morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-14
From: Rod Hollow Shelter 

To: Snicker's Gap 
Miles today: 10.5

I woke up slow, with a pinched-up face like a cranky muppet. Coffee was in order before I could really communicate. Lucky for me, Jonathon helped me out with that. He was chatting with Hippie Long Stockings, a girl we had shared the shelter with the night before. She looked so clean and lively, I took her to be a section hiker, but soon found she is one of those who is truly called to the trail. She completed a thru-hike a few years ago, and is thru-hiking again this year, having started in February. She is hiking big miles, and taking lots of time off when she feels like it. For fun, she hiked a trail in winter, 500 miles long, which is so sparsely marked and maintained she had to crawl through barbed wire all the time. I sat and listened to her for two hours, transfixed. I am enjoying the hike, but I don't see myself making a lifestyle out of this.   It's intriguing to listen to those who do, and know everything about the trail. It's like an epic novel... You get ! something different out of it every time you read it.We started slow and got slower- due to the roller coaster. The section of trail I speak of is a set of rolling hills, not for the faint of heart either. Not such a big deal, it's like returning to Georgia. But oh man, it was hot and humid. We went up and down, stopping either on the tops or the bottoms, grumbling slightly or loudly. Virginia is not giving up without a fight! We stopped in to the shelter for lunch, and were scolded by hippie for complaining. This isn't hard, she said. I thought, yeah, if you're superwoman!We caught a nice view off of Bear's Den rocks, and scuttled down the hill to Snicker's Gap. There is a fantastic bar/restaurant there, serving a roast beef dinner you wouldn't believe. We ate so much, and drank a few beers, and realized we could no more hike than stand on our heads or speak Chinese. We came up with an idea...Our good friend Patty is to pick us up in Harper's Ferry tomorrow. Why don't we just hitch up there, and just give her a call in the morning, freshly showered and smiling. And so we did. A gentleman with the volunteer fire department took us all the way into town, and we were at the hotel by nightfall. We won't even be skipping any trail, as we'll just ask Patty to bring us back to here.That is just how great things work out just perfect sometimes.moxie
Date: 2004-07-21
From: Snicker's Gap 

To: Blackburn Hostel 
Miles today: 7.4

Let me first say-We haven't checked our email or the Journal in a week- if you wrote or are worried, don't be, we just stayed in Wash, D.C. for an extended weekend.And also, we will put an entry about DC soon, but I want to get this caught up for the trail stuff.Et autre, Thank you miss Patty Gaffney for being the incredible hostess and friend that you are, for taking such good care of us. I hope that I can repay the favor one day, and take you to a rock opera. Jesus Christ Superstar, perhaps?Hiking today was Hot and slow, but fun. We made it through the short miles in decent time, and caught a couple of nice views on the way. We decided to do a short day to ease ourselves back into hiking. And did we ever hit pay dirt! The hostel is a beautiful facility, with a caretaking family who cooked up a spaghetti dinner, complete with dessert. I can't believe our luck. This place has a solar shower that is Warm and nice clean bunks. I highly recommend it- all this for the cost of free (donations appreciated). You can't beat this!And so, tomorrow, Harper's ferry, for reals!thanks,moxie
Date: 2004-07-24
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Harper's Ferry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Well, I wish I could say I'm almost better, on the mend and I'm going to hike tomorrow, or the next day, or the next. But things in my knee's world are not good at all. It's still swollen twice it's normal size, and really feels like hell to walk on. I shouldn't feel surprised, since it got the full impact of me and my pack, with my leg completely folded up underneath me.So, the time is now to get moving. Since I can't at the moment, I'm going to get myself up to Duncannon, PA. It's 123 miles ahead and should give me 7-8 days to rest my knee. Jonathon will hike this expanse. Hopefully, when we meet up again, I'll be in good shape again. You know, Tip Top.But right now, you'd think someone left my cake out in the rain. I'm so frustrated I feel like throwing lawn darts, and everyone knows they're not readily available. So I'm just sitting here stewing and grumbling.It's the 25th now, and Jonathon will hike out today. If no updates get posted for a while, don't worry. I don't know who will have this email contraption. bye for now,moxie
Date: 2004-07-25
From: Harper's Ferry

