morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-08-19
From: Killington

To: North Woodstock, NH
Miles today: 80.0
Weather: clear sky

New Hampshire welcomed us with open skies. Not a drizzle, but a relentless deluge that caused our boots to make a terrible squishing noise as each step forced water out of the boot collar just to suck in another mouthful. squish...squish...squishI could feel the skin softening - wrinkling - blistering.One would think that by now, we would have been proven worthy to pass through to Maine, but that is not the way of the trail. There is always another series of challenges, each a little more difficult than the one before. To experience its greatest treasure, you must pass through the trial of the White Mountains.So, the test continue to mount. In recent days we've added to our fall counts. Mine an ungraceful slide down a slab in which my backpack took the brunt of the fall. Palomino's a much more dangerous fall off of a rock wall that she was scaling and into a eight foot ravine. We've seen people misstep on logs floating in muck and sink to their knees, hips and even waist. Not water, but mud that acted much more like quicksand trying to pull off boots before allowing exit. Fortunately, we balanced the logs.Still we plod on.We've mastered Mt Cube.We were awed by Mt Moosilauke.We were battered by Mt Kinsman.Now, we're trying to recover in North Woodstock knowing that the toughest is yet to come, and according to the forecast, it may come with more storms.Gone are the great days of 15 to 20 miles. Lately, it's been more like 8 or 10 miles a day, mostly because of the terrain. For months we've been hearing how grueling the Whites are, and I've found that this is one of the few situations that lives up to its legend. But, I have to admit, it's also my favorite. 360 degree views above tree lines to what looks like endless mountains.   Sometimes I stop for lunch on one of these summits and get lost in thought and beauty. It's always sad when I have to leave. It's truly a special place.One funny story. We hitched to town so that we could resupply at a grocery store. Drop Bear and I went in while Palomino stayed outside with our packs in a shopping cart. We looked completely homeless. Palomino, so thin now, sat there, tired, with a black eye, and head hung down. A lady, thinking that she was homeless (or on crack) came out and said. "Honey, I saw you when I went into the store and I bought you this sandwich." Ha! We ate that thing up too.I know that the real world is calling me back into it's fold. I'm watching the calendar and struggling to finish for my deadline. I'm hoping that after the Whites, I can pick up the pace for the 100 Mile Wilderness. But the forecast, days of rain, days above treelines, days of scrambling and rock climbing, who knows how this plays out. Yes, even out here there are some stresses.Wishing all of you kindness.
Date: 2015-09-01
From: The White Mountains

To: Rangely Maine
Miles today: 0.0

Phone signals and battery are hard to come by now, so haven't had a chance to update much. Maine feels to be the last great American wilderness. Still lots of climbs and these legs of mine are barely obeying orders to move. But, this may be the most beautiful section yet. They have ponds here that would be classified as big lakes back home, and the seem untouched by man, except when we take a swim to clean up. Moose populate the mountain sides, loons call out all night as well as other animals that I can't identify, so I just curl up in the cold nights and expect my fabric walls to protect me. Most people still on the trail are beaten, tired and looking forward to returning home. It's been great, but I think I fall into that category. Waking up in the same place, not putting on wet clothes, not filtering water, not having to eat another Cliff bar, not carrying everything I own on my back, all have some appeal. Still I will miss this, and still I have to finish this before I allow myself to think too much about reality.My friends, you've all been wonderful to me. Your support, text, and encouragement has helped fuel me on. I'll be back home late Sept or early Oct (still have to figure out how to get there) and will be so glad to see you all. Time to walk.
Date: 2015-09-12
From: Rangely Maine

