morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-11-29
To: Two Lobster Claws and a Starlite
Miles today: 0.0

I¢m listening to a conversation between Baltimore Jack, Miss Janet and Bob Butler right now. No, I¢m not in Erwin, Tennessee. I¢m just addicted to TrailCast, a podcast about hiking. Bob talks to a variety of people including gear manufacturers, trail guides, website moderators, and plain old hikers. He asks great questions. What has been your best/worst day on the trail? How did you get your trail name? What gear has completely failed you? What piece of gear has served you well? It¢s a great thing.Speaking of gear, I¢ve made a few changes in my list and, currently, I have my pack down to 36 pounds, including food for five days. I grew too impatient for the Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus and started looking around for another pack. Right now, I¢m trying out the Six Moon Designs Starlite. So far, I love it with about 20 pounds but I¢ve yet to take it out with the full load. The best part of this pack is that it has pockets on the hip belt to hold frequently used items. It also uses a sleeping pad as part of its suspension system. It has plenty of room on the inside and out. I¢ve switched to Nalgene canteens with a hydration hose rather than the Platypus system. The only reason for this is because I haven¢t seen anything from Platypus with a wide mouth and it was quite cumbersome to refill their bladders with the small mouth. So, I¢ll carry one canteen full of water and one empty. Because the canteens have wide mouths, I might even take the pre-filter for the SteriPEN. I¢ll also carry a Platypus 4L water tank so I don¢t have to make 13 trips to every water source each night. I followed Toasty¢s footsteps and purchased the Outdoor Research PL 100 gloves and the Outdoor Research Lobster Claw Rain Mitts. I have no words to describe how luxurious this combo felt during our shakedown hike. After much research on digital cameras, I decided it¢d be best to have one that runs on regular AA batteries. This will make it easier to ensure I always have power for the many photos I hope to take. Only a few little things are left to gather ¢ a first aid kit, duct tape, spare batteries and toiletries ¢ and then I just need to decide on some footwear. Things are coming together. One other thing that came together today was my method of transportation to Springer. Toasty, Michele and I are roadtrippin¢ to Georgia via Toasty¢s wonderful husband, Mark, and we¢ll start together on March 12! Is it too early to start hoping for a nice, sunny day?
Date: 2006-12-03
To: I Hope I'm Not Psychic!
Miles today: 0.0

The sky was gray, it was pouring rain, and we were following our directions to Springer Mountain. Eric had driven me all the way there ¢ a right turn at the dead end and a left turn at the barn ¢ it felt more like a treasure map than a set of directions. We hopped out of the car and headed into the barn. It was very commercialized. There were people and picnic tables everywhere but no hikers. I thought there would be more given it was the middle of March and peak starting time for thru-hikers. We waited for Toasty and Michele and browsed the barn. Then we decided to head out to the mountain and wait for them there. But, I had forgotten my camera! How could I start my hike without the traditional photos by the first white blaze and the plaque? And that¢s when Eric grinned and pulled out my camera from his pocket. Phew, now I could go on. I was cringing at the thought of starting this trip in the cold rain. I hoped it wasn¢t an omen for the rest of the hike. Then, I woke up and spent the next hour awake in bed. I tried to fall back asleep but I just kept thinking about the AT and what I needed to do before I can start. Here¢s hoping for sunny skies in Georgia on March 12.
Date: 2006-12-06
To: Smiles McGhee
Miles today: 0.0

