morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-04-20
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I forgot to mention the rest of my gear saga. I bought a new nalgene bladder. Two actually. The first one I ordered got here and had the bigger fill hole. Didn't like it. My filter attached to my current bladder for easy fill. Apparently, I can't read too well and didn't notice the one I ordered was different. I found another company that had the one I wanted. Got it home and filled it with water and gave it a squeeze - water started coming out the filler hole. No matter how hard I turned the cap - still leaked. More swearing. I ended up just taking the tube off the new one and putting it on my old one. Cleaned it real good and we are back in business. I finally got my drop boxes all set. Well, all but the 7th one. I put most of the required items in it, but will let the SQ pick out the food menu. Let her creative side go to town.Took the new pack out for a spin. Love it. Unpacked everything into boxes. Everything, but my clothing and boots was shipped down to GA. The UPS store packed my pack for me. Told the guy that one of the boxes contained the fuel (iso/butane) - not happening. Apparently, UPS will not ship. We ended up having to open the box and remove it. Of course, I didn't believe him. After I left the UPS store, I stopped at the post office. They will send it, but it has to go parcel post. OK - so if I can't send them UPS - I can still send them. When I got home, I got on-line and looked it up on the UPS website. Didn't really get the answer, but found a number. Apparently, the guy was right. Unless you have a contract to ship hazardous material with them - no can do. Those boxes should be arriving in GA tomorrow. I packed up the fuel and got it in the mail today. I should be there before I am ready to head to Erwin.Mailed 2 of my drop boxes - and left instructions for the SQ to mail the rest over the next few weeks. Hopefully, everything makes it where it is supposed to go.I mentioned in my journal about running into a woman while out testing my back and it ended up that she was in my spinning class. Well, the wierdest thing happened. While I was out running errands the next day - I ran into her again. I walk out of a Pannera's and there she is. Three days in a row. On Friday, I met some KB friends for breakfast. And, I am sitting at the table and all of a sudden - Cynthia is at the counter and says "is that you". Pretty funny. I never seen her out and run into her 4 days in a row. She thought maybe that meant we were supposed to be friends. Maybe. It is one of those signs. Spent the last three days visiting people, doing yard work so that the SQ doesn't have to do it all. We went birding (nothing of interest) and will be heading out to bird again tomorrow. Then it is off to GA. Time sure does fly.
Date: 2009-04-26
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

The SQ and I spent our last day together birding. There is a really great Vegan restrauant in Greenfield that we like to road trip too. We were all excited about fried tofu, but it was closed. Bummer. So, we ended up at a Greek place. Food was yummy, but I did have my heart set on the tofu. We went birding down at Barton's Cove and saw some good birds. There were some other birders there taking in the sights. There were some grebes and a lone Caspian Tern. We hadn't seen one of those since around 1998. It was fitting to see a special bird on our last day together.3 am came very early. My flight was late leaving Albany, but in the long run it didn't matter. I ended up in Atlanta a half hour early. Pretty mundane flight which is what you want I guess.   Made it to the homestead by 3.The weather here in GA is much better than up in Mass. It was in the 90's yesterday.   Haven't really done much since I got here. Spending time with the family, the many dogs, and the very cute nephew. He is getting so big. I am glad to be able to spend some time with him while he is still this young.Had to go out and get another pair of smartwools for my hike. One pair that I just bought and brought to hike with - the seam on the toe was coming apart. I got them at REI. Not having much luck with them so far this year.Still haven't firmed up plans for when I will actually be heading out to hike. Hopefully, it will work out to everyone's liking. All of my boxes made it and all my gear is ready to be packed up again. I am still looking for a small packaged of chicken. The only ones I have found are 7 oz. Which is a little too big. One more trip to WallyWorld and hopefully, I will find it. I also want to get some mini bagels. Exciting details I know. Lots of good bird activity down here. Seen my first Thrasher of the year.
Date: 2009-04-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well my time with the Southern Support Team is just about over. Many thanks to them for their hospitality and especially for driving me up to Erwin.We are all set to head out tomorrow AM very early.   It is a very long drive from here. So, I am indebted to them again for them taking time to bring me.It has been a really good visit. The weather has been spectacular. A nice way of adjusting to the heat. Better to get a little adjusted than to go from the 40 degrees in the berkshires to 90 degrees.   Always nice to spend time with the family since I get to see them so infrequently.   I am all set with a reservation for tomorrow night and will be close enough to the trailhead in case they do not have a shuttle. I am hoping that they do, but it won't be the end of the world.Should be on the trail bright and early on Thursday.
Date: 2009-04-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

