morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-05-20
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

I got some great news from the orthopaedic foot surgeon today. He diagnosed my problem as being what is known as overload syndrome not stress fractures. He said I should be able to return to the trail in two to four weeksHe said the trip so tightened my calf muscles that they pulled on the Achilles tendon which caused the pain in the tendons on the tops of my feet. He explained that is why the pain was worse at start ups and improved a little as I walked and got worse as I hiked longer miles. I hadn't even noticed that my calves looked like softballs at the tops of my lower legs and were hard as rocks. They didn't hurt but I had been getting cramps in them lately.The cure is anti inflamatory pills, rest and aggressive muscle stretching through the day and all during my hikes.I'm pretty excited and hope I can get back to the trail in two weeks. I'm sure I can. I'm still limping but will keep you informed of my progress.I washed my sleeping bag after I got the good news and started to improve my backpack. I'm ready now but will be patient for a little while. If I can.
Date: 2014-07-18
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you all. It took me this long to face the fact that I'm probably off the trail until next spring.  I've been home now for two months. I really believed I was going to return to the trail within a few weeks of my return because I was told here that I didn't have stress fractures and had simply overworked my calf muscles which caused my feet to hurt so much. The doctor here disagreed with the doctors down south and said an MRI was not necessary to diagnose my condition and all I had to do was take Aleve and do stretches.He said I'd be fine in a few weeks. Being that he is a doctor from a premier orthopaedic center in my area I was impressed with his ability to diagnose my problem without even examining my feet. I left the clinic happy as a clam because I was going to be back on the trail in a few weeks. I went home and began to prepare for my return to the trail. After two weeks my painful feet did not improve. After four weeks they were worse. After about six weeks the stretching was so painful to do I stopped doing them. It has been extremely painful in both feet, especially after resting them or getting up in the morning. I've been walking like a 100 year old man. Every step hurt. I called a local podiatrist for a second opinion. He arranged for an MRI earlier this week after actually examining my feet.Today (7/18) I got the results of the MRI of my left foot. The tendons were ok. I had two fractures and one was partially healed. The other is not and still had swelling and was causing me most of my pain. The top of my foot has been very painful since I returned home. My left foot is now immobilized in a boot.My insurance company will only pay for one MRI scan per day so my right foot can't have one until next week. It hurts a bit less than the left one. I hope it's not fractured. Walking in two of these boots will be a bear. I'd look like Frakenstein's monster. So now I'm looking at a longer recovery. A friend asked me if walking the trail was worth all this pain. Of course I told him, "IT SURE WAS AND I CAN'T WAIT TO RETURN." I think of the trail daily. P.S. Swamp dog called me today while I was in the doctor's office. I called him back later. He wanted to report on his injury that knocked him off the trail. We swapped injury stories. He agreed the journey was worth the pain and he hopes to meet up with me next spring, I can't wait, I love that trail.Thank you all for supporting me and following me on this journey. Next year will be a hoot. See you then, unless I heal faster than expected and do some of the trail this fall or winter.
Date: 2014-07-28
To: Here I go again!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

This is the year Im going to finish the AT!! Atleast I really hope so. Taking some different approaches to the hike versus last year. I am planning on resupplying on the trail instead of mail drops. I'll use some mail drops for different things but not as a primary source of food.I am also planning less than last year. Even the best plans can get fouled up in a hurry due to circumstances beyond any control. Last year I didn't always just go with the flow, change and adapt when needed and I think that hurt me.It's easy to say now but I definately need to take less zero days. I know the body needs rest but I am hoping 1 short day a week should do. I'll have to take a zero day here or there but not every week. The other major change is lodging... Last year I was more inclined to get a motel room when in town instead of using hostels. In general I prefer to sleep by myself, but due to my budget this is one rule I need to stick to. At this point my prep is focused on gear and seeing if there is anywhere I can lose a little weight from my backpack. I also need to get some odds and ends, but for the most part all my gear from last year is in good shape.
Date: 2014-09-06
From: Rockfish Gap

