morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-10-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Friends,I would like to dedicate my hike to my brother-in-law, Donnie Canan and his wife my sister Linda. Donnie has been in a battle with esophagus cancer and with other related health concerns. The journey they have been on has been a lot tougher than mine. I praise the Lord for the gift of salvation Donnie received before I left on my hike and his continued faith. May God bless them in a special way.        Jericho
Date: 2006-10-31
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Friends,I invite you to go to this web page and get a news letter from theCumberland Valley Appalachain Trail ClubCheck out page one, the article titled, Message from the PresidentReal Trail Magic on the Trail It is an article about Jericho sharing God's love with Students from Asiahttp://geocities.com/cvatclub/cvnews-806.pdfThanks to Frank Bohn for the article and God bless you for sharing your time with the students I met that day.
Date: 2006-11-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I thought you all might get a kick out of this.PATTSD) Post AT Traumatic Stress Disorder: An inability to readjust to normal society after thru hiking Characterized by:1. Putting leaves in the toilet2. Filtering water from the faucet or dropping tablets in a glass of water3. Asking for a spork at restaurants4. Asking company to pack out their trash5. Digging catholes in the backyard6. Walking around the house with your trekking poles7. Still sleeping on your thermarest? Or on a 17" space on the bed8. Blowing snot rockets from the couch9. Referring to other people as hikers10. Checking for water sources everywhere you go11. Gaining 600 pounds because you still think in trailmetabolism12. Asking people how far they are going today or how many miles13. Swatting at invisible insects14. Eating dinner by 4PM and in bed by 6:30PM15. Wearing the same clothes for 3 days16. Referring to floors in buildings by their elevations17. Asking people if they are NOBO or SOBO18. Forgetting to put on deodorant Thanks to Brainfreeze
Date: 2006-11-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Friends,On October 29th I dedicated my hike to my brother-in-law, Donnie Canan and his wife my sister Linda. Donnie had been in a battle with esophagus cancer. Donnie had given his heart to Jesus before I left on my thru hike and on Monday November 6th went home to heaven to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.         Please lift my sister Linda and her family up in prayer.        Thanks and God bless you,        Steve (Jericho)
Date: 2006-11-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

On friday Nov. 10 I was able to participate in my brother-in-law, Donnie Canan's funeral service. I just wanted to share with you a small portion of that which was shared."Most of you know that I spent several months this year hiking the Appalachian Trail. The trail was 2,175 miles up and down mountains, in all kinds of weather, as cold as 23 degrees and as hot as 105, fording rivers sometimes waist deep flowing fast enough to carry you away. I found myself face down in a muddy bog, upside down in a pile of boulders . I had cuts, bruises, blood clots and blisters. I also had some great weather, some marvelous views of scenery and wildlife. I also made some new and lifelong friends. It was tough, but it was good, I kept my eyes and heart on the finish, the prize, Mt. Katahdin at the end of the trail. With the help of Jesus, my wife, family and friends as was able to see or win the prize.         In the bible we are told in 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.¢ And in Philippians 3:13 & 14 it says , ¢Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.¢ Donnie and Linda have been on a much tougher trek than my hike. I could make several parallels, but let me say this, I have dedicated my hike to Donnie and Linda, and thanks to them for showing us how to fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith and win the prize!
Date: 2006-04-05
From: Maine

To: Atlanta
Miles today: 0.0

Journal Entry #1I need to make three entries before it will be posted. So here we go, three more days until I start my section hike from Amicolola Falls State ParkSpringer Mountain, GA. I intend to hike as far as Davenport Gap, TN. Tomorrow i plan to go skiing mother nature was so kind to drop 8-10 inches in the Maine mountains, oh it's snowing again. It will be my last ski of the season unless there is still snow when i return in May. That's all for this entry i need to save something for the next two. jc
Date: 2006-04-17
From: Wesser Bald