OK, the journey is about to begin. Made it to Erwin. Took somewhere between 4 & 5 hours. We stopped twice and had a little bit of a map malfunction so I am not 100% sure about the time. The time passed pretty quickly.The Holiday Inn is nice and there are plenty of other hikers here. My first disappointment of the trip though because the food place next store to the hotel is closed. I had my heart set on a A&W root beer. Maybe next time - NOT.I thought I might have to walk to the trail in the AM, but a shuttle is coming from Uncle Johnny's at 8. Cool. Cost about 2bucks a person, but I can deal with that.I ended up walking about 3miles (total) to find a place to eat. Pretty easy walk - found a pizza joint, a dollar general and a market. So, I am back and all set for the night.I also found my first penny of the trip.   Life is good.
Date: 2009-05-01
From: Deep Gap Campsite

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: light rain

Phrase of the Day: "My left foot - the enemy within"My night went pretty good. I think I was in bed by 7. I listened to by book on tape for a while, but fell asleep. So, I will have to redo a bit.Ace and shameless both smoke so I woke a few times to cigerette smoke whafting into my tent. Got woken up about midnight by some yahoo in a truck drivign on the forest service road. Had I not been there with so many - I might have been worried, but I was not.Got started before 8 and had a big climb up Unaka Mtn. Within 20 minutes it was pouring. Rained pretty steady for a couple of hours. Pretty crappy and pretty muddy.I decided I was either going to go to the Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel or push on to the shelter. Pushed onto the shelter.My left food started to hurt early this AM. Didn't last too long, but I could feel it. This got me thinking about my left good. Why can't my left foot be a good left foot. You know, like the guy that Daniel Day Lewis played in the movie. His left foot did all sorts of good things. It could paint, for crying out loud. Why can't my foot be like that. Or like a football player or soccer player. Plenty of left footed clickers. Kick day in and day out - and their feet rarely betray them. But no mine is evil. It is the enemy. I have been good to it. Got it a great pair of boots. Spent hundreds of dollars on custom orthotics, spent lots of money on zillions of types of metatarsial pads. So you would think it would be happy. But no, it turns on me every chance it can. Evil left foot.I feel pretty good hiking. I think my spinning class made a big difference. Thanks MJ. I am stopping every 1.5 hours. Stretching and taking my boots off when I can. Got a few hotspots, but nothing bad.Have to climb Roan Mtn tomorrow - last time above 6000 ft until the whites.Birds - oven bird, junco, blue jay, vireo, towhee.
Date: 2009-05-02
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Over Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