To: Monson
Miles today: 100.0
Weather: light rain

Seems like reunion time on the trail as we've crossed paths with friends that we haven't seen in weeks and months. Some of our favorites, we've managed to run with for a day or a few. Mak & Cheese - love you guys. Papa Al, you're the best. Iron Lady - thanks for the coke hung from the tree with my name on it. No telling how many hikers passed it, heartbroken that it was tagged for me. Mainer - so cool running with you and your spare Platypus bottle probably saved my life. Out here, most usually have no clue what day of the week it is. Asking what day of the month is laughable. So, I had no clue that the 8th had rolled around. Palomino though, had kept track. So on the morning of the 8th, I'm sitting around groggy and trying to get my wits about me - a lot harder than you think without coffee, and Palomino surprises me with a birthday card made out of tree bark wrapped around a pack of Neccos candy. Now, you may be surprised that she could make a card out of bark, but I'm absolutely shocked that she'd had been able to hide the candy from me for weeks. "It's your birthday.", She beamed. "You can do anything that you'd like, so what would you like to do?""Hmmmm. Take a walk???" Was the only answer that I could think of since we were in the middle of nowhere. So we walked and had the most amazing day.Early we were reunited with an old friend, Sam I Am, who we hadn't seen since before Virginia. We were in a couple of his early videos documenting life on the trail. So good to see him again.Midday, we hit a pond (much more like a giant lake) that had a sandy beach. The temps were perfect and we swam until we shriveled up.Early afternoon, we picked up a food drop that we had arranged to be hidden in the woods a week before. It was like a treasure hunt finding our bucket, and I would have never guessed that we'd pick it up on the 8th. And inside, powdered donuts, a coke, Chuckles, a bag of Frito's and some crap that we needed to sustain life on. Sounds like a strange mix? It was perfect.Pushing for a few more miles we ran across another friend, unseen since New Hampshire, Red Pepper. He excitedly explained that he'd been carrying a bottle of FireBall for a month in hopes of running across me. I kind of doubted his timeline since it looked like the bottle was missing a few sips, but what the heck, it was nice of him to say. So we sat and caught up over a bottle before hiking on until we lost each other in the evening.Night finally engulfed us as we setup camp. I could have never imagined that I'd be on an adventure of a lifetime at this stage of my life. And thinking about it now, I think that I may have had my most perfect birthday ever.
Date: 2015-09-17
From: Monson

To: 100 mile wilderness
Miles today: 100.0

Found this pic of us looking homeless. And since I'm short on time and battery, posting an entry from my journal. What a treat, huh?-----Katahdin is just another high dirt and stone mound with a little rebar spread around. It's not the reason for the AT, rather just the last obstacle that must be conquered in order to complete the hike. I tell myself that, but I admit that it feels different.After walking for what at times seems like forever and at times seems like days, I realize that Katahdin means the end. The light at the end of the tunnel. It's the end of the adventure. It's the termination of my current life. It's the last signpost that directs back to the real world. It is the beacon that congratulates me on my pilgrimage.Months of adversity. Swollen knees. Twisted ankles. Crashing falls. Bogs. Storms. Blown away tents. Early stage starvation. Dehydrations. Rope burned hands from swollen river crossings. Nights of shivering in the cold. Countless cuts and scrapes and always bleeding somewhere. Damaged hopes. Lost friends.2000 miles of reflection. Realizations. Hating myself. Loving myself. Accepting others. Forgiving myself. Finding new friends. Helping others. Enjoying happiness in simplicity. Discovering amazing beauty in the world. Discovering even more amazing beauty in mankind.Today I laid eyes on that mountain for the first time. In a straight line, it was sixteen miles away, by trail around forty. It stood majestically, shrouded by clouds. It awaits my arrival. So even though I know it's just a mound of dirt and stone, it seems to mean so much more. I stood transfixed and gazed upon it with blurred vision as I realized that my dream is coming to an end. What was a beautiful dream is now destined to only be a memory. A bit of fear and trepidation began to seek footing in the depths of my soul as I felt reality tugging.And if you saw me at this moment it'd be easy to mistake the mist in my eyes for tears, but that can't be, because real men don't cry. At least not over mud, stone, and rebar. right?
Date: 2015-03-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

So here we go. I definitely fall into the category of thinking about and planning a thru hike in my mind for years then the actual opportunity falls into my lap just last week. All of a sudden what has been "someday" has become next month. I started hiking about 9 years ago when my wife and I moved to Colorado. I began to hike the 14ers (the 14,000'+ peaks in the state) that year and was quickly hooked. By 2009, I got to the point where some of the peaks I had left were backpack peaks; hiking into a basin, camping overnight and climbing/hiking out the next day. My first overnight was beside the truck in a parking lot, my second overnight was about 3 miles away from the car, my third overnight was into Chicago Basin.Chicago Basin is a place in SW Colorado where the train stops in the middle of nowhere, they throw your pack to you, and you camp 6 miles away. When you are done, you pack out, wait on the train, and get back to civilization. Needless to say it was a huge step up for me and I don't think I slept much during that trip.Fast forward to June of next year and a buddy of mine and I attempted Snowmass Mountain. That was the night that camping clicked for me. My gear worked, I slept well, and since then I have felt more comfortable living out of my pack.Since then, I have backpacked more, upgraded and changed gear, and grown in my enjoyment of living outside. Let this journey begin...
Date: 2015-03-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