To: Hillside Motel 
Miles today: 1.8

Yes, it's true, we actually walked all of a mile today. I maybe even walked three if you count in-town doings. I know this is no real accomplishment, but things are definitely starting to get better with my knee. I will still be skipping ahead (unless I feel really terrific tomorrow morning) and meet Jonathon in Duncannon. Jonathon stayed with me one more day, and he'll hike off tomorrow. He says he'll meet me in 5 days- which is pretty ambitious but I think he can do whatever he puts his mind to. We've spent so much time together these past few months, but I'm still going to miss him terribly, and I just wish I could hike!!! This section is supposed to be a piece of cake, too, I'll miss the "nice" parts of PA with these shenanigans. Ah well, more reason to come back and finish this up one day. Also, this forced inertia is getting to me. The soul is willing but the body is weak.What a poop.Well, the good knee news is the swelling has gone down a lot, and I can bend it about 60 degrees instead of 15. Still an obtuse angle, but I'm pleased. I'm feeling my hiking future is a little brighter now.Moxie Frankenknee
Date: 2004-07-26
From: Hillside Motel 

To: Crampton Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: overcast clouds

There hasn't been any hiking yet today.We're sitting at the Cindy Lee Restaurant in Maryland - right across the road from the Hillside Motel.Though right now the motel looks cute and harmless with a ma deer and two baby deer grazing at its side (no, wait - they were just scared off by one of the motel owner's progeny waving a towel around like an epileptic trying to direct planes on an airfield), it actually has the distinct honour of being in the Top Three of Worst Motels we've stayed at yet. And, trust me - there've been some doozies.Gloomy. Crumbling plaster. Smelly bathroom. Haunted television. Disintegrating curtains held on my only a few hooks. And all this is fine, really: for a $29 motel. Which is what our guidebook said it would be. But, at the window when we were checking in, the proprietor looked at us and in halting English said it'd be $55. Plus a $5 deposit for the key. Our guidebook is often wrong, and we come to expect it, really - afterall - the resources of the entire strip of country traversed by the trail must be almost impossible to keep up with. But an almost hundred percent mark-up in price is unheard of. Perhaps he took one look at us and our packs, and decided he could milk us for more.Ah.Bad motels on the AT.I'll spend more time on this subject some other day.Oh, by the way, remind me to mention my undead bee sting of yesterday some day...--------So, we hiked that day. And we pushed on past the nicely built Ed Garvey shelter, to the Crampton Gap shelter: our destination du jour.The going was slow - Moxie didn't want to push on too hard. But, close to the end of the day she was feeling fairly triumphant. The knee seemed to be doing pretty darn good.Somewhere along the way, I found a bag of GORP (Good Ole Raisins & Peanuts) someone had dropped on the ground. This is prime hiker food, so it was obviously an accident. I picked it up to toss it away later.And in the late day, at Gathland State Park, I stopped by the coke machine and took a look at that bag: it had the goodies in it, plus around 40 ants who must've crawled through a teeny pin-sized hole in the bag. So, I opened the bag and released the ants to their new home. Some didn't really want to leave. Can you blame them? That night me and Moxie had the shelter to ourselves (first time this has happened). We sprawled out and played gin rummy til the sun set and a little bit beyond. And then moths and other inquisitive insects kept getting drawn over by the attractive light being shed by our headlamps, so we stopped.And we went to sleep to the sound of a hard rain beginning to fall.-w
Date: 2004-07-27
From: Crampton Gap Shelter

To: Turner's Gap
Miles today: 7.0

Moxie woke up with her leg killing her.We were worried, though she said the obligatory and hopeful, "maybe it'll get better as the day goes on."It didn't.And we really didn't know what to do about it.The terrain under our feet was some of the easiest we've passed over yet, but the poor girl was having a really hard time.We decided to get off the trail and the next possible place and figure out what to do next.The next possible location was at Turner's Gap. Which is right by this cool little backcountry camping park that has free hot showers. We had to take advantage of that goodness.We easily caught a lift to Hagerstown from a girl who told us of the interesting crack problems that the area has. And she took us to the cheapest (but still nice) motel in the area: a Motel 6, right next to a shopping mall with a cinema.Score.I don't think we talked much about what we were going to do next... But we did have a great supper, and we watched Spider Man 2.Even with all that society-related goodness, we went to sleep feeling pretty down that night. Our dreams of doing the trail end-to-end with no major complications was getting shaken up a bit.- w
Date: 2004-07-28
From: Hagerstown, PA

