morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-04-03
From: Hot Springs sunny bank inn

To: Hot Springs sunny bank inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was great a nice 0 day had breadfast at the hostel and it was nice but i didnt realize theywere vegatarians. the breadfast was great but when your backpacking for solong you want bacon and eggs with ham and sausage. that hostel was grand though a beautiful victorian with full furnishings. the rest of the day was pretty lazy just laundry eating more eating gear shopping and i bought a nice red kilt to hike in.
Date: 2007-04-06
From: shelter

To: big bald shelter
Miles today: 18.0

still really cold this morning i didnt even want to cook breakfast i just mad tea, ate gorp, and breadfast bars. today i hiked 18 miles it wasnice but still really cold out elevation is 5100 at the shelter and it is snowing, we already have 5 inches on the ground and its 8 pm its going to be a cold night.
Date: 2007-04-07
From: big bald shelter

To: erwin super 8 motel
Miles today: 6.0

today was another get up and run out of the shelter day. their was so much snow all over the place. it was me and 2 other guys in the shelter netman and hoosier. hoosier reminds me of my cousin paul swartz talks and looks like him. but he and i decided to hike to the nearest road and hitch to erwin. so it was 6 miles to the road then we start hiking down the road and no cars are going by. we hike for 2 miles and only 2 cars drove by and gave us the glare. so finally we start to walk up to this house and a car pulls in the drive. its the owner (God is good) we ask how far town is on this road he says 15 mile. WOW a joey lawrence WOW. so he invites us in and gives coffee and cupcakes and we play with his grandson and talk with the family. and he lets us use his phone but we cant get anyone to come get us. so he offers to drive us to erwin and wont take any money. truly a trail angel because we were cold. and tired, i dont think i slept at all last night. but now im in erwin and warm i think i will be staying at miss janets tommorrow there is a big easter lunch at her church and all are welcome. its neat even here i still keep running into new hikers and everyone is so open with each other. well im safe and warm.
Date: 2007-07-25
From: hexacuba shelter

To: welcome hikers hostel
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

pretty easy day. we decided to stop 1.1 miles short of the shelter today at the welcome hikers hostel. it was around 4 and we got burgers and hotdogs and grill them up. finally realizing we couldnt move so we stayed here for the night watching movies and eating more. we now start the whites. wish me luck
Date: 2007-08-07
From: gorham

To: gorham
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

so in my mad dash to maine i find myself in gorham in a clinic trying for find out what is wrong with me. giardia is what i find myself with here in gorham only a days walk away from maine, i have been here for 6 days and i am not a happy camper. but tommorrow will be another day and the hiking will continue then.
Date: 2007-01-08
To: Getting Things Together
Miles today: 0.0

Well, in about 50 days this thing will begin rolling. It's been a dream for so long for so many reasons and it is finally going to become a reality. It's really daunting thinking about standing on top of Springer facing north and knowing that your destination is 2175 miles in the distance. But wow...how exciting. So many new things to learn, to see, to experience. So many new people to meet and so many olds friends to visit along the way. The trail will be my home, my workplace, my life for 3.5 months and all i need i will have wrapped up in a nice bundle on my back. I am in great shape physically and emotionally and the experiences i have gained over a lifetime have more than prepaired me for this journey. This journey will no doubt prepair me for what lies further ahead. I am totally confident in my gear selections but am flexible to make adjustments along the way. I have the loving support of my family and friends and of my truest friend/companion, Lenore. I hope my little boy Max will understand the example i am setting and also love the wilderness as i do and have the sense of wonder and adventure with me as he follows me on this trip from the security his mother and stepfather so lovingly provide.As for the older children, Ben, Erin and Megan, they already understand and know that this is my life, and we have the most solid of bonds. I cound't do this without knowing that completely.Hiking the AT in 110 days. I can't think of a better thing to do....
Date: 2007-01-09
To: Getting Things Together
Miles today: 0.0

