morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-05-02
From: Holiday Inn - Erwin, TN

To: Beauty Gap
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Enjoyed a good breakfast at the Holiday Inn and 10k (shuttle driver)and former thru-hiker arrived about 7:30 AM to drive me  North to Beauty Gap so I could hike back South to Erwin.. I am feeling better but wanted to spend another night here. The beauty of Beauty Spot was shrouded in heavy fog/clouds, rain and blustery winds so I didn't get to see the views down to Erwin. I met two young guys who asked me where they could find the nearest town. I said Erwin. They replied they had come from there. I asked where they were going and they replied West Virginia. THEN they asked if they were headed in the right direction. They also asked where to get water because they were low. They have no map; they were soaked under their tarp last night. I gave them directions to water about 45 min. Ahead and suggested they get a map. I hope they make it. Saw Elwood this morning and was surprised because he is a fast walker. Met him at Standing Bear Farm. He is retired Air Force meteorologist. He had left the trail for a 4 day planned visit at home. Saw others I have met along the way - Lobo and Ash from Indianapolis, Jeff from Georgia who I first met in the Smokys. Saw Pink Lady at Curley Maple Gap Shelter. Met Crashewea and Jackalope. Saw Wales again. He had spent 7 days in Erwin and was finally moving on. Talked with Stump, Suzie Q and Whiskey Mike who are hiking to Damascus. I said hello to many others on the trail this day. I was the only one headed South. It is odd to walk in that direction. I took lots of flower pics today. Do not know their names but I sure enjoy seeing them. I have posted them. The sun came out about noon and it became a beautiful day. Crossed the bridge over the Nolichucky River and went to Uncle Johnny's to buy denatured alcohol for my cat food can stove and walked back to the Holiday Inn. Two section hikers gave me a ride when I had just a little more to walk. I really appreciated their kindness. I am going to enjoy a relaxing soak in the tub, shampoo and blow dry my hair and get packed to leave here about 7:30 AM tomorrow. Oh, just before crossing my first RR tracks on the AT, I met Mud Puddle and Slickster who were tenting and waiting for their checks to hit the bank so they could go into town.
Date: 2013-05-03
From: Beauty Gap

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I awoke about 6 AM. I had the alarm set in case I needed it. Went down to breakfast and  had scrambled eggs, a cinnamon roll and coffee  Took a banana for later. 10k was early for the 7:30 shuttle back to Beauty Gap. It was very foggy when I started out at 8am and cool. I passed by Pink Lady and she was brushing her teeth where she had tented. Had a little climb to begin the morning so I warmed up quickly. I walked through a beautiful dense spruce forest at Unaka mountain; it almost looked enchanted. Pink Lady caught up to me and I stepped to the side to let her pass. She said she would like to walk with me for awhile. It was nice to talk with her. I kept  up with her until I slipped and sat down. I was OK and she did not realize I had fallen. Stopped at Cherry Gap shelter about 11:30 and had a little lunch and signed the log  Arrived at place I had planned to tent for the night at 1:30 pm. It was too early to stop for the day. Refilled water from a spring, took a 40 min. break then moved on. Pink Lady was going to Clyde Smith Shelter and I decided to go for it although I knew it would be my biggest mileage day with a full pack. I made it 14.5 mi. and got there about 4:45 pm..The wind was howliing. I do not think I would ever get used to hearing it. I found a good site for Hubby ant got set up for the night. Rocky Top & Tom Foolery set up nearby as well as Crashewea & Jackalope. Pink Lady chose the shelter along with Uncle Buck and his dog, Jake, Billy Jack and a young couple. There was a German man carrying a small axe who split wood and made a fire.  There were times the wind gusts were so strong, I thought about Dorothy and The Wizard of Oz ... I wondered if I would've raised off the grond in Hubby. I put in my ear plugs and went to sleep.
Date: 2013-05-06
From: Hwy. US 19 E Roan Mt. TN - Mountain Harbour Hostel