To: Scranton, PA
Miles today: 0.0

What were we going to do?Well, it was obvious Moxie's knee needed more time to heal. And the time demand of the trail - to complete the trail by October 15th - was getting unreasonable. So, we thought we'd skip ahead a bit, and relax the pace a little.A bit, meaning, all of Pennsylvania.270 miles.And after summiting Katahdin, we can come back down and finish that section of trail.I was really hoping to not have to do that, but it seemed like the only reasonable course of action.So, we got a taxi to the Greyhound station, and bought some tickets to Strousburg, PA - a town that's right on the cusp of New Jersey.We had a surreal bus ride - the sole passengers on the Capitol Bus Line - in a steamy AC-less bus. The driver (who'd earlier got bafflingly angry with us for not coming over to communicate with him for some unknowable, arcane reason), blasted R&B music the entire time.After he found out we were hiking the AT, he seemed to like us a wee bit.Ah.Without further misadventure, we ended up in Scranton Pennsylvania - a place which any Harry Chapin fan can tell you is the place where, in the 70's - a transport truck careened out of control, killing the driver, and sending its cargo of 30,000 pounds of bananas in all directions.We caught a taxi ride to another dubious motel, and had late supper at one of those cool 50's era diners.We set the alarm for a 5:10 wakeup.Our bus was going to pull out before 7 AM.- w
Date: 2004-07-29
From: Scranton, PA

To: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Our cabbie was nice enough to pull into a Dunkin' Donuts so we could get some liquid energy. It was pre-dawn in Scranton, PA. I asked him if he knew the Harry Chapin song - the one I mentioned last entry about those 30,000 lb of bananas. His expression fell.It turns out that, at the time of that notorious accident, the cabbie had been dating the sister of the truck driver who was driving that truck - and who had died in the wreck. "She went crazy every time that damn song came on," he said. He couldn't understand why the live version was "so sadistic" - which is something I've thought of before.It's sardonic that Harry Chapin went on to die in a car accident.- And have a band end up writing a song about his death.Anyway, the cabbie said he admired Chapin and his works (both humanitarian and musical), but it's understandable how the uniqueness of his relationship to the people mentioned in that song could effect him in the way it did.It's a strange world.So, we got our bus out of town, and traveled through the misty morning to Delaware Water Gap.We managed to get an early check-in at the Ramada, and we slept.Later in the day, we commenced Project Let's-Figure-Out-What-To-Do-Next.This project involved going out for cocktails fairly late in the evening to an establishment that had just opened that night.The scotch didn't really help things, but it was fun to drink.- Whoa
Date: 2004-07-31
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Moxie's in New York City.It's kinda hard to believe. How strange it was to hike without her today...A very impressive thunderstorm has just closed in on the area. Stroboscopic lightning will flash, freezing in midfall the individual raindrops in the sheets of rain coming down outside the tent's window. The thunder booms on and on, rolling over the hills...Normally, I'd be eating this up and cheering it all on, but I'm feeling a little heavy hearted right now.Time to turn this off, and sprawl out in this tent that's feeling far too big.
Date: 2004-08-01
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Culvers Gap
Miles today: 17.9

