morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-01-04
To: In Closing
Miles today: 0.0

There it is, a catalogue of my entire AT journey. 93 entries over six months and two days of pain, frustration, joy, and freedom. It's currently the fourth day of 2016. If you can't tell reading through, I stopped updating my online journal from the trail somewhere around the midpoint of the AT in Pennsylvania. I feel bad, but as my daily mileages got higher and I often hiked right up to dusk, it just became too much of a time and energy commitment to get onto my phone and update everyone here. After stopping for the night I usually had time just to set up my tent, slather on some bug spray, hang a bear line, and cook some dinner before it was "hiker midnight" and the day's exhaustion had me crawling into my tent.What I did do however, was more or less religiously keep a paper journal. I would pull it out from my pack during a lunch break or while dinner was cooking and jot down an entry. Where I started the day, where I ended, points of interest or funny stories from the day. A lot of personal doubt and frustration.And so now, three months after climbing Katahdin, I've finally finished transferring the highlights over for your enjoyment and reference. I've also included some of the photos I took on the camera that I traded my travel guitar out for in Shenandoah NP.While I feel really bad about leaving my earlier followers hanging, my main motivation for going back and finishing this journal was so that others planning their AT or other long hike can have a source of information about what to expect. I personally spent about half a year on Trailjournals.com (and many other websites) starting in 2015 when the idea of hiking the trail worked its way into my mind. Some of my favorites were the trail journals of "3D", "BonBon", and "Affirm". Those three hikers truly made my preparation for the trail easier, and helped move my thru hike from a day dream to a sweaty, awesome reality.So thank you for following along. Please feel free to leave a guestbook comment if you have any questions that I can answer or if I can provide any advice. Also feel free to check out my full album of AT pictures at flic.kr/s/aHskK1W1BY
Date: 2016-03-22
From: Greenville, SC

To: Springer Mountain 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Old Frank said it best when he sang "Regrets, I've had a fewBut then again, too few to mentionI did what I had to doAnd saw it through without exemptionI planned each charted courseEach careful step along the bywayAnd more, much more than thisI'll hike it my way"; Ok, so I made the last line up, sue me!!! Just Kidding don't do that I'm poor. So!!! The time is drawing nigh my last day at Best Buy is this Friday pretty crazy. I can't wait for this hike to start for the most part I have all my gear. It's really about the little things now. My friends are throwing a pre trail party for me and I'm looking forward to be with everyone before I head out on this new adventure.
Date: 2016-04-01
From: Springer Mountain 

To: Cumming, GA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, my departure time is rapidly approaching. Saturday April 2nd is my launch day. Most of you know that I'm headed out for a journey of a lifetime by hiking Appalachian Trail in its entirety, all 2189 miles of it. I'm very thankful I have this opportunity, most people sit at work only ever dreaming of something like this. I understand most people will think I'm crazy for leaving my family, friends, and my job behind but after losing my wife Christa Ryerson on Christmas Eve 2014 I've come to realize something, this life is but a blink of an eye, here today gone tomorrow. Life is to precious to waste on daily grid. Living my life like each day is my last is my intention. This hike is something I've wanted to do after reading "A walk in the woods" by Bill Bryson...so I'm doing it.Sidenote: for those who are wondering why my Facebook post is also in here, it's because other hikers who use this journal website can read this journal as well. Thanks
Date: 2016-04-11
From: Trey Mountain Shelter

To: Top of Georgia Hostel 
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: moderate rain

