morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-08-07
To: First entry
Miles today: 0.0

I think it is time to start my AT hike journal for 2008. I am a section hiker. I am 67 years old and hope to complete the AT and The PCT by the time I am 70 or 71. So far I have about half of the PCT completed and close to 600 miles of the AT completed. 2007 AT and 2007 and 2008 PCT hikes are on this site and may be accessed if you click the appropriate lines to the left.The "about" section and the first few entries on 2007 AT tell more about me and my trail name if you care to read them.My plans for the AT this year were to do Maine and New Hampshire before I got too old to do the toughest part of the AT. Alas, I may already be too old. Or at least I have physical problems I did not have last year while on the AT or the PCT.So I have switched plans and will be begining at Bland, Virginia, where I left off last year. I plan to start hiking on September 25 and hike north until November 18. At my new, slower pace, if the knee and other failing body parts hold up, I should make it to Duncannon, PA. Of course, the weather may dictate that I not get that far too. It will be interesting to see how it all works out.I wish I had the body I had last year but I only have the body I have this year so I will see what it can do. My PCT hike this spring taught me to be thankful for any hiking I am able to accomplish at all. Each step will be a blessing in spite of failing body parts and I will be happy to be hiking.I like to do my big hikes in the spring or the fall so I can enjoy Washington, my family and my large garden in the summer. This hike is timed so that I will be able to be in Troy, NY at the end of November where I will be grandma again for the 5th time when my daughter delivers her 3rd son. It will be a fun and blessed fall.
Date: 2008-08-08
To: Prep Hike
Miles today: 0.0

I am calling this a prep hike for my AT hike for 2008. Resurrection (the church I served before my retirement) was having a 3 day backpack in the Olympics and I was invited to go along. I and my daughter did this hike about 5 years ago and it is a beautiful hike and I am happy to be hiking.The group of 8 drove from Tacoma this morning to begin hiking but I, being retired, had the time to come to the trailhead last night. And I really did not want to wake up at 0 dark hundred and drive for 4 hours before hiking 7-8 miles. So I came early. Unfortuately the campground was filled to capacity so I drove to the parking lot at the trailhead and slept in my car. I looked for any signs saying that staying overnight was illegal. But finding none, I stayed. Actually that worked rather well as there was a privy there and also picnic tables. I put down the back seats and blew up my thermorest which fit rather well and I got an amazingly good night's sleep and even got to have my breakfast of cereal and raspberries and hot choclate coffee at the picnic table. And I did not have to pack up the tent.I slept so well that I did not wake up until 7:00. I had a leisurely breakfast and headed out on the trail at 8:50, leaving a note on the signboard for the folks comng after me.It was a lovely walk through beautiful woods. I took my time. I started early as I can no longer hike very fast as I no longer have a normal knee following a staph infection following a simple arthroscopic surgery last December. However, I can still hike and I am grateful for that.I stopped for lunch by a lovely rushing rocky creek. Then I moved on but came to a tent site marked for groups. I don't think this is our site but since I did not organize this hike or get the permit I had better wait for the others to catch up to me and tell me. It is nice to take the rest.It is good I waited for people as this is the campsite. Tomorrow we will have a very long hike of 9 or more miles with some steep parts. I did find out from a passing ranger that the camp sites at the start of Sol Duc Park are no more due to overuse and that is why the "seven mile" group site is only at 5 miles.We have now eaten dinner and had a lot of fun talking and we sang Holden Evening prayer with Christian leading. After some more talking we will sleep well and be ready for our long day tomorrow.
Date: 2008-08-10
To: post prep hike
Miles today: 0.0