So, after coffee and breakfast bars, I slopped the soggy tent into its bag, and it was time to hit the proverbial road. The terrain was immediately rocky and downright uncharitable. Like shark's teeth - connected to a hungry shark mouth. Me and Brood X were traveling together, and I was feeling like bad company - and that I was the one who shoulda been called "Brood". Or maybe "Woe". It was tough to get into the hiking and just enjoy the experience. I can't really remember much about this day just two days into the future - so, I guess not much happened of note. Except that I almost twisted my ankle around 4 times. And Broodex took a tumble at one point (I am so glad Moxie hadn't continued just to see if she could - this is killer terrain).We made it into culvers gap close to sunset. Gyp's Tavern had good hot food to offer, and some cheap beers. The bartender was sweet and gave us a freebie - she said she was glad to see some hikers actually stop and rest and have a couple beers, rather than eat and run. There wasn't time at that point to make the next shelter - it was rough terrain for night hiking - so we decided to spring for a motel. When conferring with the bartender about motel locations (I think they were both at least 2 miles away), a local guy at the bar said he'd be delighted to drive us down. We crashed out.And at 6 in the morning, the folks in the next room had a fantastic, dramatic shouting match. Many expletives and accusations were bandied about - all in thick Jersey accents.This didn't happen in the cheap motels in the south.
Date: 2004-08-02
From: Culvers Gap

To: High Point Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

Stopped in again at Gyp's for some morning grub. Which meant it was a late start of day for us. Specially with the walking back to the trailhead factored in.It was steamy, humid noon when we got into the woods. Highlights:- a five foot rat snake that Brood unwittingly walked immediately beside. it did the snake thing - like it was a badboy snake - like it was a snake with, say, poison-squirting fangs. it's head was up in the air, and its rattle-less tail was shaking a mighty shake. Brood kept slowly walking, and I had to get past, so I held out my hiking pole towards it, hoping to scare it off. - Snakestrike! It lashed out and bit the end of me pole! "Krikey!" I said. And, "You're alright, mate - you're alright."And then it was gone, five feet of slithering bad news disappearing in the woods.- more sinister terrain that tried its darned best to toss me to the ground and masticate away. - "trail magic" left at some waterless part of the trail by a do-gooding former thru-hiker. the water was timely and much appreciated. cuz me and Brood had just run dry.- the pavilion on Sunrise Mountain. met a section hiker - whose name I've already forgotten - who had a wealth of information to share not only about the immediately surrounding area, but also some places to hit up in Massachusetts. - The observation platform by the High Point Monument (which in itself looked pretty darn cool). If the air had been cleaner, I'd a been able to see NYC!- Red Efts (do a Google image search). I haven't seen these guys for a while, but they're starting to appear again. The mosquitoes came out in full force in the night, and attacked mercilessly. And I was beat from the day's hike, so I didn't bother setting up the still-soggy tent.So, the little bastards sucked my blood. Pints later, a thunderstorm moved in.Which made me glad that I hadn't set up the tent.And it also made the skeeters go away.Then, there was sleep.And that's the end of my story about the goings on of August 2nd.I hope this entry has been both entertaining and educational.If it hasn't, please feel free to ask for your money back when you pass by the ticket booth on your way out.- Evil Dr. Whoa
Date: 2004-08-04
From: Vernon, NJ

To: NYC
Miles today: 0.0

The next morning, I decided I wasn't going to take even one more step on the Appalachian Trail without Moxie. I said goodbye to Brood X, and made some phone calls, and then was soon hitching down the road into Warwick. There was a bus heading into NYC waiting in the center of town.Less than two hours later, I was in New York City, where I was trying to keep my arms flat against my sides when talking to people, so as to not offend with my hiker's underarm reek. And then I was reunited with Moxie by the Tower Records Store on Broadway, and then there was a shower to be had, and food, and subwayings about, and a whole lot of talking about a footpath that runs from Georgia to Maine.
Date: 2004-08-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I've fallen a bit silent since I bonked my knee, and I've thought many times about how to express my feelings. I have been through the gamut of feelings about it, really. First was the denial and levity, then the depression and frustration, and then finally acceptance. Such a small thing, but a huge consequence. It's nearly a month now since I hurt it, and still with a pack on, it's touchy. As much as leaving was never an option, it's time. It took a ton of pondering, but I'm ok with it now. The future, surprisingly, has solidified from a foggy crystal ball to a horoscope that seems to apply directly. As much as it was up in the air, it's falling into place so easily. Who knew?I have so much respect for everyone out there, and I admire deeply so many people we've met. It really takes a special type of person to do this long distance hiking thing well; I mean with a consistently positive attitude, open mind, and mental fortitude. I had one or more of these at a given time, but rarely all three... I am so grateful to Jonathon especially for getting me through a lot of rough stuff. I'm sure I'd have made it about 30 miles without him. I am sad to be missing the fall colors in Maine, the swimming holes everywhere, the views and Katahdin, of course.   This experience has been so extraordinary I have only begun to process it. I am thinking a lot about the words many a wise trail person said along the way, "The trail will always be there." So if that is true, I can always come back. I'm not a thru-hiker today, but I've come to love the journey and I'll take some more of it one day. Through this journal, I've gotten to connect with friends and family in new ways. I've been constantly surprised and delighted by the support we've gotten from unexpected people, and thanks for that. It makes me feel like we all did this together, a bit, like my Grandma was on the hike with me too. What a good feeling, and what good friends you are. Ah, my eyes are getting leaky. My heart is of two minds right now, and life is starting to move so fast. But I'm going to run to catch up, because it's heading for just the right place. It's just that place isn't on the AT right now. Moxie
Date: 2004-03-12
To: Willie's Appalachian Trail Webpage
Miles today: 0.0