4/11 - Today was a long day for me mostly down hill which is killer on my bum knee and one brutal up hill. I met a lot of awesome people last night at Trey Mountain Shelter twinke, daddy long legs, metaphor and more I just can't remember their names yet. I hiked to Dicks Creek Gap where I booked a bunkroom at Top of Georgia Hostel. I met up with people that Anthony and I had made friends with Seltzer, and Nila where they were taking a couple of zeros to heal up. The others Slice and Kodak(Anthony gave this kid his trail name due to the fact he had camera gear out the wazoo and he was constantly taking our picture: without permission lol) were staying in Hiawassee and I didn't get to see them but I heard from Seltzer that Kodak who was sporting a 55lb pack got a shack down at the outfitters and is now down to 37lbs good for him that may just save his hike. I met a ton of people at the hostel a guy called Blisters was recouping due to having blisters on every square inch of the bottoms of both feet. A girl from Texas named Casey Jones I asked her if it had to due wirh Grateful Dead song or the Ninja Turtles but I knew from her lip piercings and blue hair it was probably the Grateful Dead...I was right. I would like to stay at that hostel again it was nice.
Date: 2016-04-12
From: Dicks Creek Gap

To: Plumorchard Gap 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

4/12 - Walked from Dicks Creek Gap to Plumorchard Gap Shelter it was a short day a little less than 5 miles. I needed a short day after putting in a lot yesterday. I got a free ride from the Hostel to the trail head from "Sam Don't Give A Damn" who gave Anthony and I a ride into Blairsville a week ago he remember me and started to tell me the same story that he told us 2 times on the way into town and 1 times on the way back. God Bless him. Well this is the first shelter I signed into on my thru hike. I met more people today a guy named Marty McFly he was drinking a bottle of Evan Williams like it was water, not sure if he's going to make it if he drinks like that every night. Metaphor is here again and I learned he's former Navy and and had to quit due to drugs...not sure if he means dishonorable discharge but hey judge not right? I met a lady named Trail Mix who is an older lady but still acts young anyway she's from Illinois and just moved to Vermont because her sister wanted to go there and she hated her job so she quit and moved 2 weeks later she decided to hike the AT. A guy named poler bear and twinke were taking about Carolina Panthers around the fire tonight made me think of my oldest friend Victor, they're both from Charlotte and were complaining about the miserable Super Bowl. When I told them I was a Detroit Lions fan they laughed and said "I thought we had something to complain about" Anyway I've realized I need to journal more, so from here on out every night before bed I'll write my journal and try to remember everything that happens.
Date: 2016-04-13
From: Plumorchard Gap 

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter 
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: broken clouds

4/13 - Today wasn't at all what I expected. I started off by heading out of Plumorchard Gap shelter by 930am and started north bound, the first person I see is Metaphor...hiking past me at an incredible rate as he flew by I hear "Walked 2 and a half miles in the wrong direction!!!, so I ate a snickers and now I'm no longer pissed about it" lol. Today I got to check a state off my list goodbye Georgia 13 more states to go. 8ish miles later I camp at Muskrat Creek Shelter there isn't a lot of people here yet but there was two horses a dog and about 4 state rescue policeman with a man who was just saved after two days of no food and who fell off the side of the AT. Glad they found him. People started to roll in after the rescue team was getting ready to leave, most people I've meet before and have talked in this journal everyone wanted details so I was telling the story like 10 times. After dinner and campfire I'm off to bed good night.
Date: 2016-04-14
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter 

To: Carter Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

4/14 - Today I hiked from Muskrat Creek Shelter to Carter Gap Shelter just over 12 miles. It was a beautiful day in the woods, I stopped for a break after reaching my goal of 4 miles in 2 hours and immediately took my boots off and let my feet breathe. There was 2 men sitting in the shade and one was on the phone with it sounded like the hospital so I started to ease drop and his throat was closing or he said he was having a hard time breathing I asked his friend if he had any Benadryl and he said they didn't gave any so I offered him some and he told me not to worry about it...I guess it must not have been that important. After about 45 minutes I laced up my boots and hit the path again, Standing Indian Mountain is unbelievable it stands over 5400 feet high and the climb/decent is not that bad. I walked about 5 miles and stopped again for a shorter 25 minutes rest and snack. Potatos(from Germany), Blisters, and NTL(never to late) with his dog Hiccup were handing out in the same spot. We all just sat around and small talked while rubbing our feet and nursing wounds, you do that a lot out here. After I started walking again I caught up with Tortoise and learned he was from Greer not to far from Greenville. Finally arriving to camp I hiked a little over 12 miles in 7 hours. After making camp I was eating with a bunch of people around a campfire which we call Caveman TV now thanks to NTL and found out that Potatos is turning 24 on Saturday and wanting to have a party in Franklin NC so we're going to push 12ish miles tomorrow and will only have 4 to go so we get into town early on Saturday so that he can have his first birthday party in the states. After food and warming up I headed off to journal and sleep.
Date: 2016-04-15
From: Carter Gap Shelter 

