morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-17
From: Stewart Hollow Brook Lean-to

To: Better Campsite
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

AT trail culture is distorting my sense of perception. Yesterday, I talked to my mom and my friend and they really have no conception of blue, yellow or grey blazing. Same with most people in towns or weekenders that I¢ve met. All these people could care less whether or not I¢ve passed every single white blaze. They just think it¢s cool I¢ve walked from Georgia. When they hear of my scheme to take the bus, they think nothing of it. You must be tired of walking they say. But when other thru-hikers hear of my plan, they act like I should feel ashamed or something. Is it shameful to be tired of walking after 1500 miles? Well I actually shouldn¢t even say all thru-hikers because many of them blue or yellow-blaze as well.Whoever said Connecticut was easy? I¢ve heard it called flat by some people. Maybe their memory is not that of an elephant because there are a lot of mountains to climb. It¢s tough. If I had to describe it in one word I would call it rugged. It¢s bug-infested too. Not that the climbs are excruciating or anything, it¢s just not as easy as a lot of people said.I sit now with only 2 more miles to my campsite for the night at a beautiful overlook with fields and country houses and tree-covered mountains. The humidity sits thickly in the air. There is a bit of a wind though so it keeps the bugs down, which is nice. Today has been one of my better days of late and I¢m thankful that I actually had some energy climbing up the mountains. I feel a bit more optimistic about hiking until the end.Better day but not so much of a good night. The mosquitoes in the last couple miles were out of control. No amount of 100% Deet would stop them. I think it¢s making me crazy. My arms are now scab central. I set up my hammock in a crazy flurry of actions so I could crawl in and get away from the bugs. When I crawled in, I realized that I had set up the rain fly backwards, leaving me seeing giant patches of sky which is quite bad in the event of rain. About 30 seconds after this realization, it started to rain. So out I get into the rain to rearrange the fly, all the while getting wet. Why do I keep torturing myself? This really isn¢t that much fun anymore. To top it all off, Wandering Bear and Pretty Bird are officially missing in action. I suspect that Wandering Bear at least is calling it quits and got off at one of the road crossings. Spicey and I both have a feeling that we won¢t wee them again which is sad because I really enjoyed hiking with them. It won¢t be as fun taking the bus alone.
Date: 2004-06-18
From: Belter Campsite

To: Riga Lean-to
Miles today: 14.6

The mosquitoes make me crazy. I need to get out of Connecticut. All the hikers compare how many bites they have on their arms and it ranges from 10 to 30. Per arm! We lather on the 100% Deet but nothing seems to help.   It's so humid here that I have a feeling the Deet just rolls off with the sweat. The weekenders always ask us thru's if we're worried about using so much DEET for such a long time, but I always say, "I don't care if I have deformed babies!" They seem somewhat disturbed by this. Whatever. I have to wear my head-net and pants, which is really hot but it's better than being eaten alive. I hiked 10 miles or so to a road crossing where it was only 0.5 miles into Salisbury. I met Spicey, just as she was heading in. Neither of us really planned to stop but the bugs were out of control. I needed a break, at least for a couple of hours for reasons of sanity. I think that before I left I would have been considered quite a normal person but look what I've become. How beautiful this little town of Salisbury when the forest has become a foggy mist of mosquitos buzzing around, smelling your fear and moving in for the kill. We got some lunch at the grocery store and I went to the P.O. and then just hung out for a while. Spicey was in desperate need of a shower so she decided to stay in town for the night and I hiked for 4 more miles to the next shelter. I am now officially on my own again. When I lost some people, it was with a feeling of relief. I really liked hiking with Wandering Bear, Pretty Bird and Spicey though so I feel kind of down about it.At the shelter is X-Caver, an older lady who I met at the Graymoor Monastery. She's been snoring up a storm the whole time I've been here. I had to put my radio on full blast to drown her out. I hope that if she's sleeping all day she won't be snoring tonight when I want to sleep. I'm down to one earplug because the shelters seem to eat them like dryers eat socks. This could be trouble.I set up my hammock as a bug-net on the shelter floor. It's quite handy because I can reach my hand out the slit to get food or books or whatever. It's quite delightful, taking action against my arch-enemies...the evil mosquitoes. The world without mosquitoes would be a much happier place.
Date: 2004-06-19
From: Riga Lean-to