To: Mountain Harbour B&B and Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

The bed in the loft bunk was very comfortable. Paul, John, Roadrunner from Germany and I talked over our experience before turning off the lights for the night. Down below the room was packed with the couple from Indiana, Lobo and Ash on the sofa sleeper, two in the semi private king bed and 12-15 on the floor. All were grateful to be out of the rain. Crate is here doing work for stay for the week and waiting on better weather before continuing North. When I came down the ladder to go to the bathroom, I almost stepped on someone sleeping near it. Breakfast is served at 8 am in the B&B. It should be called a breakfast banquet. Mary gets up and starts cooking about 3 am. We had shrimp grits, egg casserole, sausage gravy and biscuits, fried white sweet potatoes, French toast with pecan honey topping, orange slices, mixed fresh fruit bowl, blueberry pound cake, apricot coffee cake, chocolate torte, Carmel hundred coffee cake, home made apple sauce and I know I did not mention it all. Incredible and so delicious. Mary is a beautiful person, a hard worker and can she cook and present the food. No one leaves hungry. It was a total rest day. I hung my tent to dry as well as shoes and insoles. I moved to the Amyleah room of the B&B. I talked with others who were here, updated my journal. Had a great big sandwich prepared by Mary for lunch - roast beef with cooked onions and melted cheese on a Hoagie roll , watched the weather report for rain all week. At 5 pm Crate drove 8 of us into town for dinner at Dairyland. I was full from breakfast and lunch but had a grilled cheese sandwich, baked potato with butter and broccoli and cheddar bites. I finished with a coconut soft serve ice cream cone. My room is beautiful and so comfortable. I will slack pack tomorrow (about 13 miles) and stay another night. This room was reserved so I will move back to the bunk house and have the semi private king bed. There is a curtain that pulls across the door making it semi private. I called Nick and told him I would continue North. I hope getting back on the trail will be good for me. My left knee is a tad stiff and swollen from one of the falls. I have bruises on my right arm, both ankles are a little swollen as is my right foot but nothing really hurts. Yes, I have over worked my guardian angel. I am glad he can't quit. Rain is predicted today but I will be coming back to a comfy bed under a wonderful roof so I will walk in the rain. I hope there are no thunderstorms. Thanks everyone for your kind words of encouragement and for your prayers.
Date: 2013-05-11
From: Home

To: Going Back To The Trail
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.~ Oscar Wilde Please see my blog for this post. PrayerWalker on the Appalachian TrailI read each note posted to my guestbook. Thank you to each and everyone of you. The Friends I Have Never MetIt's strange to have a friend that you have never hugged, shook their hand or looked in their eyes.But you have been touched by their soul, seen the good in their hearts and felt the warmth of their being.The friends I have never met are not my friends untouched, for I have felt them with me when I needed them. I have confided in them and they are some of the kindest people I have ever known.My Friends, never forget just how special you are to me.
Date: 2013-05-12
From: Going Back To The Trail