To: NOC
Miles today: 5.6
Weather: light rain

I'm hereleft the camp are at0741H and got to NOC at 0927HFOOD MUST HAVE FOOD SHOWER LAUNDRYALL GOODno shower since 9APRstink isn't the wordbut it didn't bother meWhite water kayaking tomorrowi'm off to try out my new mattressa real bed tonight!!!!!have fun at work!!!i know you are all Jealous at MVHHappy Trailsjc
Date: 2006-03-22
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Okay, here goes- this is my first entry. Kind of late, although my decision to hike the trail was made long ago. Still not sure if this is going to be the best way to keep friends and family up to date on where I am and how I'm doing, mainly because I won't have any way to log on once I start. I'm thinking about leaving audio journal entries on my brother's voice mail, since he's volunteered to transcribe for me. I guess we'll see how it works out...I bought my bus ticket last night. I've been committed to this for a while now, but somehow buying the bus ticket just seems to add a finality to my decision (yeah, it's nonrefundable =). My pack shipped today, and I have just about everything else I'll need.Aight, that's all for now. I'll add more later, probably tomorrow.
Date: 2006-03-23
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Today most of my food order from Campmor arrived. I saw the UPS truck pull up and met the guy at the door. I've had so many gear orders in the last few months it's hard to keep track of them all! It's amazing how many little details still need to be taken care of, even though I've been planning and preparing for months already.I've read that it takes a while once you're on the trail to become completely immersed in trail life and forget about "life back home." Funny thing is, I feel like I'm already out there mentally, and it's hard for me to focus on everyday things without being distracted by AT thoughts. Not that I mind, I've had a blast trying to put this hike together =)
Date: 2006-03-24
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Things I'm NOT taking...Yes, that's right- I have a whole list of gear and other miscellaneous items that I've decided to leave behind. Here are a few items:-Sunglasses. I love my polarized Bolle's, but this trail is called The Long Green Tunnel for a reason. That, and the shades are fragile and not easily packed. weight saved, maybe two ounces with the case.-Headlamp. A year ago I probably would have said that my Petzl Tikka Plus was the coolest single piece of gear I owned, but somehow the prospect of a 2200 mile hike changes your perspective somewhat. I'm going to be taking two single LED keychain-type lights, one white, one red. They weigh only 2 tenths of an ounce each, and I'll have a spare light if one breaks. weight saved, 2.2 ounces-Hydration tube/valve. I swore by this setup for years, but it's a couple of ounces I can do without. Plus, having my Platy's in an outside pocket rather than buried in my pack allows me to better monitor my water supply and consumption.-Camera case. My cool little padded case is going to stay home. Instead, I'm using a military spec zip-loc. An extra sock or something can serve double duty as padding.-More clothes. No extra bandana, no extra boxers. No third pair of socks. No baseball cap (can you say, Extreme Sun-tan? =).-Heavy duty pocketknife. Okay, so Benchmade knives are the shiz, but all I really need is something to open the occasional hard-to-rip food package, or cut tape or twine. My new .4 oz Gerber microlite will do the trick and save around 2 ounces.-Compression sack. I thought these things were so cool when I first saw one. I've used them ever since, right up until I realized how heavy they are (like 2 or three times as heavy as just a regular stuff sack), and how great they are at destroying the loft in synthetic or down insulation. Too bad I didn't make this discovery BEFORE I shelled out $24 for a Granite Gear Air Compressor stuff sack!Okay, so there's a few of the tougher gear choices I've made of late. Much easier to leave behind were the four pound tent, pack with frame, air mattress, and water filter. Can you tell I've been obsessing over gear the last few months?!
Date: 2006-03-25
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