I slept very soundly and did not get up until 8. I fixed breakfast and drove out in my dry long underwear as everything else was wet. My hiking shirt and pants dry pretty quickly, though, and I changed into them at the Burger King in Sequim. Probably looked a little strange walking into the Burger King restroom in my long underwear but, oh well.Driving home was uneventful although I was still tired. I stopped at a Dairy Queen in Gig Harbor for a hot fudge sundae and my daughter called just then so I chatted with her as I ate.Now I am home. The knee is not complaining too severely or else I cannot notice over the sore muscles. I think I need to get more serious about training for the AT. A trip up and down Mt Pete once a week should help.I wonder if I could have gone somewhat faster on this hike if I had tried. I certainly covered ground faster on the 3 day hike on the PCT above the Columbia a month ago. Was I so slow this time because I had gotten more out of shape? Was the trail and altitude tougher? Was I having an off day? Was I discouraged when everyone passed me? Who knows. But I will work harder at getting in shape for the AT.But still, I enjoyed the hike and was glad to have gone. It was good to see each one in the group. I loved the high meadows and the flowers and I was very happy the Niemis waited and Cindy came looking for me.Sleeping in my car was a good decision. Everyone else did not get home until 2-3 in the morning. I got a good night's sleep.Thank you to all in the group. It was great to be invited to come.
Date: 2008-09-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Life is getting very busy. Life on the trail may be guite simple and that is one of its attractions. But the logistics of getting ready to spend nearly 2 months on the trail as well as getting things done here at home before leaving is rahter daunting.Although the food drop boxes have been mostly ready for a few weeks, they still lack a few sundries and I am waiting for a couple more perscriptions to arrive to complete the daily meds packets.And, in spite of the rather cold (when it wasn't blazing hot) very strange weather we have had this summer, the blackberries and pears are being turned into jam and dehydrated pears. The corn is going to make it too, I think, just before I leave.And in the midst of all the activity I am trying to get in better shape. I have gone up and over and back on Mt Pete a couple times a week for the last couple weeks. This is helping. It made my day yesterday when I got up in 36 minutes and was resting on top when a much younger gentleman got to the top complaining that he coud not seem to break 39 minutes. The gimply old lady felt pretty good about her efforts.My hiking buddy, Kathy, and I had a lovely hike out of Sunrise on Mount Rainier a few days ago. We went to Burroughs Mt, then 2nd Burroughs, then 3rd Burroughs which I had not done before. We then went cross country to Skyscraper Pass and then back to Frozen Lake and thence to Sunrise. We had a beautiful day! There was a little fresh snow here and there on the tail and some intersting ice feathers on some rocks. The mountain played peek-a-boo with the clouds but it was out enough to be awe inspiring.I had to laugh though, when we were going cross country over a boulder field. I felt like I was in training for the Mahoosic Notch. Hey, wait a minute. I am not doing that part of the AT this year because of my bad knee. So why am I scrambling over boulders with a bad knee? LOL.The big news about the bad knee is that I have a new brace. It is very much a brace with metal uprights and various bars and straps. But the good news is that the knee feels MUCH better in the brace. I still can't quite do stairs independently but I am much closer to doing so with the brace. The brace prevents a lot of little sideways instabilities which cause pains minor and sometimes major. But it's main function is to prevent the tibia from sliding back when the knee bends. I think those little staph buggies ate my posterior cruciate ligament.I am excited and very grateful that this brace makes my knee feel so much more stable. I still won't be a very speedy hiker on the trail but I will be some faster and a good deal more confident as I move along.I am very eager soon to be on the trail again.
Date: 2008-09-18
To: Two Lakes to Two Lakes
Miles today: 0.0