Eric and I hiked a five mile loop on Sunday. It was 24 degrees and snowy. It was my favorite trip on that trail I¢ve done yet. The thin layer of snow was just enough to make everything white and calm. At one point, our paths crossed with an older man out for a walk on the trail. He wore a blaze orange hat, a pair of large glasses and a puffy navy blue jacket. As he passed me, he asked how much weight I was carrying.   I guessed my pack was somewhere around 18 pounds¢¦¢What have you got in there?¢¢My tent, some clothes and some other odds and ends like a stove and a pot.¢¢You going to camp out tonight?¢¢No, we¢re just out for the day hike.¢¢Oh, how come you¢re carrying a tent?¢¢Well, I¢m training right now so I need to get used to having the weight on my back.¢¢Oh, what are you training for?¢¢I¢m going to be hiking the Appalachian Trail next year.¢¢Oh, good. The whole thing?¢¢Yep, I¢ll be starting in March.¢¢Have you picked out a name yet ¢ your trail name?¢¢No. I¢m going to wait to be named on the trail.¢¢Are you going to take a cab to the trailhead like Bryson did?¢¢Oh, no! I am actually driving there with two other women from Michigan so we won¢t need a cab!¢¢Oh, well, have fun!¢I walked away with a smile and couldn¢t wipe it off of my face for the next 90 seconds, which, if you think about it, is a long time to smile after a conversation has already ended.Good times.
Date: 2006-12-09
To: Best Hike Ever
Miles today: 0.0

What are the characteristics of the best hike ever? Maybe there are exceptional views and challenging terrain. And maybe you have a perfect hiking partner. And every inch of trail is new and exciting and you never feel tired ¢ even after big miles. But maybe it gets even better than that. Maybe you turn around and your boyfriend is behind you, down on one knee in the snow, asking you to marry him. That¢s what happened this weekend on a trail at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Eric picked the Pyramid Point Trail as a short day hike and I followed along merrily with my pack loaded as if we would be cooking meals, purifying water and camping out for a few nights (at this point, if I¢m gonna go for a hike, it¢s gonna be with my pack fully loaded).   It was a very different hike than we¢ve ever done ¢ about six inches of snow through a maple-beech forest and the wind howling off of Lake Michigan. The trail led to a gorgeous bluff overlooking the lake and North Manitou Island. The sand from the bluff and the snow swirled together to create something that resembled my coveted Dairy Queen Twist ice cream. We shared the views with another couple before we decided to move on and let them have their moment. Just after we made it back down the hill, I turned my back to Eric and stopped to drink some water and take in the view. After a moment, he said, ¢hey, look!¢ as if he¢d seen some wildlife or other impressive trail-related object. So, I turned around and there he was with his knee in the snow asking me to marry him. It felt surreal. I kept asking if he was for real and finally, I think, even managed to say yes. The rest of the hike was great too. The trail cut through a meadow and right back into the forest and up the hills. Everything looked great covered in snow. There were exceptional views everywhere and the terrain was challenging. I had a great hiking partner and every inch of the trail was new and exciting.   It doesn¢t get any better than that.One thing I did learn is to never use alkaline batteries in the cold. They were spent after about four photos and I had to trick them to work by warming the camera each time I wanted to take a picture. Next time, lithium!
Date: 2007-01-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I just selected my mail drops. I used a very unscientific process so I'm sure I'll edit it a few times while I'm hiking. But, they're here for your viewing pleasure. I can only imagine how exciting these packages will be.Seems crazy to be expected in Monson, Maine by Sepetember. Nine weeks from this moment, I will be in my sleeping bag resting after my first day on the trail. Hmmph. Note: After trying to build these mail drops, I've decided to take the list off my site and forgo the planned drops as I won't have time to prepare, dehydrate and package healthy meals (which was my whole goal in sending mail drops) before I go. I would have ended up mailing myself the same kinds of foods I anticipate finding along the trail -- which seemed fruitless. The new plan is to count on sending a drop to Fontana Dam and updating the "Mail Drops" section as is deemed necessary while I'm out there.
Date: 2007-01-22
To: Meet Derek
Miles today: 0.0