To: The Hemlocks Lean-to
Miles today: 10.0

Is it normal to be addicted to granola bars? I can¢t stop eating them. I reach my hand into my food bag and pull out one, then another, then another and then 2 or 3 more. I still have some restraint left but it¢s becoming weaker and weaker as time goes on. Sometimes I go to the grocery store and buy 5 or 6 boxes of them and still run out. Even the other thru-hikers are somewhat disturbed when I pull into a shelter that first night and empty out my food bag to decide what I want to eat that night. They're usually the most accepting of what other people eat because they're experiencing the never-ending ravenous hunger that I'm going through but for some reason the sight of so much of one thing seems crazy to then. It seems somewhat normal to me I guess, while I¢m on the trail but now that I¢ve actually stopped and thought about it, it¢s somewhat disturbing. Do you think they have granola bars anonymous?Potato chips too. Even though I don¢t carry them on the trail in every town I buy at least 2 or 3 big bags. I know they¢re nutritionally empty, save for the 10% daily intake of vitamin E but I can¢t stop myself. So delightfully crunchy and salty. I can¢t pass up a gas station, a little country store, a roadside stand without buying at least one bag. Town tomorrow so we¢ll see if I can fill my quota. I eat them until my mouth is raw and burning and then I eat some more. Stupid salt and vinegar! If USA got with the times and imported ketchup chips from Canada then we wouldn¢t have this problem.You may wonder why I only did 10 miles today. It¢s quite modest even for me, the anti-mileage nazi. The answer is logistics. As I¢ve mentioned before, I decided to yellow-blaze Massachusetts but the bus doesn¢t run late Saturday or Sunday and I would have had to kill myself to make it to Great Barrington before then and that¢s not my style. Tomorrow will be an easy day into the hostel and then a bit of hiking the day after. Another state today! They¢re flying by. Mass. So far is deeeelightful. No mosquitoes. No humidity. No extreme heat. No pointless climbs that have no view at the top. No crappy shelters so far. Maybe it¢s good by default. I had such a bad time in Connecticut that maybe anything seems better after that. I did have a great day today though¢¦beautiful hiking and awesome views. This is why I hike the AT. If only every day was like this. The AT would be a pure delight instead of semi-torture. So now I¢m hanging out at an awesome shelter with bunks and a loft with Spicey, who caught up with me today, Josh, a section hiker and Mockingbird, a thru-hiker who I just met. There¢s also mystery man, who talks a lot and is a trail-name dropper. I wish he would stop so the rest of us could have an enjoyable conversation. Maybe he¢ll fall asleep early¢¦the middle-aged overweight men always seem to for some reason.
Date: 2004-06-23
To: she is moving....
Miles today: 0.0

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:I have a number of journal notes to type. Just wanted you all to know TILII is alive and well, moving right along.As of June 17th she was leaving the Belter Campsite in Connecticut. She has picked up the "booty" from the Kent PO. She said thank you to all.Sue/Hammock Hanger
Date: 2004-06-24
To: Tell it like it is
Miles today: 0.0

Trouble from trail land. I have come down with the dreaded Ehrlichiosis. It's only deadly in 97 % of the cases and I've been one of the lucky ones. Just joking, it's only fatal in about 5% of cases but I got diagnosed pretty early so the prognosis looks excellent. It's actually a tick caused illness that is not as common as lyme disease but the sickness hits you a lot harder. It's also much rarer, only about 300 cases or so per year in the US. I can now see why the hospital was so desperate for me to come back in 3 weeks to take some of my blood for some state study.I got to Great Barrington and the Eastern Mountain Retreat Center feeling fine one afternoon and the next day thought death was imminent. Nasty fever, severe headache, joint pain, it wasn't a good time. I went to the clinic here and they sent me to the ER. It's not like it is on TV. Anyway, look for more info. in my journal. The moral of the story is that I feel better now with the antibiotics working their magic and will take the bus across Mass. today because I really am running out of time now after 5 days in Great Barrington. I still feel quite weak so I know I won't be able to decent miles for a few days at least and now I'm really running behind schedule. Don't worry...I should be fully recovered in a few days or so...that's the theory at least! Tell it like it
Date: 2004-06-25
To: Tell it like it is
Miles today: 0.0