To: Mountain Harbour B&B - Roan Mt., TN
Miles today: 0.0

We drove back to Tennessee and I introduced Nick to Mary and Terry, owners of Mountain Harbour B&B. Our room was in the part of the home that was built in the early 1900's and overlooks the front of their property where we could see hikers who were tenting for the night on their lawn. We went to Bob's Dairyland for dinner. I think it was the only place open where we could get a meal and we enjoyed a good hamburger and an ice cream cone afterwards. I looked forward to the morning and a delicious breakfast banquet served by Mary and then returning to the trail at USFS 293. I was asleep a little after hiker midnight.I have been asked on occasion why I chose to raise funds for the charity, Homes For Our Troops, as I walk the Appalachian Trail.A few years ago, a young soldier, Lt. Dan Berschinski, from a neighboring town was severely wounded in an IED explosion. When he was released from Walter Reed and returned home for a visit, the town sponsored a 5K run/walk to raise monies for him. Nick and I participated in the run. Below is a short video of Lt. Berschinski's thank you to everyone present that day. Hearing his words, witnessing his courage to stand and walk, and his love for his fellow soldiers and our country, deeply touched my life.When I have a day or days on the trail and my feet and legs hurt, I think about our veterans who don't have legs. I am grateful to have legs and feet and to be able to walk the Appalachian Trail with a goal of raising $5,000 to support Homes For Our Troops.I chose Homes For Our Troops because they build homes to meet the specific needs of our service men and women and they do so in a cost effective and efficient manner. Each home is given at no cost to the recipient. Homes have been built in almost every state.I continue to be amazed at the people who are supporting me through prayers, words of encouragement sent in emails and written in my journal guestbook and blog. Would you also consider supporting Homes For Our Troops through a donation? Please choose Homes For Our Troops in the left column to be taken to my personal fund raising site. There is a link on my page to make a gift. If you'd like more information, you can find it on that page as well. Thank you for considering a gift and thank you to all who have already given a gift to Homes For Our Troops."What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal." ~ Albert Pine
Date: 2013-05-13
From: USFS Rd. 293

To: Dennis Cove Rd. and then Home
Miles today: 10.8

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God¢s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thess. 5:18"O Lord, Jesus, Lover of my soul, You and only You understand the inner craving of my being. Thank You for loving me, never leaving me, and caring about every detail of my life. Help me to begin each day with a thankful spirit, until I can do so as a way of life. Let me never be found resisting what You are birthing or bringing forth in me. I love You and want to love You even more." -- Hinds' Feet On High Places Devotional by Darien B. CooperPlease go to my blog: PrayerWalker on the Appalachian Trail
Date: 2013-05-22
From: Dennis Cove Rd. and then Home

To: Home - again
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

"The Japanese philosophy wabi-sabi urges us to make peace with those things that are rough or irregular; the things that don't go our way, by acknowledging that all of life is impermanent, imperfect, and incomplete -- including us. Wabi-sabi finds beauty in simplicity. It appreciates the essence and authenticity of all things, even when they are apparently flawed. It is accepting of nature and life, as well as decay and death, because each one is a cycle of growth." Imperfect Spirituality: Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People by Polly Campbell Things did not go my way on May 13th as I hiked the Appalachian Trail. I have had some time to reflect and I have written a blog entry entitled - Transition if you would like to read it. PrayerWalker on the Appalachian Trail
Date: 2013-05-23
From: Home - again

To: Wherever He leads ...
Miles today: 0.0

"Just because God calls you to some venture, that doesn't guarantee the venture will succeed. Just because life doesn't turn out the way you thought, that doesn't mean you missed God's will." Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn't Show Up the Way You Thought He Would? Pete WilsonErwin McManus said "The process of becoming the person God wants us to become usually doesn't come from success, success, success. It's loss, success, failure, success, heartbreak, success, disappointment, success."Do I have a Plan B? PrayerWalker on the Appalachian Trail
Date: 2013-07-11
From: Home

To: Wherever He leads me
Miles today: 0.0

So Much More - You are ready to give up. But you have come such a long way. You have gleaned so much wisdom from being true to your path. There is no need to rush ahead, no need to strive mightily. Covering a great distance is of no consequence. All this you know. You know also that the goal of the pilgrimage is not the arrival, but the transformation that comes from being open to the road. Be at peace with what hasn¢t come into your life. Be receptive to what may yet be. Let the hard place within you soften and melt into a warm easiness with where you are, who you are, and what you are about. Leave yourself open to that deep wellspring of being. Know that at the bottom of the pit, which you are convinced is little more than an echoing void, lies the source of life itself. Let its grace rise up within you. You are so much more than you know. ~Austin Repath from Pilgrim CardsIf you'd like to read about my follow-up foot appointment with the doctor , here's the link to my blog: PrayerWalker on the Appalachian Trail
Date: 2013-07-22
From: Home