What's in a name?A lot, I guess. Trail names, to be specific. Here's the deal: Everybody gets one; I don't have one; and it must be cool, but not self-imposed. I'm hoping to acquire a moniker early on so I can provide folks with a direct link to this journal (and of course, so I can feel like a genuine authentic thru-hiker). My Brother Christian says that if I don't have any luck he's going to arrange for someone to start entering me into trail registers as something manly and hip, like "Cupcake," "Flu Flu," or "Sprinkles." Oh God, please no! Thankfully I can take what he says with a grain of salt. (One needs only remind oneself that this is the same person suggesting the utility of taking along a small car battery =)I just figured it out- 18 days to D-Day! I guess now's as good a time as any to start the official countdown. So let it begin: eighteen days.
Date: 2006-03-25
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Paranoia? Quite possibly...I played paintball today. It was a blast, as usual, but I couldn't help but worry about spraining an ankle running around the woods, or getting some other kind of injury that could keep me off the trail. I've been thinking about that sort of thing a lot lately, at work, playing ultimate, even just stepping off the curb! Call me crazy, but this trip represents a serious investment of both time and money- an investment that I'm hoping for big returns from. Maybe not tangible returns, but big returns nonetheless. And it would be a shame if something as seemingly minor as a sore ankle or a twinge in my knee compromises that objective.As it happened, I made it through the day relatively unscathed. I did have one face plant running full speed. I think a root or rock tripped me up, and my knee went right into a rock. It's stiff and sore at the moment, but I'm pretty sure it'll be right as rain in a couple days (I can bend it, so it must be fine, right? =). And of course, you can't play paintball without getting a few welts. But those are cool so I don't mind
Date: 2006-03-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Pre-Trail Magic.After all the reading and research that I've done, I've become familiar with the concept of trail magic, and I'm looking forward to experiencing it on the trail. But it's already started. After one lonely post in a forum on whiteblaze.net, I received something like 3 or 4 offers of a ride from Gainesville to Amicola Falls State Park. I was immensely encouraged by the generosity of the AT community. Today, I received an e-mail from another user on this site, offering a ride from PA to GA. Since I've already bought my bus ticket and it's not refundable, I'm not sure what I'll end up doing, but again, I was floored that an almost complete stranger would be willing to shuttle me 12 hours and half a dozen states away, just to help out. I'm tired of sitting on the sideline. I want to be part of this awesome experience that is a thru on the AT! The adventure begins (in earnest) 15 days from now.
Date: 2006-03-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Frustration Extraordinaire(WARNING: the following is very boring- just me "venting" because it beats banging my head against the wall.)Arggghhh!!! Man, I am rather pissed off at the moment. I just found out that my pack was never shipped. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but dangit- to me it's huge. For the last week I've been checking our front stoop the instant I get home from work, staring out the window hoping for the UPS truck to come, and calling my parents to check if they've seen it. On Tuesday the UPS guy turned around in front of our house and drove off. On Wednesday he pulled up, shut off the truck, and just sat there for a few minutes before again driving off (leaving me yelling at him from inside the house). Last night I finally contacted the seller to see what the deal was, and today I get an e-mail back saying that he's sorry- he could have sworn it was shipped, but his computer says otherwise. What could I say? Well, actually I can think of a lot of things I COULD have said, but none of them were very civil. I'm not going to give the name of the cottage industry I'm dealing with here, because it probably is just a rare oversight and not the way they normally do business, but it's especially hard for me because I spoke with the owner on the phone last week telling him what a hurry I'm in, and he assured me that it would ship the very next day. He even asked me if that would be soon enough for me. I think it's a psychological thing for me. That pack is the last gear item I need for my hike. Once I get it, I'll be 100% geared up, and I can then focus on the few other details I need to take care of (putting together a couple of mail drops, etc.). I've waited this long to order it because I did a ton of research on exactly what would best suit my needs, and I wanted to have all my other gear together so I could have a better idea on what type of volume I'd be looking at."So what's the problem?" you might say. "It'll still get here before you leave." Yeah, probably, BUT it's coming down to the wire. What if it's not what I expected (not likely given my exhaustive research). What if the size/fit isn't right? (this is a significant concern. It's always a risk buying online, but especially something that I'm going to be literally joined at the hip with for months on end.) And the main reason- I wanted to use it on at least a couple conditioning hikes, including one this weekend (obviously that's not happening). It doesn't strike me as particularly prudent to traipse off down to Georgia with a pack I've never even hiked with.Ahh, okay, well there you have it. I feel better already- thanks for listening! Thirteen days 'till D-day.
Date: 2006-04-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

"release your inhibitions; feel the rain on your skin..."That song is overplayed these days, but man, it's catchy. I thought of it this morning while contemplating what an encumbrance modern technology can be at times. Specifically, when my laptop hard drive decided to call it quits last week, taking with it my gear lists, planning spreadsheets, pictures, etc. Definitely not cool.Now before you berate me for not backing up all my important data, know that I DID do exactly that, but it was probably a month or more ago, and so my backup files weren't exactly up to date. No worries though- I've gone over this stuff so much that it's pretty much all in my head, and it wasn't that hard to recreate on my pc. (AFTER shelling out $150 to have a new hard drive installed and trying to reload all my oft-used programs) Still, it makes me anticipate all the more eagerly the time when my life won't revolve around a collection of wired and wireless electronic devices. That time is now five days away. Five days!It's pouring out today, and I'm ready to feel the rain on my skin- or, at least on my EMS rain shell =)
Date: 2006-04-11
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Wow, the goodbye's have started! I was at a party tonight and soon realized that it would be the last time I would see many of my friends for several months. I'm really thankful that all the people who are important to me are excited for me and are supportive of my endeavor. I can't imagine how difficult it would be if my family and friends thought I was wasting my time and money. (If you have thought that, then thanks for not saying anything! =) Better still was the time of prayer my friends had for me as I was leaving the party tonight. These kinds of friends are a blessing not to be taken lightly. One after another they voluntarily asked God to protect me, keep me healthy, reveal Himself to me in a new and powerful way, and give me boldness and opportunities to share my faith with others. I felt loved.Less than three days!
Date: 2006-04-13
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