My hike is finished. I simply feel too weak and too sick to continue. I still have a fever and headache 5 days later. I cannot stay where I am indefinitely. I sleep only sporadically because of getting up so often in the night because of the kidney infection. Eating makes me feel queasy. Walking down the street is an effort and I cannot climb mountains. Realism has defeated optimism. There is no way I can keep going. I hated it anyway, so giving up wasn't really that hard of a choice. None of the doctors could even really give me an answer as to when I'd really get better.I am now at the library in Pittsfield, Mass. making travel arrangements to get home. I may travel in Quebec for a few days, I may take a train across Canada or I may just fly home. I feel too sick and apathetic to make decisions but I know I have to. It's horrible. I'll update later.
Date: 2004-09-24
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hi everybody, Tell it like it is has been resurrected for a brief moment. My old trail friend Scorpion just sent me all the pics from his hike so there's lots of new ones that I put on for my fans out there! Thanks Scorpion I've noticed a general trend about how you can tell whose pictures are whose: Scorpions are nice, mine not so much! Anyway, school is well, Vancouver is awesome, my body is happy and I'm fully recovered from Ehrlichiosis. I'm actually training for a marathon right now...crazy I know but after doing 1500 miles on the AT I feel like I can do anything. I've gone on a few day hikes around Vancouver and it's been fun but I don't really have any desire to sleep in a tent or hammock and carry a full pack for a really long time. Maybe one day, I know the AT will always be there waiting for me to finish.I hope all my trail angels got their pictures, thanks so much again. I think about you a lot and tell stories of you to my friends and families about your kindness. They are amazed at your generosity, trust and love of dirty, stinky hikers.
Date: 2005-06-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hey there everyone...things in Vancouver are going well! There's plans in the works to hike the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island at the end of summer so be sure to check out the journal...only one entry so far but more will be coming. I just started a new blog: http://www.jackielbolen.blogspot.com/Check it out...it has some stuff about my time in Korea and more recently about the AT...once that's done, I may do some stuff about my real life these days. Oh yes...don't forget to click on the ads...help me pay my tuition
Date: 2003-12-07
To: Hey looks like we are going!!
Miles today: 0.0

Wow, we're really gonna do this! We've been reading books on the AT for almost a year now. We bought most of our gear months ago. We've started our training regimen. But it didn't really seem official until a few weeks ago, when we both got official permission from our jobs to take a six-month sabbatical. So, we are going to do it. Wow, neither one of us really knows why or has any experience doing long distance hiking (2 weeks back country max). We both just understand that we need to give it a shot. Well, what the hell...lets try to list the reasons we have come up with over the last year:Our reasons for going:- the usual self discovery and introspection stuff.- getting into really good shape, the best of our lives.- seeing up close a beautiful part of our country we've not seen before.- trying to recall what living life without a computer was like.- basic training for having a baby!- eating gallons of ice cream without an ounce of guilt.- to help raise money for ArtSeed- "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -Lao-tzu (604-531 BC)
Date: 2003-12-30
To: Getting Ready
Miles today: 0.0