Ace showed up at the shelter as well as a guy named In Deep. Interesting fellow. He is about 30 from Fayetteville, NC. Spent the last 5 years working for military contractors doing electrical work and construction. Spent 2 years in Iraq and 3 years in Afghanistan. There are also 6 or 7 guys from NC who are out doing a 3 day section hike. They are pretty funny. Carrying steak, wine, cigars, and more. I was sitting listening to my book on tape and I hear some wierd noise. Loud - I turned on my head lamp and peered over the side of the shelter floor between the floor and wall and there was a mouse chomping away on a candy wrapper. Got up and put all of my stuff in my pack which was hanging from mouse ropes from the ceiling. Restless night, kept thinking about the mouse chewing me up. Not really sleeping on the shelter floor is very hard and uncomfortable. Would rather tent, but don't want to get wet.Up and out on the trail by 7:55. Very hard day today. Big climb up Roan Mtn. The weather was pretty shitty. Rain, fog, and wind. Tough and couldn't see anything. took me over 4 hours to go 6 miles. Cold and Wet.Next up was Round Bald and Jane Bald. Horrendous. The wind was whipping - it was all I could do to stay upright. Socked in. No views. Lots of tourists out hiking both Roan and the Balds.Stopped at the Stan Murray shelter - to rest. Dutch was sitting there - stopped for the night. I decided to push on to the next shelter because it was supposed to be bigger. Met a couple (Solar System and Naneek) from Mich.Finally made it to the shelter. Spectacular views from the place. It overlooks a valley. Pretty cool.The shelter is huge. A converted barn with a lower half for sleeping and eating and a huge top floor for sleeping. Lots of weekenders and lots of hikers.Got a good spot up in the loft. Met lots of people - Ace, In Deep are here.Finally met two women (butter toes and lucky star). A guy who is thru hiking is here with his young cousin (about 12) and they have a ton of food that they are sharing. Brownies, smores, hotdogs, chili. I think the kid is just here for the night. They offered me a hotdog and I couldn't refuse. Nothing like a dog cooked on an open fire. Plus, they had rolls and mustard.I finally like one of my meals. It is spaghetti made with ramen noodles, spices and cup of tomato soup. Actually pretty good. Last night I had cous cous - I hate it. I love it at home, but on the trail it makes me sick.It is all I can do to choke it down.There are a bunch of college girls here - wearing pajamas. Pretty funny.Tomorrow only 8.5 and on to my first hostel. I have a drop coming.Passed Shameless and Sundance slack packing today.Birds - jay, nuthatch, towhee, very, rose breasted gross beak and a warbler. I think I know what it is, but I sent the SQ the description for positive ID.
Date: 2009-05-03
From: Over Mountain Shelter

To: US 19E
Miles today: 8.7

Phrase of the Day: Horrentacular.Not a bad night in the shelter. Slept better than I did the night before. woke up cold a few times - due to the wind blowing though the barn which is all cracks and holes.Woke to rain about 5am. I hoped it would stop before I started to hike, but it didn't.The trail yesterday was pretty much like walking in small rivers. Today, it was much the same. But more like mini mud slides. The trail is pretty slippery. Mud everywhere.Today was a relatively short day. But, tough because of the weather. climbed some pretty good sized balds which is where my word comes from. They were both horrendous and spectacular. Even though they were socked in by fog it was still beautiful. Yet horrendous because of the mud and mini rivers. I felt like I was on Everest because it was like I was watching a PBS special. I was part way up the balds and there were specks of people above me and below me. It was incredible. Coming down the other side was really crappy. More more mud and lots of wet rocks. I slipped and fell on my bad knee, but caught myself. It rained all day and more is in the forcaste.The forest and hills are really turning green with all the rain.Dutch caught up with me at some point and then Ace caught up with us while we were taking a break. Got to the hostel about 1:30 and there was only one space in the hostel (a couch), but they had two bunks in an RV. Ace got the hostel couch and Dutch and I each took a bunk in the RV. It is a dry spot for the night. But, both of us can't be in the room together standing up. Dutch ended up with the top bunk because I couldn't get up into it.The place is a nice piece of property. Main house which is also a B&B. 18 acres of land with horses and goats. Got laundry done and got a ride into town. Only a market and the subway was open. The town is one of these places where if you blink you are going to miss it.They will give us breakfast in the AM and even give us a lift back to the trail. Sweet because it is all up hill.Places like this are needed, but they charge for everything. The bed - $18, Laundry $5, Ride to town - $5 and breakfast $9. It is not cheap but well worth it on a cold crappy day.There is free popcorn and cofee in the hostel. And, they sell snack and soda on the honor system. Dutch went to bed, so I am over in the hostel watching a moving (a Brad Pitt movie). I forgot to mention yesterday that I ran into some locals coming down one of the mtns. They were carrying bags with leafy greens. I asked them what they were gathering and they said ramps. I have heard of the, but have never seen them.I talked to the SQ today - she says the warbler I saw was a canada warbler. That is what I thought, but wasn't sure. Haven't seen one in years.Met a guy yesterday whose name is two pack. Because he is carrying two packs. Front and back. Not really hiker material, but he is really nice. He got to the hostel and has no money. So, he cleaned the horse and goat pens for his stay. Dutch gave him one of his backpacker meals and some crackers.Birds - towhee, vireo, woodpecker, song sparrow, junco, jays, and ovenbird.
Date: 2009-05-04
From: US 19E

To: Mountaineer Shelter
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: light rain