I¢ve found a transcriber! Derek is my cousin. Derek also happens to be a big fan of hiking and backpacking. Last summer, Eric and I met Derek and two of his friends in the Smokies and we backpacked together for three days. It was a great trip and was probably what helped me finally decide to attempt a thru hike. When we first tossed around the idea of going, I had never done an overnight hike. I had only recently been trying to get in better shape for hiking and I knew I had a lot of work to do before I would be ready for a three day hike in the Smokies. I also knew this trip would be my chance to see if I could cut it on the Appalachian Trail. So, I started getting up at 5 a.m. to work out at a local YMCA before heading into work. I didn¢t really tell anyone or make it official in any way, but that¢s when I started training for my thru hike. Every morning as I drove to the gym, I¢d picture myself standing atop some great mountain along the Trail.   I thought I would just train until it came time to actually make a decision about whether to go and then at least I would be in decent shape if I decided to do it. I started adding some day hikes to the mix a couple of months later and peppered in a few overnight hikes and that¢s when things started getting fun. By the time May rolled around, I was ready to go. The Smokies were great and, as I went through each day, I found myself thinking about whether I could do it all every day for six months. My conclusion was yes. About three months later, I made it official and started telling people. So, cheers to Derek ¢ for agreeing to be my transcriber and for helping me realize I might be able to do this!
Date: 2007-02-20
To: Good Mojo
Miles today: 0.0

¢Good mojo¢ is not a phrase that I use often. In fact, I¢ve said it aloud maybe only once before. But, that¢s all I can think of to summarize my day. Sometimes little things happen that get me all fired up for this hike ¢ all over again ¢ and today I had three such things happen! First, my trail journal was graced by the presence of two successful thru-hikers from the Class of 2006 that I actually followed via TrailJournals.com through their hiking season. They both made the hike look easy and their journals made everything about the trail seem more realistic (as I sat in the comfort of my home reading).One is Chardonnay, a young woman who is roughly the same age as me. I started reading her journal last year during the prep phase and I was hooked right away. It was immediately interesting to see someone similar to me undertaking this adventure. Well, by a stroke of sheer luck, Chardonnay signed my guest book today without having any clue what she was in for. I immediately jumped on the opportunity to pick her brain about the hike and have been asking her lots of questions. What a wealth of information and advice she is! Thank you, Chardonnay!The other, Bone Pac, was (if what I¢ve read on the internet is true) the first thru-hiker to summit last year. I found his journal last year mainly because he was one of the first to start and I continued to follow it because of the great thoughts he included. I¢ve actually continued to read his journal as he updates it with the progress of the hostel he has decided to build along the trail. It¢s called The Free State Hiker and is in Smithsburg, Maryland. I hope to stop by the Free State for a visit on my way.Then, on a completely different note, I received a wonderful gift from my coworkers as a going-away present. It is a necklace with a St. Christopher pendant. St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers and is believed to protect them during their travels. What a thoughtful gift. I¢m sure this will come in handy during my hike. So, call it karma or luck or¢¦mojo but, shoot, what a thrill!
Date: 2007-03-07
To: Preparation
Miles today: 0.0

Well, we leave for Georgia in three days and start walking in five. I can't believe it's so close - and it still doesn't feel real! For the past couple of weeks, the preparation has been in high gear. A little over a week ago, I left my job and moved out of my apartment -- this was great training since I lived on the third floor! Since then, I've been getting all of my gear together, packing and repacking to make sure it all fits and to make sure my pack doesn't weight 792 pounds. I've been putting together a bounce box that I will mail to myself on the trail and send it along as necessary, putting information together for Eric and my parents, and putting together a box full of things that might need to be mailed to me along the way. I've been filling my MP3 player, getting my funds in order, getting my insurance in order, doing my taxes, testing out contacts for the trail (this has been a wretched process), and visiting with friends and family to say goodbye. I still have a list full of things to do but it's all coming together. My mom told me she gets worried every time she comes upstairs (I've managed to overrun the entire upstairs. One room has my pack and ALL of its contents, one room is where I have all of the miscellaneous things that didn't find a home during the move, and the other room is where I've been jumping on and off computers to download music and do all of my other online tasks. Not to mention the dining room downstairs which is now home to twelve days worth of food all strewn about the table). Anyways...she gets nervous because it doesn't look like I'm making any progress. I am, I promise!So, with a minor change in transportation plans, Michele and I will pick up a rental car on Saturday and start heading south. We'll finish up the rest of the drive the next day and spend that night at the Hiker Hostel before hitting the trail the next morning. Then... the long walk north!
Date: 2007-03-10
To: March 10, T Minus 1!
Miles today: 0.0