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

4/15 - Today I hiked from Carter Gap Shelter to Rock Gap Shelter with is 12.1 miles. Today was a big day, I passed the 100 mile club! I got a chance to climb up to a Fire Watch tower, it was hand over hand climbing at some points but the view from the tower was worth the climb. Tomorrow we're waking up early so we can get to Franklin, NC early and catch a shuttle from Winding Stair Gap.
Date: 2016-04-16
From: Rock Gap Shelter 

To: Franklin NC
Miles today: 3.7

4/16 - So staying in the Rock Gap shelter was a horrible mistake, 1 snoring people, 2 mice running over my body, and 3 the angle of the floor was like a tilt table...never again. Ok so now that I've complained the morning turned out to be awesome, Potatos, NTL with his dog Hiccup, Mclovin, and myself all got an early start and hiked the 3.7 miles into Winding Stair Gap to catch a shuttle to Franklin, we waited for a bit and decided to try hitching a ride instead. It took about 10 minutes before someone in a truck told us to climb in and hold on...the scenery was amazing unlike anything I've seen yet. She dropped us off at a Bojangles for breakfast I didn't complain I made my monster biscuit and devoured it. NTL and Hiccup were getting off the trail and getting a free ride from a friend back to Indiana.(going to miss that guy he was awesome) The place we were staying was across town about 3 miles so we started walking and a lady in a BMW SUV pulled over and told us to get in and started asking the usual stuff, she sold Real estate and told us about the town very nice lady. She dropped us off where we needed to go which was the budget inn and across the street is where I stayed in a place called the penny pincher hiker Den. Great place for the price $40 for a single room all to myself. SLEEP!!! After a nap I went to a brewery called the Lazy Hiker Brewery, very cool spot and good beer. After getting supplies at dollar general and ingles I set off back to the room. I went to a free hiker party with food and beer and had a great time meeting new people. Bedtime thank God.
Date: 2016-04-17
From: Franklin NC

To: Franklin NC
Miles today: 0.0

4/17 - Sleeping in my own bed without people around me snoring their brains out was refreshing I slept about 9 hours which is by far the most I've had since I left Greenville. I didn't do a lot to be honest but that was by design. For lunch Potatos and Blisters who recently got a new name (Twisted) because it wasn't just blisters holding him off the trail it was sprained ankle and a stye in his right eye, poor kid. Anyway, we went to a place called Motor City Cafe it reminded me of Johnny Rockets. I ordered a special hamburger that had everything it, it was huge I could only eat half of this thing. After that took a nap for 2 more hours, woke up resupplied in town and sat outside almost the whole rest of the day talking with fellow hikers about life on the trail. That night we made a short trip to a sports bar called Mulligans because Potatos wanted to go to one for the first time and I wanted to see the Detroit Redwings play in their 3rd playoff game and I think they won but are still down 2-1. Time for bed tomorrow I hit the trail again.
Date: 2016-04-18
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Wayah Bald Campsite 
Miles today: 11.0

4/18 - This morning I went to breakfast at 930 with Potatos and Twisted because I was planning on leaving on the 11 o'clock shuttle. After eating a huge breakfast I left The Budget Inn Ron Harper owner and operator of both the Budget Inn and the Penny Pincher Hiker Den (he's a nice man) drove us to Winding Stair Gap where I left off and started walking. I hiked 11 miles today and I got to a different fire tower view and again it was amazing. Meet a couple Peril and Trillium very cool people she's visiting I'm for a few day and then flying back home.
Date: 2016-04-19
From: Wayah Bald Campsite 