Not much to say....just getting the three manditory entries in so it's official. So much support so far. Lucky to have the support of some very knowledgable characters. I love the way life sets you up for this stuff. If I would have done this trip 6 years ago before ultra-running came into my life, I would never have all this support. It would have been a completely different trip, probably a good one but it is cool to see things shaping up as the planning falls into place. I've talked to so many folks who want to come out and hike some of this with me or bring me a cookie or something along the way. My teamates at Montrail/Nathan, geez what a bunch of good people....Mike,Stevo,Dave Horton have all committed to spend some time out there. Stevo, I want to be you in my next life. If the planet had more folks like you, we wouldn't be in this mess. My Hardrock family, John Dewalt in PA and Craig Wilson in Maine. Dennis up in W.V. who lives 5 miles from Harpers Ferry and is gonna feed me and let me rest up at his place. It all reminds me of how life is supposed to be on this planet. It's just so good to have people in your life who love you and are willing to take the time out of their busy lives to do something for someone else. I'm a lucky person and can't wait to see all these great folks. And my buds here in Memphis who really understand.....Top and Ben and Richard, you guys inspire me. Top, this trip is for you............
Date: 2007-01-10
To: Preparation
Miles today: 0.0

Day three, this makes the journal official. Slept in the backyard last night, 30 degrees and was comfy. Ground is gonna take a little getting used to but the temp was cozy. Looking forward to recieving my Tartptent in a couple of weeks and taking everything out for a cruz. Decided on sock/shoe combo and feel good. Montrail Contenintal Divide and Smartwool Adrenaline 3/4 crew, Raceready mini-gaiters. I likes it......It's a bright sunny day outside....i am hoping for some clear weather like this for the first week at least just to get some miles behind me before the inevitable rain and snow. Whatever, it is what it is.
Date: 2007-01-13
To: Waiting
Miles today: 0.0

Today is rain, rain, rain....so i sat in my front porch swing with the pup and read and napped and journaled some. I'm running a 50k trail race in the morning but all i can think about is this hike. Everything else is totally overshadowed. I have been thinking about the simplicity of it all. Just walk and take care of the basics. I have been contacted by a few other nobo's in the class of '07 who i hope to see along the way. I'm grateful for this website which serves to connect us. I also recieved my 2007 Thru Hikers Guide from Wingfoot today in the post. Just a few more small pieces of gear, stuffsacks for food and kitchen and that is about it. 6 more weeks.
Date: 2007-01-18
To: One Day at a Time
Miles today: 0.0

I recieved my Tarptent Contrail UPS yesterday. Slept in it last night in the backyard. 32 degrees/toasty warm. What an incredible design and at 29 oz. including tivec groundcloth, i can't believe the roominess. That does it for the gear so I took the loaded pack to the post office this morning and it weighed in at 17.5 lbs. That's everything but food and water, and i do mean everything. I feel like i've got everything but the kitchen sink so it should get lighter as the weather warms up. still plenty of room in the pack and it still seems pretty streamline. Now it's just about the food. To do mail drops or not? Any help out there? Gotta keep running and hiking daily til the trip. I want to be fit so i can enjoy it that much more. One day at a time Billy, one day at a time..........
Date: 2007-01-21
To: Reflecting on Mark
Miles today: 0.0