I had to be in Denver this weekend, so a trip to REI was especially important. I love the flagship store in Denver not only because they seem to have almost everything, but also that they have the best staff. Almost everyone I encounter seems to want to talk gear as much as I do. A year and a half ago I spent several hours with my good friend Ahna in this store prior to her around the world in one bag trip. We shopped pack, pillows, stuff sacks, and other misc. goodies that I drool over.Today, she got to return the favor and help me confirm some gear choices. We ran into (Veronica I think) who had spent time on and off the trail in and around New Jersey. We talked sleeping pads and she convinced me that my non inflatable was a good choice. She relayed that our bodies will get used to sleeping on it, and the indestructibility is a big plus.I was encouraged that all of the tips she gave me I had already considered.
Date: 2015-03-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Most people probably have a similar story, but without the support of my wife, this dream would not be possible. She doesn't understand why I need or want to do this, but she understands that I need to do this and has graciously supported me.She has tolerated many of my crazy activities, and certainly has encouraged my adventurous nature. With her encouragement, we have begun to explore more of the world; something I never thought I would enjoy. I'm excited for her to visit me a few times while I am out on the trail.Thanks Em!!!
Date: 2015-03-22
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Trying to sort through my gear. On the one hand, without food or water, this pile of stuff comes in about 27lbs. After taking out what I would be wearing or carrying (poles, one set of clothes, hat, etc.) I come in around 24 lbs. Relatively manageable, but I still need to consider some things.I enjoy sorting through gear and thinking of the pros and cons, the tradeoffs, and the cascading effects of certain gear choices. For example, I made the decision for a closed cell foam pad. That was much tougher than it seems, as I have yet to have a good nights sleep on it. However, I have been told that I will get used to it, and it is a good 1lb lighter than my inflatable. Once I made that decision, I was also able to get rid of that portion of my repair kit.Another is water decisions. I am allergic to iodine (and certainly don't like the taste), so am leaning towards the Steripen. I have used filters in the past and like the filtering part, but overall the Steripen is about 8 oz lighter. However, to trade for that, I need a bottle with a mouth large enough to dip the pen into. For me that is a 0.75L Camelback (Nalgene) bottle that gives back 5oz. So only a net savings of 3 oz. Other areas that I fell a bit heavy are rain gear and hygiene. Right now in my rain gear I have a jacket and pants, pack cover, plus an umbrella. That 8 oz umbrella seems a bit of overkill, but it allows me to hike with my jacket unzipped and my hood down to stay more comfortable. Also, with the pack cover, my whole kit stays dry (no water dripping down my back). I may or may not ditch the umbrella.On personal hygiene, I know that I am starting out a bit strong. I am going to carry soap and a few bandanas, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, and a few other things to keep clean. Part of that is fear of the unknown, but on some other climbing trips I have been on, "self care" is really emphasized. Keeping my hands and body, and gear clean seems important to keep me healthy and happy; we'll see if that holds.Lastly, you might see in the picture that my camp shoes are 2lb Keen sandals. Very heavy for camp shoes, but I have really sensitive feet and want something that I can hike in if necessary. I imagine that for the first few weeks, I will swap between my hiking shoes and Keens many times during the day. Once my feet get tougher, I will probably ditch one.With less than two weeks to go, I am sure I'll revisit my gear plenty and add (hopefully not much) and subtract (fine).
Date: 2015-03-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