To: Wesser Bald Shelter 
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

4/19 - Made some hot trail coffee this morning for the first time in a while, it was black and it was hot so...today I'm hiking to Wesser Bald Shelter which is another long day of hiking 11 miles. I've listened to Harry Potter audio books for the last 2 days and I already finished the 2nd book Chamber of Secrets and started the 3rd Prisoner of Azkaban. I'm the first one to arrive at Wesser and pick the best tent spot about 20 minutes later others started to arrive. It's crazy of few compared to how many are still out here. Peril and Trillium join me for dinner and we talk about how cool it is that she came out here to hike with her boyfriend. She asks me if I had a girl back home and I tell her about Christa. Good night for now.
Date: 2016-04-20
From: Wesser Bald Shelter 

To: NOC
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: scattered clouds

4/20 - Today I hiked from Wesser Bald Shelter to NOC which is about 7 miles but the down hill going into the NOC was brutal on my knee, nothing a little Alive wouldn't fix. I talked to a guy in Franklin about a free campsite here and couldn't find it to save my life. I was getting ready to book a room at the hostel when a familiar face came running up to me, it was Nilla! she told me there was free camping and since she was headed there anyway to follow her and she would show me where it was. After setting up my tent and settling down I went to take a shower and low and behold... The shower was $.25 per minute, I put a $1.25 in coin machine and warm water came out for 5 minutes. The structure that the showers were in was made of wood and full of holes... I didn't care at all, it weirdest shower I've ever taken so far but it was great none the less. After showering I did laundry and while waiting bought a six pack of calories(beer) and downed two before I thought, I probably need to eat before I drink another one. After my clothes were done I dropped all my stuff of at the tent and Nilla and I went back into the little village where they have a general store, 2 restaurants, outfitter, and a activity center for white water rafting and kayaking. We set foot into the restaurant and my hunger kicked in pretty good didn't realize how hungry I was, I set my eyes on The Tail of the Dragon a hamburger with fresh jalape±os and a homemade spicy ranch sauce and fries, it was so good. After eating we set off the campsite again while it was semi light out still and we noticed someone else setup camp next to my tent, more the merrier. We stayed out until 930 ish to meet this person but they never showed time for bed.
Date: 2016-04-23
From: NOC

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: scattered clouds

4/23 - Time to start hiking again. From the NOC we hike 7 miles to another Sassafras Gap Shelter. 3000 ft up in less than 6 miles, made me re-bandage my ankles due to the beginning of blisters. Tent was setup first then food was being made I realized very quickly that I lost my spork so after eating my Ramon Noodles with nothing I started whittling a spoon out of a down tree that seemed like hard wood. I'll let you know how it turns out tomorrow.
Date: 2016-04-24
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Not Sure
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

4/24 - Woke up early due to sleeping conditions, not all shelters have good tent sites some are very sloped, this was one of those campsites. Was planning on going to Brown a Fork Shelter to day which would have been 9 miles but decided to push past that for the 12 mile mark to insert name of gap. Very tired, my feet are killing me, and I couldn't be happier. Saw a lady quit today she and her friend had been planning this for over a year and she had her daughter pick her up at the gap where the road intersected with the trail, now it's just one lady named Susan she's kinda sad that her friend left her but she did say she feels a little more free and can go further now. Good for her. Met an 18 year old kid that hikes 20+ miles per day his name is Frozen Taters(he doesn't carry a stove and eats everything cold). I tried this for a week and it sucked. His brother hiked the trail last year after high school and now it was his turn. Nilla turned in early a lot earlier than she normally does. Met a guy named Thor but the funny thing is that's his real name everyone thought it was his trail name and after talking about it we concluded that a trail name is pointless when your real name is freaking Thor. Another guy at the campsites name was Living Proof he was diagnosed with brain cancer and had a tumor removed had a huge scar on his head. Last year he started hiking the trail and not 5 miles from where we stood last year he fell and broke his arm on a steep decent, he restarted the trail and was just passing the spot where his accident was a year ago. Crazy stories out here every day I love it.. I'm going into Fontana tomorrow it's 10 miles. Goodnight
Date: 2016-04-25
From: Not Sure