Inspirational people. You know those people who make an impact on your life and really help shape the kind of person that you are. Top of the list for me was Mark Edwards.Back in the mid 70's i walked into this running store in memphis to buy my first pair of running shoes. I was a student at memphis state university and we had this intermural run we had fielded a team for. when i walked in, i imediately took note of the race numbers posted all over the walls of the shop. remember this is the mid 70's and running in america as a mainstream activity was still in it's infancy. one number in particular caught my eye. it was a bib number from the boston marathon. as i looked at it, a guy walked up and asked if i needed any help and i asked him about the number because to me Boston was one of those iconic things sorta like seeing led zeppelin or the stones for the first time. anyway, he told me it was his number from the year before and at that moment, mark edwards to me was a rock star. well, he sold me that pair of shoes that day and told me about a group of runners meeting weekly and from that day forward, i was and still am a runner. Mark and i became best friends, we each got married, had families, went through divorces and all the while over almost 2 decades enjoyed the comroderie that only true and valued running mates can understand. 17 years of the best and worst of times, but always there for each other and always understanding. we were truly brothers. in 1991 mark and i ran every step of the memphis marathon together to qualify for boston. he had been back a few times but i hadn't yet made the trip. we trained like dogs and on our last track session went thru 8 times 1 mile in 5:45 pace. i remember that night like it was yesterday. we were so alive and it felt like we were literally flying. we were in our prime, stong and ready to run. we ran boston 3 weeks later, that was april and in june he was diagnosed with a cancer that took his life by december of that same year. it was really hard to watch him leave us so quickly. over our years of friendships and camping trips to find great trails to run, we often talked about packing up and hitting the AT together. We would fantasize about living days on end and that sense of freedom one finds in moving forward on a great trail. to this day, there is not a trail race i run that i don't think about mark when i know he would be right there pushing me and enjoying the freedom running gives. to this day in hard races, i know he has been there to get me up a climb or kick me when i needed it.In short, i guess this trip is in alot of ways for Mark, who would've dropped everything today to do this trip, but didn't get the opportunity. I know he will be there every step of the way and i know if the roles were reversed, he would be thinking and doing the very same thing.
Date: 2007-02-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

19 days til blast-off.....everything is done except one small item. my house is on the market and i have a contract on it set to close on march 2, 4 days after i leave. my girlfriend has power of attorney and is a real estate lawyer so all that is cool, but the inspection of the property is tomorrow and the house is 93 years old. heating and roof are iffy. i feel like i'm looking down the barrel of harry calihan's 44 magnum and hearing the words, "are you feeling lucky?" simplicity........soon......
Date: 2007-02-14
To: Nowhere
Miles today: 0.0

I'ts going to be good to get on the trail in a few days. Everything is done regarding the hike. Now i have to move out of my house and tie up some loose ends and leave on a very clean slate. Traveling around the west in my Westy the last couple of summers have taught me some valuable lessons in patience and self reliance. She is a good girl but she has her moments. I'm quite certain that the trail will be the same way. My thoughts go out to those already hiking and i'm looking forward to the linear community.
Date: 2007-02-21
To: Wilson
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I was thinking about the journey and moxey it is going to take to get through it to the end. We can wax eloquently all day about this and that but the deal is that with every good day, there is going to be one that is just as bad. ying and yang and all that rot. For some reason i thought about the movie, Castaway with Tom Hanks. Remember Wilson? Well, without wilson, most likely tom would not have made it back to memphis alive. Keeping with the tradition of picking a pebble up on the top of springer and taking it to kathadin, I am going to name my pebble, Wilson. It is my sworn job to protect and carry Wilson to the end of the journey in Maine and place him safely where he wants to go. So, if you see us out there, stop and say hello.Peace, love and steve prefontaine......woodstock
Date: 2007-02-24
To: I hear the conductor calling, 
Miles today: 0.0

This is it man.......2 days and the train is about to load up and head north. All is in good order. House sold, older kids have money in the bank and plenty of good stuff going on, college, music gigs, hippie-dom and Max is ready to live vicariously through pops and come hike some along the way. No bills to pay, prostate check was clear, I'm outta here. Look forward to seeing some good folks in a few days. i am the luckiest and most grateful guy on the planet. next post is on the trail probably in hot springs.
Date: 2007-03-01
From: Gooch Mtn. Shelter

To: Cloud 9 Hostel
Miles today: 11.0

hey folks.....i'm on the trail and it is cool. have been averaging about 16 miles a day and today i took a half day and arrived at Cloud 9 hostel outside of dicks creek gap in a driving rain. now i'm clean, clothes washed and we are heading out for pizza in a sec. guthook is making apple and strawberry pie tonight for his 23rd birthday. i'm liking this so far and i am learning to take things one day at a time and let this journey evolve into what it is. want to say hi to max and lenore and all my friends back home and all over. keep sending good karma. my body is doing great. feet are awesome and feel strong.   peace......woodstock
Date: 2007-03-10
From: ice water springs shelter