Phase of the Day: "Love Hate relationships"Slept pretty good in my RV bunk. Went to bed a little hungry last night. I had gotten a subway in town. It was good, but by 8 I was hungry. I knew that I would have a big breakfast.Woke to more rain. The breakfast was quite the spread and very good. I didn't want to eat too much because I can't hike on a full stomach. Got a lift back to the trail and was hiking by 8:30. As I hiked in the rain again, I contemplated love/hate relationships. Being on the trail is definitely a love/hate thing. But, I will save that for another day.Two relationships come to mind. My job and my boots.Let's talk boots first. It took me a long time to find the right boots. They fit well and I have only gotten blisters once and I blame the socks for that. They are roomy and feel good - that is the love part. The hate part is the fact that they are horrible in the rain. My feet have been soaked all day. They are gortex, but they never keep the water out. You figure for the $ - they would but they don't. My left foot must have taken to heart what I said the other day because it feels pretty good. But, my left knee is swollen and hurts. Which is why I took another short day. I was supposed to camp 3 or 4 miles away, but thought I would give it a rest. Plus, camping in the rain is not any fun.The other love/hate is my job. Which is no more, so not worth discussing. Except to say loved the people, hated the stress amongst other things. Glad it is over.Hiked with Dutch and Sundance all day. Dutch is here with me, but Sundance moved on.Dutch lost a pair of socks at the hostel last night, but found a pair hanging on a cemetary fence. He swears it was an angel. But then tonight he found his original pair. He will leave the pair at the shelter for someone else.A young guy (who was also at the hostel) came in whose name is Big Camera. He is carrying a big front pack that contains a professional digital SLR camera with lots of lenses. He is taking lots of pictures building up a portfolio. He has a website - www.flickr.com/photos/toochi84. Got to check it out when I can.Talked with the hostel owners this AM. Great people. They moved from southern calif to be close to a daughter on the east coast. Took them a while to fit in and get used to the slower pace of eastern tenn life. they love it and they love the hikers. Pretty cool.Birds - towhee, indigo bunting, 1st chickadee, vireo.Found 2 pennies a the hostel and just found one heads up in the shelter. Sweet.
Date: 2009-05-05
From: Mountaineer Shelter

To: Dennis Cove Rd
Miles today: 15.1

Phrase of the Day: " Happy Sucko De Mayo"The shelter filled up because of the rain. The shelter is a triple decker. One of the nicest shelters I have seen. Three guys came in together - Just Mike, something Shark, and wind guard. Windguard is 68 and is a hurting puppy. He can barely walk. He is going to hitch to a town and get to a doctor.Today was supposed to be one of the nice days. It was not. It rained all day. Poured and it really sucked. Luckily it was not a strenuous hike. I decided to come into the hostel early. Didn't feel like stopping at the shelter. It poured the 6 miles into the hostel. Just as I came out to the road it stopped.Oh side note- Happy Birthday to the Aunts. Same day, born 1 year apart. I am at Kincora. Wierd, eclectic place. But, cool. No drugs or alcohol. That is really good news. Because when it is allowed - the young guys drink all night.Baltimore Jack is here helping out Bob Peoples (the owner). His wife passed last year and this is his first season without her. Baltimore Jack is a legend on the trail. Done it 5 or 6 times. Always helping people. He is from Boston, but lives in NH. Bob is also from Boston.They were heading into town just as I got in - so I dropped my stuff on a bunk and headed with them. Still stinking and covered with mud. I have too much food in my mail bag, so I put some stuff into the hike box.Lots of people here including a couple that I met yesterday. Windbreaker and Sara. Windbreaker placys the 5 string banjo. His name is not because of a coat. I said goodbye to dutch. He stopped a mile or two from the shelter. Set up his tent. Maybe I will see him again.Went to town and ate at the Arby's and got a milk shake. It was pretty good.Road back to the hostel in the back of the truck with Lucky Star and Pyro Fly. He was the guy back at the other shelter with the hotdogs. He is also in IT. Network guy for the University of Georgia. He quit his job to come hike. IT is the same everywhere. Way too much stress.I may slack tomorrow.Birds - all the same as before and my first black and white warbler of the season.
Date: 2009-05-06
From: US 321