This short backpack serves at least two purposes. It is the last PCT hike for this year and the completion of the Washington section of the PCT for me. It is also a shake down hike before heading to the AT and my 550 mile section there beginning next week. Besides those purpose driven ways of describing this backpack, Kathy, my Washinton hiking buddy, and I are just plain having a good time, having fun on the trail.One of Kathy's friends drove us up to Chinook Pass. Thank you, Debbie! Kathy and I shouldered packs and headed out. The weather was warm. Unfortunately a forest fire in Oregon is making the sky very hazy and the normally clear and beautiful views of Mount Rainier were absent. We could see the mountain through the haze but it was definitely not clear enough for pictures.The good part when long views are obscured is that the short views and the flowers become more striking, not having to compete for attention with the more overpowering long views. There is almost always something wonderful that the trail shows to those on the trail.Shortly after starting on the trail three hikers came toward us coming northbound. It's Medicare Pastor, said one. It was Forager! I was so excited to see him. I saw him at Nature's Inn in Big Bear City in So Cal way back in May. He even helped me with a sermon with his story he shared with me and others at Nature's Inn. The other two hikers were Dirt Bag and Forager's girlfriend, Princess Magic Hands. A couple of bow hunters came up and chatted with us all too. It was a nice way to get started on the hike.Later on we met a thru-hiker named Easy but I had not known him before. I am glad to meet all thru-hikers but it is really special to meet those one has known earlier on the trail.Kathy and I traveled on down to Dewey Lakes and the others proceded north. It is a lovely part of the trail, enough ups and downs to feel like a bit of exercise but nothing really major.We stopped at Anderson Lake for lunch and then at the trail junction to Two Lakes for the evening. While we were setting up camp a couple thru-hikers I did not know came by followed by 4 section hikers with 2 dogs. We gave the dogs some water to drink and then they proceeded on.After camp was set up Kathy and I walked down the .3 miles to the lake to get water for dinner, breakfast and hiking tomorrow. It was a rough trail and pretty up and down and we were glad we did not go with full packs. We also camped high to avoid the mosquitos at the lake.We had a lovely dinner, did our camp chores and are now ready for bed. It has been a lovely day, beautiful flowers, craggy peaks, and lovely meadows even if long views were hidden in smoke haze. Good company too. Life is good.
Date: 2008-09-19
From: Prep Hike

To: Two Lakes to Unnamed Lake
Miles today: 0.0

An elk bugled outside our tent several times during the night. It kept waking Kathy up. She contemplated getting up and stabbing it with a hiking pole so she could get some sleep. Actually we both slept very well regardless of the love-sick elk.Today was a rather social day on the trail as we kept meeting thru-hikers and hunters. We met Decard, Tex and Karen, Coyote and Rattatoille, Canyon Man, Martin Mc fly, Walt, Jester, 3 whose names we did not get and finally Circle.It was nice to meet hikers I did not know or only knew briefly but I was really excited to see Circle as I knew her on the trail in April and May. She is a 60 year old from Portland.We actually put a lot of miles in today too even though Kathy had a hard time getting strarted this morning with various aches and pains. Things seemed to get better as the day went on.We stopped for lunch at the outlet from Fish Lake. After lunch we made short work of a short climb and went quickly and smoothly down the trail. Kathy suggested we go on some more when we got to our proposed stopping spot at Snow Lake. She was feeling the best she felt all day and my knee was good too so we ticked off another couple miles or so. We are camped in a grassy area that may give us condensation in the tent tonight but is was the only stopping place we could find that was not covered with huckleberries. We went by multiple lakes today and we are camped near one tonight.The trees are beautiful. The night is still and oh, so peaceful. A beautiful lake, beautiful trees, a cozy sleeping bag, good company, full bellies and a great day on the PCT. Life is good.
Date: 2008-09-20
From: Prep Hike

To: Unnamed Lake to White Pass
Miles today: 0.0

It rained softly pretty much all night. We stirred at 6:15 though and the rain let up conveniently for our breakfast and packing. We were actually in the rain cloud and the fog gave an ethereal look to the trees and stream and lake.Kathy sat on a damp log eating breakfast and said it was a really beautiful morning. She was not being sarcastic. She meant it. That is one of the reasons I enjoy hiking with Kathy. She honestly enjoys the out-of-doors in all of its aspects. And it was beautiful even in the damp.We packed up and headed down the trail, my 508 miles of the Washington section of the PCT about to be completed by this trip to White Pass.The trail meandered through beautiful alpine trees and around lakes and ponds and bogs. There were no grand vistas but there were beautiful views of trees and meadows and lakes no less beautiful for bing freshly washed by the rain and viewed through mist.We met hunters, fishermen and a few thru-hikers. I don't remember that any of them had trail names; sorry if I forgot them. There were also some day hikers and even one young woman, undaunted by the rain and going for an overnight hike. We also passed a big group of children and parents/adults, a class of some kind. They had no raincoats and were generally in cotton sweatshirts getting soaked by the steady, slow rain. We worried about them and hoped no one got hypothermia when they got to Deer Lake for their outing.Our rain gear worked perfectly and we ticked off our miles with a couple stops for snacks and a brief rest and we were at White Pass by 1:15. Kathy's husband Dave was there to drive us back home. Thank you, David.My PCT hiking for 2008 has come to a close and my AT hiking for 2008 is soon to begin. This was a lovely ending for the PCT and warm-up for the AT.More trails await me. Life is good.
Date: 2008-09-24
From: First entry