So, Michele and I are here in Knoxville for the night and we'll finish up the drive to Atlanta tomorrow.The day started great with breakfast with my parents and Eric. Then, Eric took me to the airport where I would meet Michele with the rental car at the departure terminal. I got there quite a bit early and stood there with my gigantic pack, trekking poles, and two other bags full of goodies from my parents. I'm pretty sure they finally called security on me since I didn't "depart" and was standing there with my pack and odd things protruding from it for about 30 minutes. But, Michele pulled up in a silver Saturn Ion and then I felt right at home. It was hard to say goodbye to my parents and Eric this morning but at least I have a visit to look forward to soon.The ride down here went by fast. We stopped for lunch and gas (Toasty, Michele used her gift card so, see, you still did help us get to GA!) and got here around 9 p.m. I gave Michele a good laugh when I forgot to turn the headlights on in the car...whoops! And we had more laughs at the Food City supermarket here in town when I turned down the "super cool Food City savings card" and got a dirty look. Blasphemy!The last couple of days were filled with prep, goodbyes, and even a little bit of pampering. Yesterday, I finally used the massage gift certificate that my fine coworkers gave me well over a year ago. That was heavenly. Later, Eric and I went out for a DELICIOUS sushi dinner (and delicious lava cake and fruit dessert). It was splendid. So, we'll hit the trail on Monday!I hope to continue spelling correctly and capitalizing where necessary...
Date: 2007-03-11
To: March 11, 2007 - Be Boppin'
Miles today: 0.0

I am here at the Hiker Hostel having a nice leisurely evening among the civil folk. This place is great. We are staying with a few other folks, one of which I stole the title of this entry from. His name is Paul and he is hiking with his son, Wes. They are already a few days into their hike and Paul was talking about the people they have seen out there. He said some girls "were beboppin up the mountains like they're shoppin'in WalMart".Michele and I made it to Atlanta around 11 a.m. to drop off the rental car and then we had some lunch at Quizno's. The weather here is great and we even had lunch outside! As we were walking to lunch, some guy driving by stopped and said, "you look a little lost to be hiking the AT". Michele and I just looked at each other and smiled and he helped us by pointing us in the right direction and telling us he wished he could come hike with us. The whole encounter fired me up...to be in the middle of Atlanta and have someone recognize us as AT hikers So, after lunch we headed to the MARTA station and hopped a quick ride to the North Springs station where we'd get picked up. We got there and we were greeted by Greg (Buckles) and his girlfriend. After a bit, the folks from the Hiker Hostel picked up our crew - which was oddly all folks from Michigan! About an hour later we were at the hostel.We got our stuff situated and then met John the "research guy" from Alma College. He's doing a study about the various changes that take place on the body during a thru-hike. He had us fill out surveys and take a bunch of tests to measure our physical capacities, etc. We all had a good time as guinea pigs. It was definitely cool that John was from Alma College and even lives in Mt. Pleasant where I went to school!After that I had dinner and showered and now I am headed to bed. I need a good night's rest before I hit Springer tomorrow!
Date: 2007-03-18
From: Neels Gap