To: Dennis Cove Rd
Miles today: 8.9

Phrase of the Day: "1st official AT slack pack"Six straight days of rain. It is really starting to get old. I decided to go for the slack pack today. I have decided that I have a little bit of my grandmother in my. A nervous nellie. I worried all night about it. Do I take my pack with me with only water, just carry water. Worry, Worry, Worry.Got up and made the decision to slack with my pack with just water. After I took everything out of my pack and only had water, snacks, and rain gear. I saw that they had small backpacks to use. Lots of them. So, I repacked my pack and got one of these small backpacks and was ready to go. Worried again for nothing.Packed my lunch, water, camera and rain gear. 1st hour went well. No rain. I actually got to listen to my IPOD. 1st time in 6 days while hiking. I was glad to have slacked because within the hour. Deluge. It rained the rest of my hike. 3 hours of total down pour. I was coming south so I came down a huge moutain. I was glad not to have to been going up it in the rain. At one spot you skirt a gorge. About 1 foot wide - gorge wall on one side and rushing river on the other. Scary and would have been more so with a full pack.I was originally going to get back rest, eat and head out again for another 8 miles. But decided to bag it. Glad I did because it started pouring again. Windbreaker and Sara did and I later found out that it took them into the dark to reach the shelter. Not for me.We had a great community dinner. Baltimore Jack cooked Shepards pie. This place is great. $4 donation for a bunk, shower, laundry and shuttles. And extra for the meal. All told it cost me $14 for 2 days.The couple I met - Windbreaker and Sara comes to find out that they met at the John Campbell Folk School. They were student hosts in 2008. What is funny is that my father goes to that school and may have met them.   Dad is a furniture maker and wood turner and so is Windbreaker. Small world.Tomorrow will be about 15 miles.Birds - 1st pileated and 1st hummingbirds.Lots of azaleas - orange, white, pink, red - very cool.
Date: 2009-05-07
From: US 321

To: Iron Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: broken clouds

Phrase of the Day: "Rain Rain Go Away - Please"Another group of hikers pulled into the hostel late. They sat down to the same dinner at 8:30. It really is incredible what Bob does. He is a retired Airforce Major. He has run the hostel for 13 years and is also a member of the club that maintains the trails. I learned a lot about what is involved with maintaining the trails. All the permits needed to make changes. It costs about 7 - 10K to build/rebuild a shelter. Very interesting.Found out the Kincora is a legendary place in Irish Lore - much like Camelot in English Lore. The place is pretty dumpy and not very clean, but it is very comfortable.Up and out to the trail by 8:30. It rained all night and I was glad I stayed.Threatened rain for the first hour or so. We had to go around Watuaga lake. It was pretty flooded. The trail was a river for the first 2 hours. We had to cross quite a few streams that were raging rivers because of all the rain. The good thing though it never did rain. The sun came out. First time in days. I left Dutch back at the Vanderventer shelter. He did not want to go on to the next shelter. Within the hour - he passed me. Decided the water was too far from the shelter (.5 miles each way) and as he sat there eating a mouse ran across him. So he was going to camp.I passed him 20 minutes later setting up his camp. Today was a long day. We did one climb and the rest was a gradual climb all day. People kept saying - it was pretty easy into Damascus. Bull.Got here to the shelter about 4:30. Nobody showed up until after 6. Shark, Just Mike and another guy.Started to pour again. A crazy kid (21) named Bam Bam (think hair) just came by. He was with me at the hostel this AM. So he already did in one day what took me 2. 20 plus miles, plus he is trying to get all the way to Damascus. Another 26 miles. Had my first ramp last night. Sorta tastes like a combo of onion, garlic, and radish. Pretty strong.Birds - wren, jay, woodpecker, owls and had a great view of a female towhee.Also, saw my first lady slipper.   Saw a great waterfall yesterday and an earthen dam today.
Date: 2009-05-09
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I am in town today, just updating my journal at the library.I made it to the post office. Got my ATM card, drop and a letter from the SQ. I applied to our local college and got accepted into the prenursing program. Not sure that is what I want, but didnt' want to wait.I think I found a room at a B&B. I will go back over in a while and make sure.I need to buy a few things - food, and some gear. One pair of my smartwools basically fell apart. The part that is up near the boot at the ankle shredded.Not having much luck. Don't know when I will update again, but I will try as soon as I can.