At some point the gear needs to go into the pack. This is always an interesting time for me. My pack is 50L which is probably middle of the road in terms of capacity. For ultralight hikers this is probably way too big but for me, 50L means that everything "should" fit but it will be tight. After weighing everything individually, trying to get it all in the pack is a trick. I put together a food list (more on that later this week) that should give me 3-4 days of food, and have it in the food bag. First packing was OK; everything fit but the pack didn't really want to close. I thought maybe my tent would have to go on the outside, but went at it a second time with two compression sacks.I read some opinions that say the best way to pack a pack is just to stuff your bag, tent, and clothes in loose and let it fill every corner and compress. Every time I have tried that, I end up with an overfull pack. So after the first attempt, I put my sleeping bag and jacket in one compression stuff sack, and my clothes in another. After cinching them both down, I gained about 3-4 inches on the top of my pack. Compression sacks it is.With 7.5 lbs of food, my packed load is about 33 lbs (bouncy fish scale), which means that the misc. things that have crept into my pack have my base weight still around 26 lbs. So my starting weight with about 1L of water should have me somewhere around 36 lbs. Feels Heavy.
Date: 2015-03-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

The question that every hiker probably gets and a tough one to answer, "Why are you doing this?"I think to answer why there needs to be a distinction in the question:Why do you like to hike? --- this is the easy oneWhat are you hoping to accomplish? ---- not too badWhat are you walking away from? ----- tougherThe easy one. I have always been fascinated by trails; where do they go, how far do you have to walk to get "there", etc. and the way to find out is by walking down them. Around every corner over any hill I am always wondering what is around/over the next one. I also really love how a trail recedes into the distance, (especially in the mountains) you can follow it a ways with your eyes, then you are left with your ultimate destination far enough away that you cannot see the path, but you know/suspect it is there and with each step, more of the path is revealed. The photo is a good example, you can trace the trail for a ways, but then it is out of sight. But I know that ultimately it will put me on top of the mountain in the distance. It seems so far away, so inhospitable, but with every step the trail reveals weaknesses in the mountain that are opportunities to stand on the summit. As my signature indicates, I love what is unseen and around the corner or over the hill.The second one gets a little philosophical. Beyond the obvious physical, there are a lot of things that I want to challenge about myself. I tend to live very much in the future. For example, I want to have hotel reservations for every night of a vacation, I tend not to stay up late because I am too worried about how tired I will be the next day, etc. I think and hope that the time on the trail will encourage me to live in the now and not worry about walking into a town with no sleeping arrangements for example. (Right know I am panicking about whether I should make a reservation for a town that might be 3 weeks down the trail.) This is one reason I am resisting mail drops. I want to learn flexibility and adaptability that I can bring back home to my family and friends.The last one gets a lot more personal. Other than to say I am not walking away from my wife or our marriage, I will leave the last question for another time.
Date: 2015-04-01
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