To: standing bear farms
Miles today: 30.7
Weather: broken clouds

after a 30+ mile day yesterday boone and i hit this cool hostel at 7:30 with headlamps lit. it was cool going under i-40 at night. the smokies were totally awesome and will download pics in hot springs monday. will take an 0 day in hot springs monday and hopefully get to talk to loved ones on the phone and catch up on e-mail. all i can say right now is that there is alot of love out here on the trail and have met some awesome people. the terrain is cool and challenging and i have alot of respect for the people out here. there is no doubt now after 12 days that i'll make it to maine. i'm having a blast.erin, happy birthday honey, sorry i couldn't call, i   still have no phone service. max,ben,megan i love you and am thankful for you every day. you have all made be very proud. keep being good and resposible people.physically having 0 issues......next update in a few days......
Date: 2007-03-11
From: Roaring Fork Shlter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 212.3
Weather: scattered clouds

YES.....We made it to hot springs...........Boone and i hammered the 18 or so miles in a little under 7 hours anticipating the FOOD at the diner only to walk up and find a locked door........not to worry......lenore met us up the trail and hiked into town with us. after a quick shower at the ducket house we met boone downtown at the tavern for an awesome burger. he is staying at elmers and lenore and i will move over there tomorrow. finally a 0 day. first objective met, hot springs in 14 days. i feel good about the pace so far and settling in well o trail life. BUT,,,,,i am so happy to be with my girl in a sweet bed and breakfast for a couple of nights. gonna eat, sleep and enjoy town for the next day and get back at it tuesday morning.i can't begin to explain how great this trip has been so far. totally exeeding all my expectations. the people i've met, the country i've traveled through and the honesty out here just blows me away. feeling very stron, mind, body and spirit. peace..woodstock
Date: 2007-03-12
From: Hot Springs

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Hey--Lenore here, back in Memphis after a looong weekend in and around Hot Springs, NC. I drove out of Memphis 5:30 Saturday morning, then met Woodstock and Boone atop Max Patch near sundown that evening; lots of driving but worth it. I brought them some goodies and hiked with them for a while, but had to turn around to get back to the car before dark. On the 11th, I hiked up from Hot Springs to meet up with them on their way down into their first trail town. Woodstock looks great and Boone, a young guy from Iowa and his hiking companion for the past few days, was having no trouble keeping up with his pace. Think Boone should have some ultra-running in his future. Met the Walrus (retired ob-gyn from Montana who retired January 31st then boarded a plane to Georgia the very next day to begin his thru hike) and Sticker at the Duckett House, where we stayed the night of the 11th. Much of the day of the 12th was taken up with re-supplying and trying to catch up with friends and family. I got to meet Hawk, Juniper, and a few section hikers when we moved over to Sunnydale Farm (aka Elmer¢s) for a private room, organic vegetarian dinner and breakfast, and some great company for the night of the 12th. Woodstock was really itching to get back on the trail by the morning of the 13th. He was out of there right after breakfast. He did make a couple of equipment changes, mainly getting out of the gor-tex boots and into a pair of Montrail Hardrocks, and he was happy about that. Overall, he says he is having a great (but very hard) adventure and cannot believe all the nice folks he has met hiking the trail and the hospitality at the re-supply/hiker hostel stops. I can vouch for that. Lots of good folks. Take care everyone, Lenore
Date: 2007-03-15
From: Hot Springs