To: Wherever He leads me
Miles today: 0.0

It has been about 9 weeks since I left the Appalachian Trail because of a foot injury. Every day I think about the trail, the people I met along the way, and I pray for them. Many are still on the trail and making their way to Katahdin. One that I met early on, Saber, summited the beginning of July. Others have had to leave the trail.When it rains and we have storms with lightening and thunder, which it has done almost every day for many weeks here in Georgia, I think about those hiking and pray for their safety ... it's frightening and dangerous to be outside in a bad storm. And it's difficult walking when the trail becomes a stream and afterwards a mudpit along with the very slippery rocks. It has not been as hot as usual in Georgia this year because of the rain but from reading the trail journals, heat as been oppressive for those on the trail. Bugs and ticks are maddening.I am working through a grieving process. The depression surprised me but now I realize it's part of a process. I have to let go of my dream to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 2013. I'm grateful for my guardian angel who protected me when I fell so many times. I could have broken a wrist, an arm, an ankle or leg but instead I got up each time and only suffered some bruises. Not bad for a 64.5 yr. old with osteopenia (lower than normal bone mineral density). I expect that I actually strengthened my bones from all the walking. I am posting a link to my blog because the major gift of the trail for me was the people I met. I have posted their pictures, videos, and trail journal and blog links if you'd like to take a look. I didn't get pictures of every one I met but I listed the names of those I encountered on the trail. There were many others I met and spoke with along the trail but I forgot to record their names at the end of the day. I enjoyed meeting each and every one. It's amazing that when everything is stripped away except what you carry on your back, it's easy to feel comfortable with strangers who actually are friends on the trail and you even feel like family. What a great blessing to have met these people on the Appalachian Trail. PrayerWalker on the Appalachian TrailI made a compilation of my 400 mile hike this year if you'd like to watch it.
Date: 2013-11-29
From: Wherever He leads me

To: Spain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

The people I met on the Appalachian Trail (with the possible exception of one who should finish his journey soon) are home and I'm sure still remembering the trail and wishing, on occasion, that they were back on the trail. I expect some are planning on hiking another trail or maybe even going back to the Appalachian Trail to walk it again. The desire to finish the journey and climb Katahdin still beckons and I hope to walk the Appalachian Trail in the future.In the Spring of this coming year, my husband and I will walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. It is very different from the Appalachian Trail (so I've heard) and my husband has agreed to accompany me because we'll have a roof over our heads every night. Our packs will be quite light compared to the AT; I plan to keep mine at 10-12 lbs. and I'm hoping my plantar fascia will take me all the way with no problems. We'll be able to visit our youngest son who is stationed in Belgium and that will be wonderful. It's going on 2+ years since we last saw him - the longest time since his birth 36 years ago. I will be keeping a journal here on the Camino de Santiago page and I've started a blog - PrayerWalker and Stoney on the Camino 2014 if you'd like to follow us.Again, thank you for following my short on and off journey on the Appalachian Trail this year. It didn't turn out as I expected but I am happy, thankful and filled with gratitude that I had the opportunity. Not a day goes by that I do not think about the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2013-12-20
From: Home

To: Sweetwater Creek State Park
Miles today: 0.0

¢When we are sure that we are on the right road, there is no need to plan our journey too far ahead. No need to burden ourselves with doubts and fears as to the obstacles that may bar our progress. We cannot take more than one step at a time.¢ ~ Orison Swett MardenYesterday was a beautiful day in Georgia. The thermometer registered 27 degrees when we awoke and it was 31 degrees when we got into the car to head to Sweetwater Creek State Park. It¢s a fairly short drive to the park and it was 35 degrees and sunny when we stepped onto the yellow-blazed trail. It warmed up to 61 degrees by early afternoon and I got a little sunburn on my face.Our packs were light (12 lbs. and 10 lbs.) ¢ nice ! Compared to the approx. 30 lbs. Buddy held on the Appalachian Trail, I hoisted him with ease. Now all I have to do is remember how good today felt with just 10 lbs. and not stuff him full when the time comes to walk the Camino across northern Spain ¢¦I¢ve been upping my mileage when walking around town but yesterday was a better test for the healing of the plantar fascia of my right foot. Walking on uneven ground, roots, rocks, and tons of slippery leaves covering everything gave it a good workout. There was a slight difference (a little less flexible) compared to my left foot which has never suffered an injury, but all in all (for an old gal), I was able to go 10 miles on the trails at Sweetwater Creek enjoying every step. It¢s cloudy and rain is on the way but we¢ll walk around town today between rain showers or head to the gym. This is my first attempt using iMovie to make a video. It¢s a practice video because I¢d like to record some small videos as we walk across Spain. We are planning and dreaming ...
Date: 2013-12-21
From: Home