Hello Everyone,Welcome to my Appalachian Trail website and thank you for visiting. I set this site up (with trailjournals help) to keep track of my 2004 thru hike. The fun begins March 23 and I am planning on taking around 4 months (hopefully) to complete the 2,174.1 mile walk from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in Maine.I have been planning this hike for at least 2 years now with my hiking partner Sam VerPalnck - you can view his website at verpls. We spent a good number of Database classes at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute wishing that we could start the trail the next day (I'm sure most of your minds would have been wandering during those lectures as well). Since we graduated in December I have been doing a lot of waiting and working out at the local YMCA. Well, the wait is just about over and I am getting really excited (and maybe a little nervous).I hope you all enjoy the site and check back often. I will try to update the site as often as possible with journal entries and pictures from the trail. I would like to thank Matt in Virginia who has offered to help keep the site up to date for your viewing pleasure. If you want to get in touch with me, fell free to leave a message in the Guest Book, send an email, or send mail - see prep page 4. See you on the trail.
Date: 2004-03-13
To: General Preparation
Miles today: 0.0

Like I said on Prep page 1, I have been preparing for this hike for about two years now. This included reading, gear research, brain picking, gear buying, and mental preparation.In the beginning I did a lot of reading. The book that started it all was "The Backpacker's Handbook, 2nd Edition" by Chris Townsend. If anything this book showed me that a long distance hike such as the AT was with in my reach. The second book that I read was "Long Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail" by Roland Mueser. Some of the information is this book is a little out dated but over all it contains a lot of great info about the AT. Next came "A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail" by Bill Bryson. This was a humorous and fun reading book that went more into the history of what you see on the AT.In addition to books I also did a lot of brain picking. I took every opportunity that I could to talk with other people who had hiked the AT. I would especially like to thank "Nemo", a 2003 AT hiker who worked at a local EMS store. She has been a huge help in deciding what equipment I needed. In addition to this she has really helped to ease my nerves by telling me what stuff I can expect on the trail.As far as mental preparation goes, I have been trying to tell as many people that I can that I am plan to hike that AT. Hopefully this will make it harder to have any thoughts about stopping.
Date: 2004-03-13
To: Physical Preparation
Miles today: 0.0

I really started to train for the hike at the beginning of January when I got a membership to the Parkside YMCA. Since then the YMCA has been my home 6 days a week from 8:00 am to 11:00 am. My weekly workouts consisted of 3 weight training days, 3 cardio days, and 1 rest day. My typically week was as follows:Monday: Chest and BackTuesday: CardioWednesday: LegsThursday: CardioFriday:Shoulders, Bi's, and Tri'sSaturday: CardioSunday: Rest At first my cardio days consisted of a 1/2 hour on either the treadmill or the bike and then a 1/2 hour on the stair climber. Starting mid February, I started to wear by loaded pack (w/o food) while on the stair climber. The last step has been to about 1 1/2 - 2 hours of cardio with pack bouncing between the treadmill and stair climber.For the most part I know that most of this really isn't going to do me much good, but hopefully it will make it a little easier at the beginning.