So here it is; the near final list of gear, with the approximate weight (oz) next to it. The ones with the asterisk will be "out of the pack" weight, at least for some of the overall weight.When I sum it up, it equates to 27.4lbs total; 24.25lbs in the pack so there is something that I don't have listed that is in my pack. Probably compression sacks and sandwich bags, etc.Atmos 50 L (52.40 )Osprey Pack Cover (4.40) Trash Compactor Bag (2.10) Golight Umbrella (8.10) Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 (59.65)Thermarest Z Lite (non-inflatable) (10.75) Thermarest Anteris sleeping bag (37.20)Cocoon Travel Pillow (Inflatable) (4.00)Fleece Stuff Sack (Large) (2.45)*Tommy John Athletic Boxer Briefs (7.10)*Average Weight T-Shirts (11.00) Injinji Ankle Socks (2.30) *Darn Tough Hiking Socks (4.20)Icebreaker L/S Sleep Shirt (9.05)Long Underwear Bottoms (5.00)Running Shorts        (4.15)Patagonia Nano Puff Hoodie (13.85)*Hiking Shorts (8.85)Hiking Pants (10.35) Keen Arroyo Sandals (27.95) Blue Fleece Hat        (1.75)Green Buff (1.85)Black Lightweight Gloves (1.55) Super Mica Rain Jacket (10.00) REI Rain Pants (10.00) *Baseball Cap (3.50)*Sunglasses (1.00) Soto Windmaster Stove        (3.05)Fuel Canister (8 oz net wt) (11.70) Fuel Support (0.95)Titanium Cooking Pot w/lid (5.65) Titanium Cup (1.50) Plastic Spoon (0.40) Camp Spatula (0.60) Steripen (4.50) Camelback 0.75 L Bottle with cap (5.45)1L Water Bladder (0.80) 3L Water Bladder (2.95) Toothbrush (0.70) Wilderness Wash (2.20) Full, single roll of TP (4.15) Travel Sized package of Wet Wipes (x15) (2.60) Full Bottle of Purell (1.5 fl oz) (1.35) Orange Pack Towel (smaller) (0.95) Travel Toothpaste (0.75) Trial Deodorant        (1.75) Dental Floss (1.40) Pill Kit (Advil, pm, vitamins, A/D) (6.30) 1" Width Brown Tape (1.40) First Aid / Repair Kit (6.85) Camp Shovel (1.95) Gold Bond Powder (1.45)Body Glide (2.45)Bandana and extra towel (1.75)Medium Caribiners (1.06) Average weight stuff sack (1.25) Flashlight (1.80) BD Cosmo Headlamp w/ Batteries (3.20) Knife/Clippers/Tweezers + Case        (3.15) Keychain Thermometer and Compass (0.35) Hiking Pen (0.65)Paper Journal (1.40) Average length of 3-4 mm cord        (1.95) *Newer Red Trekking Poles (20.35) *IPhone w/ headphones        (4.40) Gorillapod (2.30) Mophie and power cords (6.40)
Date: 2015-04-02
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Well, I guess most all of us get to this point sometime before we start the trail, but today was my last day at work. Last night I grabbed a beer with some of the folks I work with. We have been a great team, and it was/is with mixed emotions that I am leaving.It is hard to reconcile a job that I really love, great relationships with the team, but knowing that I need to be somewhere else right now.Today was a bit surreal, my inbox ended up at zero, no meetings, and ultimately handing my employee ID over on my way out. Mumbled responses to people in the elevator saying, " see you next week". To that extent, it still feels like a weekend or a vacation.My wife and I leave for Atlanta tomorrow. I'm amazed at how big my luggage looks; how is it all going to fit on my back?
Date: 2015-04-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

We arrived in Atlanta this morning, and are currently in Dahlonega. Walked around the town a bit. Tomorrow we'll head over to Amicalola Falls State Park and do a bit of hiking on the approach trail together. We will also likely drive around to the back of Springer so I may get my first mile in tomorrow versus Sunday.It has happened before, but amazing to me that my gear won't fit into my suitcase, but it will fit into my pack. Also that my suitcase weighs so much at the airport. Maybe the scales are heavy to get more fees?
Date: 2015-04-04
From: Springer Mountain

To: Big Stamp Gap
Miles today: 1.0
Weather: light snow

The obligatory starting shot.Emily and I went over to Amicalola Falls State Park this morning. I registered as hiker #989 starting from Springer. We walked up the trail/stairs to the falls which are the largest falls east of the Mississippi. We met a few thru hikers, if they are taking it easy today I should see them tomorrow.We then drove around to Big Stamp Gap and hiked backwards to the top of Springer, hung out for a few minutes and then officially walked the first mile of the trail. It was good trail, a bit wet and mushy in parts. Pretty quickly we were back at the car. Although my pack wasn't completely full, it felt good.We are back in Dahlonega now, will have a last dinner, then back to the gap tomorrow to continue. For a while now it was "start" and now it is "continue".
Date: 2015-04-05
From: Big Stamp Gap

To: Hawk Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.1
Weather: overcast clouds

The first full day of hiking. Emily dropped me off again at the parking lot for Springer at around 7:45 am. Since she had a flight to catch, the goodbye was brief and seemed brief. The trail today was mostly downhill and pretty easy walking. I was surprised to see some lush bushes/trees in the lower sections. There was some great trail magic at Three Forks, I snacked on some candy bars and water. I arrived at Hawk Mountain shelter around 11:30 am. Given all the advice to take it easy, I decided to stay overnight. I grabbed a spot on the lower level of the shelter.Before too long, more hikers showed up, ultimately 5 + 5 on each level and maybe another dozen tents. I had my mac and cheese for an early dinner, and turned in early too. Pretty boring hanging out at a shelter for 7 hrs waiting on darkness. By the time the sun went down it was a regular party. Glad to have earplugs. Rain in the forecast for tomorrow.