feet down the mountain in the blink of an eye. The next one was northbound on the trail, but he must have been on a break because he wasn't really going anywhere, just turned his head and looked at me. Since neither of us seemed to be in a hurry, I took a couple of pictures of him.About a mile before getting down to the road, up the mountain came DH to meet me and greet me with a kiss and some homemade chocolate chip cookies. He knows the way to a hiker's heart! I will be off the trail for a couple of days to rest, clean up my gear, and see the family. Be back soon!
Date: 2006-04-03
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Zero day spent at home. Sorting through gear, resupplying, and eliminating anything unnecessary. Uploading photos to my journal site. Have a look! Dates may not always be exactly right, but I am trying! Answering e-mail. RESTING! We had 2 severe thunder storms during the night ¢ good night to be at home in bed. DH had to go around the long way to work due to a tree down across the road. Back on the trail tomorrow.