To: Headed to Spain
Miles today: 0.0

Good morning, Lord. What can I give you that you don¢t already have? It sounds like buying a Christmas present for someone who has everything. But I can offer you a gift -- dedication to serving you by serving others, the desire to do your will every day of my life. Each day I want to be able to say ¢This day is yours, Lord.¢ I want to live it for you, in good times and bad. You have loved me first. I want to return your gift and love you. Amen. From Good Morning Lord by Joseph T. SullivanA Christmas version of Leonard Cohen¢s Hallelujah performed by Overton - watch it on youtube. It is beautiful.http://youtu.be/1pQVRyPGTEc If you would like to follow our pilgrimage on the Camino, I have a blog PrayerWalker and Stoney on the Camino and in the Spring a journal on the Camino de Santiago page.
Date: 2013-12-31
To: Remembering My Journey
Miles today: 0.0

As 2013 comes to a close, I'm thinking about all those who are planning to hike the Appalachian Trail in 2014. It's an exciting time for you as you plan and look forward to getting your feet on the trail. Happy Trails to the Class of 2014! "Take the breath of the new dawn and make it part of you. It will give you strength." ~ Hopi Blessing I'm really a novice when it comes to video and this is my first attempt at putting together a little 2013 memorial for my 415 miles on the Appalachian Trail.P.S. If anyone is planning to walk the Camino in 2014, maybe we'll see you "on the Way."PrayerWalker and Stoney on the Camino
Date: 2013-03-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I don't remember exactly when I started getting ready for the hike. Ten years ago I was interested, but I read Bill Bryson's book and decided I didn't want to do anything that challenging.For Lent last year I gave up icecream, and got my bicylce tuned up and did a little bit of riding in the woods. I liked the feeling of being more fit, but switched to walking which I enjoy more. As I increased miles I started to think about the AT again, and by August I went to REI and bought a pack and boots, told them I was doing the AT in March 2013 and bought what they recommended. Fitness was a major issue. I didn't have a schedule, just kept increasing mileage and adding weight, with the objective of being able to do 8-9 miles with a 30-35 lb pack on a daily basis. The thinking was, that will get me from shelter to shelter down in Georgia, and hopefully after a few weeks I can get into a better shape and lighten my pack a bit and do more.There are 53 miles of the AT in Connecticut, about a one hour drive for me, and I did most of it in a series of day hikes and two over-nighters, to include Bear Mountain which is the highest point in CT and Sage's Ravine, very scenic on the border of Mass and CT. I had issues with equipment and clothing, I had to get good and wet while wearing cotton before I was willing to look at synthetics. Numerous kindly souls met on the trail suggested I get trekking poles, which I now use regularly. By January this year I started practice hiking daily on the Menunkatuck and Mattabesett Trails locally, which are mostly trap rock and fairly steep in places. I started at 3 hours with 20 lbs, and worked it up to 5 hours with 35 lbs. For 5 hours, mileage varies between 8 and 12, depending on the terrain. I bought an Android smartphone with GPS, and use everytrail to track my trips. It doesn't do altitude very well but the mileage is accurate. I have tickets to leave for Springer Mountain on Wednesday, April 3rd, and will start the trail on the 6th. Meanwhile, I will be doing final practice hikes and going over my gear a few more times.