We are currently immersed in the myriad of tasks that seem to keep piling up. So much to do before we take off! Arwen has been focused on fine-tuning our mail drop schedule and general itinerary - and doing a marvelous job, I might add. I have been focused on amassing backpacking recipes, totaling up the needed ingredients, grocery shopping in mass quantities, and dehydrating every kind of food under the sun. And in addition to that, we're trying to get some major home repair projects finished up: levelling out the backyard, installing gutters, reinforcing the attic. Today alone we had a major plumbing problem repaired and the house inspected for foundation damage. Good news: the foundation is fine! Other things that remain to be done: -buy gear for Sasha, our dog, including a fleecy waterproof jacket and booties- put all our maildrops together - food and everything else- buy some final clothing items for ourselves- visits to the doctor and dentist!- checkup for Sasha at the vetWith so much to do, how are we supposed to make time to train physically for the hike? Seriously, I'm a little concerned. Especially for Sasha. She's used to sleeping about 12 hours/day. Sure hope the little darlin can adapt quickly.I am really starting to get excited. And ok, a few worries begin to creep in here and there - Are we going to freeze our butts of leaving so early; are we carrying too much weight; are the dehydrated, vacuum-sealed meals I'm preparing going to go bad before our trip is done; should we nix the beef jerky thing because of mad cow disease... you get the drift. And then there's the slowly growing awareness that we won't be seeing any of the awesome people we're lucky enough to call friends and family for the next six months. My dad and stepdad will both be turning 50 this year, before we get back. And Arwen's dad will be turning 60. We also have some friends that will be bringing a new baby into the world while we're gone. I hate to miss these milestones. But this journey feels like something important we're about to undertake. Ok, maybe it's arbitrary and a bit self-indulgent, but wow, how often do you get a chance to learn so much.I wonder how this hike will change us. I wonder what we'll be like when we get home. I wonder if it will change us permanently, or if we'll go right back to watching tv and eating Taco Bell.
Date: 2004-01-27
To: I like TV and Warm beds?
Miles today: 0.0

Ok, so we are sitting here eating coconut macaroons and enjoying our nice warm home...tv blaring in the other room, full bellies. Life is just wonderful....right? Why can't we just be happy with this kind of peaceful and simple existence? I can't pull myself away from the computer these days, thinking about being somewhere else, on an adventure, and perhaps being a little bit uncomfortable and challenged.I am not having a midlife crisis, in between jobs, just plain young and stupid, or going through a divorce. What gives? I can't figure out why I want to do this damn thing. I don't have what feels like a good solid reason like most people who's journals I've read. Sure, we made a little list of "reasons" a couple journal entries back...all good reasons, but something is missing. Maybe I am just bored. I am bored with the "routine", the house payments, trying to get the highest yeild on investments, eating crappy fast food, getting fat, spam emails, just plain bored of a comfortable and responsible life.Maybe I'm struggling with the idea of some day being a father.....I don't care, I'm going hiking!!!!!!Damn, I might have just figured out my problem.Heather says work, babies, appalachian trail...whatever...it's all good. Want another coconut macaroon?Arwen
Date: 2004-01-28
To: Look at all the people!
Miles today: 0.0

The most amazing thing happened yesterday... Someone wrote in our guestbook! I have been checking it with great disappointment every day for weeks (silly me, it only was visible to the rest of the world as of yesterday, when our 3rd entry was finally posted). Burn dropped us a few funny, encouraging words. I then found myself engrossed in every last one of his 30 journal entries. And then that got me checking the TrailJournals home page for other newly updated journals, and for other class of '04 hikers, and for people with departure dates close to ours. I realized - I have been missing out big time! Up to now, the only journals I've read are those of past thru-hikers. Arwen and I combed their gear lists, looked at stats, reviewed mail drops, and scanned journal entries and guest books for tidbits of advice that could help us plan our hike. But up to now it hadn't occurred to me to check out the other people who are actually going to be out there with us on the trail. And those are some really neat folks. Burn seems like a friend to everyone - who couldn't appreciate his optimism and friendliness. And then there's Peak-a-boo, with so much determination in the midst of all kinds of obstacles, whose journal is as gripping as a novel. And Walter & Eileen, who are DINKs like me and Arwen, discontent with what's safe, looking for an adventure. I just, I don't know... Reading these journals made me realize all of a sudden that I've been wrapped up in the wrong stuff. I've been so busy dehydrating food, checking "To Do"s off my list, planning for every contingency that it's gotten my focus out of whack. Lately a quiet panic had begun to set in. Instead of getting more and more excited as the days and weeks tick by, I've been growing more worried that I'm not prepared, that there's something I've forgotten, or worst of all, that maybe I don't have what it takes to be an AT hiker. Getting sucked into all these journals today was the best thing for me. It reminded me to remember This is a dream come true, you ninny!! Just hush up and let yourself enjoy the fact that you are about to embark on a true adventure - the biggest one of your life so far. With the person you love most in this crazy world. A chance to get out of Houston (Houston, for gawd's sake, people) and get into the wild. A chance to meet other people like me, who value people and nature and not boob jobs and luxury cars. That feeling you get when you push your way up a mountain and finally get to a gorgeous overlook, how your insides just swell out and you forget about your screaming feet for a moment. I can't wait. I'm getting PSYCHED!! -Heather
Date: 2004-01-29
To: The search for trail names
Miles today: 0.0