To: Bland, VA to Helvey's Mill Shelter 2.6 miles
Miles today: 2.3
Weather: clear sky

I am in the woods. It took a long time to get here. Yesterday at 2:15 my son took me to the airport. I took 4 airplanes and from 4:00 on the 23rd to 12:00 noon on the 24th to get to Roanoke. I slept only in fits and starts on the airplanes making for a weary me before beginning.Oh, by the way, if one wears a metal brace it means you get pat down searches at every security check point. I got 3. In Detroit they managed to route me between airlines so that I did not have to go through security again so I avodided the pat down search there.Bobbi picked me up at Roanoke airport and (after a bit of panic thinking my bag was lost) she delived me and bag to Linda. I organized my pack, picked up my fuel from Linda and Linda and her 92 year old morther drove me to Bland. Thank you, Bobbie and Linda and mom too. It is even possible that Bobbie and Linda will meet me along the trail and hike with me a bit. Cool!After a bit of confusion finding the blazes to mark the trail, I began my hike. A bit farther on I had some more confusion. I always seem to have difficulty where the trail crosses or goes along roads. But I figured it out.The pack was heavy with water as there is none convenient until tomorrow night. And I was tired and jet-lagged, but once on the trail I moved up the climb and eventually reached the shelter.I am staying here tonight with 5 laddies, 4 southbound hikers and one section hiker:Ron from Israel, June from South Korea, Gabe from Texas, Medicine man from Georgia, and Smoothie from Florida. I love the eclectic nature of the hiking community.The wind is blowing softly through the trees and the cicadias are very noisy in the woods but I think I will sleep well. Nite, nite.
Date: 2008-09-26
From: Ridge Above Lickskillet Hollow

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: light rain

It rained all night except near midnight when I got up to tend to nature. In the morning it was pouring. In fact, it was the drumming of rain on the tent that woke me. Good thing. It was 7:15! Holy Cow! I must still be jet-lagged to have slept so late. I managed to have breakfast ad pack up everything except the tent from inside the tent. Then I quickly packed the tent and was on my way in the wet.And it was indeed wet all day. Fall is supposed to be relatively dry according to the AT Thru-hiker's Handbook. And the 10 day forecast 3 days ago was for 70 degree days and 50s in the evening. No rain. Yeah. Right. Oh well, they need the rain here and I did not expect to get to Duncannon without any rain.After an hour or so on the trail two ladies, Mama Llama and her daughter, Erin, caught up to me. They are section hikers going to Pearisburg. We played leapfrog with each other on the trail for the rest of the morning. BJ and Mercury (father and son?) passed us going SOBO and told us there was no water at the shelter.So we detoured .3 miles to Dismal Creek Falls to get water. It was a pretty little falls and it stopped raining while we were there. Nice.The woods were pretty even if wet. Yellow was the accent color today, first in a few trees and then a lovely section this afternoon with an understory of yellowing ferns.I startled 3 large birds during the day but never got a clear view. So I don"t know if they were turkeys or grouse. I also passed another SOBO section hiker, Pepper's Dad and his dog, Pepper.It was a long day and I was glad to reach the shelter, in which I am sleeping tonight as I did not want to deal with the wet tent. Mama Llama and Erin are here and already fast asleep. Jerry and his dog are here tenting, a long section hiker. He gave us good information about water at the next shelter. I will be good for water now until Pearisburg and then there is a long stretch with very scarce water.But now I am ready for bed. Hiker midnight at this time of year is 8:00 and it is completely dark.
Date: 2008-09-27
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Doc Knob Shelter
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: light rain