To: White Oak Stamp
Miles today: 7.3

March 18, First Cold Day on Trail Well, it was hard to leave our warm cabin at Neels Gap but we pulled it off. I felt pretty lazy and tired today with very low energy but I'm pretty sure it's the residual from zeroing. We stopped at Mountain Crossings this morning and sent our PocketMails, bought some last minute things, and I even weighed my pack. It's official, there is no way my pack weighed 34 lbs. when I started because that's what it weighed today and I had more food and more water. I am cursing all of the food I bought - too much peanut butter and too many bagels. But, oh well, that lets me share with other folks. And I am definitely getting an appetite faster than I'm getting my trail legs.The hiking today was not too hard but I really just felt tired and irritable all day. My left collarbone was still a little achy but I rearranged my pack and it felt better for the rest of the day.We had a FABULOUS lunch today at Wolf Laurel Top - the sun was shining on us and the wind was still. I totally could have taken a nap there. It was perfect. Lunch is quickly becoming my favorite time of the day since we usually find amazing places to stop. The only trouble is, I often want to stay for longer than we should.The last push into camp today was what really did me in. Wildcat Mountain. Way worse than Justus Mountain, making it the hardest mountain on the trail so far on my super widely-used mountain difficulty scale. There were lots of switchbacks but each of them were more or less straight up the mountain and when you're already tired that's not a great mix.It's going to be a cold night. The temperature is hovering around 32. Luckily, Gadget started a fire and we're all trying to make that last. I ate a hot dinner, had some peanut butter and even boiled some water to put on my sleeping bag with me. Have I ever mentioned that I HATE being cold? I mean, I HATE it with the fire of a thousand suns. I am dreading the Smokies.I met Terrapin Flyer, Stitches, Plod, Bluebelle and Tree today. All seemed nice and speedy.We even got some trail magic today from a guy named Cail down in Tesnatee Gap - he gave us water just when we really needed it most.Kay sang us songs coming down off of most of the mountains. I loved it.All in all it was a nice day. Tired.- Sound of the fire burning, water bladder in Gadget's hand, and Michele typing. Post Trail Thoughts:I still remember Wolf Laurel Top as a gorgeous place - and not many places stand out THAT much along the way. I can almost feel the sun on my face and remember the conversation Certain and I had about sausage.We camped in a very random spot that night - sort of just a clearing in a bunch of dead trees. Certain hung her hammock on a dead tree and only realized it later. She moved to the ground but later decided she couldn't let down the Hammock Cult and reworked her setup. Cold night! It absolutely freaked me out for the Smokies. I slept with handwarmers on my stomach that night.
Date: 2007-03-20
From: Unnamed Campsite at Rocky Knob

To: Cheese Factory Campsite
Miles today: 6.7

March 20, Angels in the WoodsI stayed warm all night and woke up to 55 degrees. That's wonderful! We had a quick push out of the campsite to Blue Mountain Shelter for water and to sign the register. There, we met some great folks from a hiking club. They shared chocolate, stories, and warm wishes for our hike. I'm supposed to ask about Bert the Bavarian when I get near the huts near Caratunk, ME. Apparently he put on quite a show with his yodeling that brought the whole hamlet to its knees!I felt pretty good today other than that I have something odd going on with my ear - think it might have gotten blistered in the sun. This day just got a whole lot cooler - even with all of the fun hiking we did. I am currently listening to two trail angels on the guitar and the mandolin singing us tunes. In fact, a boy scout squad is singing along and it is great - a concert in the woods.Certain and I rolled into the Cheese Factory Site around 5:45 and we were greeted by two trail angels under a tarp asking us if we wanted beer and burgers. They had no idea! I mean, they must have because the thru-hiked last year but, wow. So, I went ahead and ate two and a half hamburgers. These folks are great - SlickB and HollyTrout - and this is too much fun. SlickB had my tent last year but lost it when his canoe tipped over during a section he decided to canoe part of the trail. He wrote a separation song about it. Loved it. It was all about how your tent is home and how it's so hard to hike now that he's so far from home. Great tune. I don't even want to go to bed.We keep telling them they are the best trail angels ever. They love it. But, really, what more could you ask for at the end of the day - burgers, sodas, a fire, tunes, good jokes about boy scouts, and good company. And did I mention all of the stars in the sky? WOW.We are here tonight with the AT Patrol, Dances with Sloths, SlickB, HollyTrout, and a baker's dozen boy scouts. It's so neat to think how you can just stumle into a party like this in the middle of the woods.This was a good day and I needed it. It's a nice reminder of why I'm here. -Sound of SlickB and HollyTrout jammin'. Post Trail Thoughts:SlickB and HollyT RULE! Those burgers go down as the best burgers I've ever eaten - and I am not really even a huge fan of burgers. I'm actually following SlickB's PCT adventures this year. I had been a bit down that day - just not having as much fun as we had been having and this night really helped me get a hop in my step.