The day is finally here! At times it felt like it would never come, but indeed it has. I'm sorry if this sounds overly dramatic (it does, I know). I was chatting with my brother last night (more drama: for the LAST TIME pre-hike :-) and we agreed that when you think about it, what I'm setting out to do is really not a big deal. I'm going for a long walk in the woods, that's all. I'll meet a lot of nice people and see a lot of quaint southern towns and rustic New England hamlets, etc. It's not like I'm joining Al Qaeda, or Gladiators of the 21st Century. The thing is, a whole group of my friends and family, my mom first and foremost, seem to think this is the most dangerous thing they've ever heard of, and if my life is by some miracle spared "out there," then I'll be fortunate to have to recover only from the psychological and emotional scarring produced by endless weeks of total isolation. So in light of these dire concerns, it's hard not to feel a sense of momentous import.[CASE IN POINT: Mom just walked up to my room to inform me with tender sincerity that it's okay if I'm starting to struggle with thoughts of fear or trepidation: "It's perfectly normal." All I could do was laugh.] Imagine, if you will, telling someone who just order a 5-scoop banana split, that it's okay to be worried, that they don't HAVE to eat it, to just be careful and take it one bite at a time. Now don't be surprised if they stare at you with a bemused or blank look and reply dryly, "thanks.")Now don't get me wrong: I know it's not going to be easy. I'm certain that I'll be miserable and in pain at times, discouraged and weary, ready to quit. But that's all part of the experience, and I anticipate the challenge of those times. If it was all easy, then everybody would be doing it, and I probably wouldn't. (If you're around when things get tough, point me back to this post so I can refresh my memory with this bright and naive perspective =)So enough philosophy- Here's what's actually going down in the next day or so. I'm boarding a Greyhound in a few hours, which will transport me in about 17 hours to Gainesville, GA (several stops and layovers included). I'll be spending the day in Gainesville tomorrow, hopefully meeting up with an old friend or two in the area, and then catching a ride from a local hiker to Amicola Falls State Park in the evening, after my ride gets off work. I plan on hiking most of the 8.5 mile Approach Trail to Springer Mtn that evening (yay, kick it off with a night hike!), so I'll be ready to pitch in to the actual AT Saturday morning, the 15th of April, in the year of Our Lord 2006. whoa, don't know where that bit of drama came from =)So, this is my last "preparation" journal entry. I hope to have my first trail update when I reach Neals Gap, which is 30 miles into the AT. If all goes well, that should be around Monday. So until then, adios!
Date: 2006-04-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Yes, I'm still here at the deli in Gainesville. (I know what you're thinking- "for pete's sake, will ya just start hiking already! I didn't log on to read about your sandwich..." You're right, I'm sorry. Can't help it though. My ride isn't 'till later. I should be hitting the trail in just a few hours.I wanted to say thanks to everyone for all the fun and encouraging notes in the guestbook. Keep 'em coming! It's so awesome feeling connected to you all even though I'm far from home. Also, for anybody that's been perusing the guestbook, I feel compelled to set the record straight- I have not been pen-pals with some hairy Amish girl, nor do I anticipate long nights under the moon or walks with any such person. Chalk that entire entry up to the creative and diabolical genius of my dad and brother, who I personally think have had it in for me from the very beginning of my interest in the outdoors. I can prove it: The very first time I slept out in the woods by myself, I was about twelve years old. I was huddled by my campfire trying to prove to myself that I wasn't afraid of the dark woods. Meanwhile, my dad and brother back home decided it would be fun to go find me and scare the crap out of me. They proceeded to do just that, running by through the shadows and making strange noises. So you see where I'm coming from. Honestly, it's a miracle I'm doing what I'm doing today =). Thanks Dad and Christian, for keeping me on my toes.
Date: 2006-04-16
From: Gooch Gap Shelter

To: Neals Gap
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: broken clouds

[Greetings, folks! Just a quick introduction: I'm Sean's brother, Christian, and I'll be making Sean's journal entries for him while he's on the trail and doesn't have access to a computer. I talked with him today and he gave me his update for the past couple of days. I'm going to write in the 1st person for him since it's easier for y'all to read coming straight from him, just like he said it over the phone. Enjoy! ~Christian]Happy Easter! Greetings from Neals Gap, I made it here early this afternoon after hiking a little over 15 miles for the last 2 days. The weather¢s been great and I¢ve already met some great people. Kenny and Julia hiked with me yesterday. They¢ve have been married for just over a week now. Today I tried to keep pace with Rolland, a Canadian who's been living in new Zealand the past few years. In 2000 he thru-hiked the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail, stretching from Mexico to British Columbia, it's about 500 miles longer than the AT) in 110 days. Good on ya mate! Then there¢s Bubba who was still packing up when I passed him close to lunch time yesterday. He jovially estimated that he¢s losing about a pound a mile. If that¢s true, he¢ll be showing no signs of malnourishment for another 100 -150 miles =). He¢s going to Maine ¢if my heart holds up,¢ a statement that made the rest of us just a bit worried. But here¢s where the AT mantra, ¢hike your own hike¢ applies. This is easier said than done actually, because every time I meet someone I tend to adjust my pace according to theirs just to chat, etc.No complaints yet, one teeny, tiny blister which I took care of.I just bought 5 days of food, which I¢m hoping will get me to Franklin, NC. So next estimated post: Thursday or Friday.P.S. I take back what I said about the foliage down here. In the mountains there¢s still a lot of brown. Today I climbed Blood mountain which is almost 4500 feet. Gotta run, I want to do another mile or two before camp tonight. I miss you all.