Two other guys came in late last night but I did not get their names and they were still asleep when we (I and Mama Lama and Erin) left.Again I woke up late - 7:00. It just doesn't get light much until then so the days are rather short for hiking.Drip, drip, drip goes the rain. Drip, drip, drip all day long. (Except when it was pouring, which it did more than not.) It stoped briefly around 1:30 and I ate lunch and wondered if it would clear up. No such luck.I passed a couple of view points but today the only views were of clouds and rain drops. The Honeymooners, a cute young couple SOBO from Maine passed by.I got to Doc Knob Shelter about 3:15. Mama Llama, Erin and a SOBO section hiker named Joe were here.(Joe moved on shortly thereafter.) I got water and visited the privy. Actualy the privy was first. An old decrepit lady realy apreciates the luxury of sitting down.After eating while watching it pour even harder I decided to change my plan and stay here tonight. #1, The tent is still wet and I don't want to deal with it. #2, The rain makes me slower, especialy on rocks and there have been a few. I do not want to fall so I go rather slowly and carefully. #3, and more important but related to the other two, after I ate it was 5:00 and I did not think I could do 5 mies to get to the campsite before 7:15 and it is geting rapidly dark at that time.So, the knee will have to be happy with two relatively short days but not really a nero (at least half a day of - a zero is a whole day off with zero miles.) I am doing pretty well but I know there are a lot of miles to go and I wanted to give the knee more time of rest on one day. Oh well.Mama Llama and Erin and I are hoping to wake earlier tomorow. That would help. We will see if that happens.
Date: 2008-09-30
From: Symms Meadow Gap

To: Baily Shelter
Miles today: 11.3

Shortly after I woke, I went into the woods to do my business and noted that it was pretty warm. I looked out over the hills and valleys below us and could see seas of fog or clouds over the valleys. (As Canyon Voice said, we have a room with a view.)In another 10 minutes the wind blew the fog up to our hill and it was quite cold. Well, 52 degrees, anyway, which is colder than it has been being. So I started out with down jacket and gloves on.Backpacking being the great warmer upper, I soon shed the coat. Today was a day of constant adjustments, I stopped again and put on my gloves because my hands were cold. A couple hours later after ridge walking on rocky trail, carefully placing my feet to avoid falls, guess what? It bagan to rain. So much for 10 day forecasts. So back on with the raincoat and the pack cover.Not too long after, Canyon Voice caught up to me. We walked along the trail chatting. It has been so nice to have congenial company on the trail.We were both tired and ready for reaching Pine Swamp Branch Shelter for lunch about 1:30. This is an interesting shelter. Two winters ago a huge tree fell on the roof. The tree and roof are cleaned up now but there is no roof. Since the rain had stopped, we did not care. After all, it had a picnic table and a privy.Canyon Voice offered to go pump my water to be easy on the knee. What a sweetie. So I started the day's journal while he got my water.After lunch we continued on down the trail and shortly found that a small section of trail ws closed due to a washout. So we had a bit of a roadwalk which was good for me as it was level. It also was at least a half mile shorter than the trail. While on the road we passed a roadsign marked Moonshine Lane. Canyon Voice took a picture. It was a hoot.The road went beside Stony Creek and it was very pretty. Then we headed steeply up hill. The sign said it was 1.1 mile to Baily Shelter. That was the longest 1.1 miles I ever walked. I bet I sweated a liter of sweat. We did reach the shelter, finally.Here at the shelter we met John and Paul, two down home boys from West Virginia. The evening has been fun with conversation and a campfire.Canyon Voice and I went to get water from a little stream quite a ways below the shelter. After walking all the way down there I realized I had brought the orange bag with the stove instead of the yellow-orange bag with the filter. DUH! Canyon Voice again helped me out by using his aqua mira drops so I didn't have to walk all the way back up the hill again. Thanks, Canyon Voice!!!I need to get to bed soon though as I have 14+ miles planned for tomorrow. That is farther than my present campanions are going. I likely will see Canyon Voice later on somewhere on the trail.But for now, goodnight.