Well we haven't made a whole lot of progress on the trail names front. Not that it matters - maybe it's better to wait till we get named out on the trail, rather than try to come up with something ourselves. However, one suggestion I got was Tiger (thanks Burn). I wasn't too sure, though, how I'd feel about a name like 'Tiger' at the end of a rough day, sloshed with rain, beaten back by the cold, when I just want my mommy. That's not very Tiger like. But I've got these slippers I wear. I *love* them. I call em my tiger toes because, well, they look like tiger feet. My sister brought them back all the way from Germany (isn't that a funny souvenir?). Unfortunately, the tiger toes are not well suited to the trail, or I might be tempted to bring them for camp shoes. Alas, I will have to leave them at home. But even without the slippers on, it is also true that I have some pretty scary toes. My feet in fact might be my most noteworthy feature. I wear a woman's size 12 (that's a 10 in guys). And just to add insult to injury, they're AA (narrow) so I can't wear guy's shoes, which are usually the only ones long enough for me. And what pair of sasquatch feet would be complete without a long skinny set of toes to top them off. Hmm, let's take a moment to measure them... Ok I'm back. They measure out to a solid 2+ inches (5 cm). That's pretty freaking long. I'm not sure how tiger-like my toes are, but they're pretty damn scary. So I dunno, guess I'll mull that one over and see how it fits...-Heather
Date: 2004-02-04
To: Departure date change
Miles today: 0.0

Just a quick note to say we decided to push back our departure date by a week, from 2/23 to 3/1. We could both use that time to wrap up some things at work. Both of our employers have been *so* supportive in granting us 6-month sabbaticals, and we want to do our best to leave them in good shape. And this way, we can start out with the rest of the class of '04 who will be leaving Springer on March 1st - Yay!Cheers,Arwen & Heather
Date: 2004-02-09
To: Square root of pi
Miles today: 0.0

In the car Saturday night Arwen says to me "We need to come up with a motto for our hike.""We need a motto?" I asked, skeptical. "Why do we need a motto?""We just need one," he said.So then we racked our brains for 10 minutes trying to come up with something clever. Neither of us being all that clever, you can imagine what we were up against. Well, we're both software developers, so this was the best we could do. It isn't even a motto. In fact, you can't even really say it out loud.int x;Hiker you = new Hiker();while (x < AT.length){        you.hike();}(Heather has had numerous people tell her that she forgot to increment the x in the loop, so we are going to hike forever! She says she meant to do it because it seems like we will be hiking forever. I don't buy it...I think she just missed it )Geek humor. We were so pleased with ourselves we almost peed our pants.But hiking the AT is not (duh) a computer program. It's not some arbitrary algorithm to be solved. Totaling its milage and measuring its elevation still somehow don't quantify it. We've approached this hike the only way we know how to: hopelessly analytically. "...Square root of pi, carry the two, yeah I think that's how many maildrops we need." And that's why we're destined to get knocked on our butts. We can hardly wait.