To: Fontana Resort / NC28
Miles today: 9.0

4/25 - This morning we planning on hiking into the Fontana Resort Lodge making good time from the NOC to Fontana in just two and half days. So from Cody Gap to Fontana NC 28 is 9 miles mostly down hill though which for me downs are the worst on my knee. About 1 mile from the NC 28 crossing into Fontana I've never been so beat up in my life, I couldn't walk another step. My feet were shredded, my knee felt like it was coming undone, and I was completely gassed, and that's when I heard Christa telling me to get up, stop mopping, and get to steppin. It was like she was in my head, I heard it as plain as day. It was so real I cried for the first time in a while. So, when I was done feeling sorry for myself, I laughed, I picked my 36lb pack up, and slung it over my shoulders; Strapped in and headed north. Getting to the lodge was great met up with Thor and he asked me if I wanted to split a room with him so naturally I said yes, and I'm glad I did Thor is a very cool guy someone who after a few minutes of talking with him felt like we had been friends for a long time. That night I had dinner with Thor, Nilla, Casey and Kate a couple that stayed at Cody Gap with us. Casey is from Oklahoma he's a pretty crazy dude,fun loving, care free, and in his late 20's ish. Kate is a surgical nurse who quit her job knowing that she will immediately get hired at another hospital whenever she wants to go back to work I'm not sure where's she from but they met out here on the trail and they seem to be having a blast together, good for them. Sleep hit me like a truck, Goodnight.
Date: 2016-04-26
From: Fontana Resort / NC28

To: Birch Spring Gap
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

4/26 - Morning came quick but I felt refreshed and clean so it was perfect. Breakfast was amazing I ate something called Hillbilly Eggs Benedict (2 biscuits as a base layer with a lot of sausage gravy poured over the top, 2 sausage patties on top of the biscuits, then 2 eggs over medium over the sausage) I could eat this every day of my life. Thor and Nilla got the same thing as me and Susan who also ate breakfast with us got something else. As we all ate breakfast we talked about our plans for the day and Nilla broke the news that she got a call last night that her 12 year old brother wants to get off the trail, her brother and father are ahead of us almost out of the Smokies. This morning she's planning on jumping ahead to meet up with them to talk her brother out of quitting. Thor is taking he's 2nd zero so he's staying to heal up a little bit. He is experiencing numbness in his right leg from his knee to his foot and the blister he got from yesterday's down is pretty bad looking. Susan and I talked about buying food at the resupply in Fontana and shopping to a lady that will deliver the food at whatever time you setup that way we don't have to carry 8 days worth of food at one time, saving our backs from 8+ lbs of food, so we did that. After getting all the stuff squared away we said our goodbyes then got on the shuttle and headed back to the trail. Today was rough all up hill but got to climb a fire tower that was open at the top but to be honest probably should be closed and torn down its not 100% safe but I climbed to the top anyway. Got to Birch Spring Gap 8ish miles for the day it's straight up and we started late around 130. Susan I got to know a little better she's divorced and remarried her kids live with their father in Greenville SC but she lives in NC. I asked her how her husband felt about her being out here alone but if you read my Cody Gap entry she wasn't alone until her friend quit. She said he's very supportive about her being out here, I don't know how I'd feel about it probably not very supportive lol. Anyway got to camp and ate my dinner and got ready for bed. Goodnight.
Date: 2016-04-28
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

4/28 - Spence Field Shelter to Silers Bald Shelter 12 mile day. Met a guy named Hollywood from Plymouth Mass today seemed like a cool dude. I mentioned that I was running low on propane and he let me use his can of gas to cook my food on. So...Shelter life isn't at all fun so slept in my tent because I can't stand sleeping in Shelters because of all the noise, farting, snoring, and all the damn mice that run around. I don't know if I've mentioned this before but in the Smokies if there's room you have to sleep in the shelters due to bear activity so needless to say I haven't slept very much. While eating my dinner 2 deer ran into our camping area and proceeded to eat grass right next to my tent. I have a short video to prove it.