To: Miss Janets House/Erwin, TN
Miles today: 68.4
Weather: broken clouds

Well, the last 3 days i pushed 68 miles to end up at Miss Janet's House in erwin, tn., the confederate flag flying capital of the world. that is except miss janet's house. i must say that the hike today over big bald and then up from spivey gap was one of my favorite days on the trail. i spent an hour on big bald having lunch and just looking around me at the incredible view. it was inspiring and magical. the weather today was a bit cooler from the 70's we have had the 3 previous days. made the hiking a whole lot easier. it seemed like the trip from big bald to hear was all downhill. when i got off the trail i had a hard time hitching a ride but miss janet was nice enough to come pick me up. we stopped by sonic on the way to her house and i got a bag of food and then she had dinner ready about and hour after that. it was really tasty. i highly reccommend stopping by here on your trip. this is a very fine lady who know how to treat hikers. it feels like home. i am staying here tonight with zero and rambling rose. doing a resupply in the morning, dumping some stuff at the post office and then out midday. next entry will be from damascus in a week. the trail is good to me...........
Date: 2007-03-16
From: Miss Janets House/Erwin, TN

To: Miss Janet's House
Miles today: 0.0

Well folks......i'm gonna chill out here today...it's raining like heck all day and the low tonight up top is gonna be in the high teens. walking into a shelter wet to the bone to that temp is gonna have to wait a day. not to worry, will leave in the morning come heck or high water and book in good weather. walrus just showed up looking like a drowned rat. he said something about not having rain like this in montana. he's gonna check on sticker and hang around a few days. everybody is staying put today. i am restless but miss janet won't let me leave. luckily there is a sonic down the steet and the butterfinger blast is to die for. hopefully there will be good weather for the roan highlands. if not so be it. making good time and so i've earned some luxery. peace and love to all the kids and all the friends and to lenore......the trail is good to me....
Date: 2007-03-24
From: Damascus

To: damascus maybe
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

still in damascus waiting on boone to show up. if he isn't here by noon i might do a half day and leave a message for him to catch up. damascus is a cool place. alot of good people. the library is a great place to use the computer. getting itchy feet. 1 day in town is more than plenty. big K isn't getting any closer with me sitting here. the only thing that is going to keep me here another day is that my memphis tigers are playing ohio state for a spot in the final 4 today. send those boys good karma....go memphis.... "well i'm stuck inside of mobile with the memphis blues again." bob dylanpeace to all woodstock
Date: 2007-04-06
From: Pearisburge, VA

To: VA 614
Miles today: 121.0

Well, 5 days later and 120 or so miles i find myself in the home of David Horton who met me today and brought me here to Lynchburge. What a treat to be in a home with a family. For the next few days, David will be running me out to the trailheads and i'll be doing 25 or so miles and then he will be bring me back to his house. Rest assured, i will be carrying my pack every mile. What a great friend. after all these days alone on the trail, it is all coming around full circle. a full belly, a clean body, good fellowship....wow.the last few days have been great with to me som of the bst hiking yet. I got lost the first day out of pearisburge, hiked 27 and only netted 19, very frustraiting considering all you really have to do is follow the white blazes. i just totally spaced out and went the wrong way. not to worry, the nxt day i did a long day and was rewarded tuesday on the ridge about 3 miles above niday shelter with a glorius sunset and decended in the dark to the shelter. wednesday was my favorite day so far on the trail....the dragons tooth and macafees knob on the same day. david met me at the highway and hiked up to macafees so i would have someone to take my picture up there. he also brought me a new pack from Nathan that i will use on the rest of the hike. rides like a cadilac so far. he is really going out of his way to be nice, i really can't say enough about his support for this 200 mile section. it was a blustery day and being up on these ridges was fantastic. macafees knob was a real treat with the mountain laurel blooming on the knob just before the view. awesome. wednesday night the cold front hit and when i was going past tinker cliffs there was the slightest of snow flurries whirling around in the 30 mph gusts. i did a quick resupply in daleville on thursday, picked up my alcohol stove and mailed my canister system home and i was off to fullhardt shelter where i spent a cold night. that got me to today where i did a 23 miler and met david and another Montrail team member, Sarah who hiked with me some as they were doing a training run on the AT. It's been a good day today and i loof forward to the morning where i start my day at 950 feet and climb to 4200 right off the bat. i shouldn't worry about the cold as i will warm up quickly and will have a warm bed tomorrow night.....the hike is going great and as has been par for my life, i feel like th luckyest guy on the planet.......peace to all, Woodstock