To: ?
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Cindy dropped me off at the trail head at 12:30. Hiked at a slow pace for an hour then took a break.   As I was sitting a steady rain settled in for am hour. Easy trail but no views.   Made it to the shelter pretty fast due to the easy terrain.   Decided to keep going despite the rain.   Rain stopped shortly after.   Walked for an hour and a half and found a nice spot to Camp. Skies are pretty dark again and lots of thunder not too far away. No water source. But should be ok with what I have.   Could use more though. I'll take the nice spot and set up the tent between rain showers and skimp on water.   Mac and cheese for dinner.   Little Debbie for dessert.   Met one long section hiker Marcus who started in VT and is going to Springer Mtn. Passed a few day hikers as there was a loop trail that connected with the AT.   I made a mistake on our drive down here, about 4.5 hours, and had my backpack in the trunk. I hadn't thought about my food bag being in there. I find cheese usually lasts a few days but this looked pretty foul, soft greasy and nasty looking.   Oh well no cheese for me.
Date: 2014-09-07
From: ?

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

There was a light shower that came through last night but it didn't last long and everything was dry this morning thanks to the strong breeze. I woke up thirsty and only had about 1/2 liter of Gatorade so I packed up quickly to find the next spring. I climbed up a slight incline and found a decent piped spring after about 1/2 an hour later.   I drank quite a bit while sitting there and carried two liters to go.   The hike up Humpback Mtn wasn't too bad and went pretty quick. Elevation 3612 ft. After that the trail followed what seemed like was a line in the woods that paralleled the BRP. No views but fast walking. All the springs have been dry. Needed more water.   I made it to the shelter around four o'clock. Happy to find a good water source. I saw Marcus a few times as we leapfrogged eachother through out the day.   He was leaving the shelter as I was getting there.   I drank a lot of water and had a snack before making dinner. Cream of potato soup with extra dehydrated hash browns added and beef jerky for dinner. Mmmm. Oh ya and a kit kat for dessert.   Talked to a couple who showed up just as I was finishing eating. Sort of an odd couple. Afraid to drink from the spring. Not sure what there plan was?   Found a nice spot to set up my tent and was sleeping shortly after 8.
Date: 2014-09-08
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Harpers Creek Shelter
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 3   6.2mi.   Harpers creek shelter Woke up to blue skies but that didn't last long. Steady rain about an hour into my walk.   It was hard to tell sometimes if it was raining or dripping off the trees but regardless it was wet.   I stopped at a shelter around 12:30 for lunch and decided to stay and just hang out. I'm trying to pace myself so I don't get injured or burnt out. Rained off and on the rest of the day. It really let loose around 9:00 with heavy rain and wind. Walnuts or chestnuts were falling on the roof which made me jump out of my skin the first few times.   I had an errie feeling with the different sounds and noises.   Fortunately I survived.
Date: 2014-09-09
From: Harpers Creek Shelter

To: Seely-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 14.2

Up and out just before sunrise.   It looks like it might be a nice day. I climbed down to about 900ft and crossed a suspension bridge across the Tye River. As it would turn out the bridge was the only flat walking of the day. From there you climbed to the peak of the Priest Mtn 4000ft. The highest elavation on the trail since Mt Moosaluake in New Hampshire. It took me about 3 hours to get to the top 5.5mi from the bottom. Not real steep it just felt never ending.   As I got close to the top it started raining just hard enough that I put on my backpack cover.   I was already soaked from sweat so I didn't bother with rain gear. I could feel the temp dropping and I got chilled pretty fast. That rarely happens to me while I'm moving so I put on my rain jacket to trap a little body heat which felt much better.   I stopped at the shelter just before noon for lunch. I got very cold very quick. So I took off my wet clothes, dried off. Put on dry clothes and climbed into my sleeping bag.   I made lunch from there and took a short nap after.   Left about 2:00 to push on as far as I could. Not feeling well today my stomach is killing me. Hope I didn't pick up seething nasty maybe it was just my bean burritos   I had for lunch.   I've never gotten sick while backpacking.   I hope to feel better tomorrow. Glad I packed some Pepto.   Surprise surprise another steady rain most of the night.
Date: 2014-09-10
From: Seely-Woodworth Shelter

To: Buena Vista VA
Miles today: 14.0

Another rainy night!   Not a wild storm this time but a steady rain almost all night.   I found a good spot for my tent and stayed dry.   I was treated to Barred Owls laughing and hooting back and forth. There were at least 3-4 very close and you could hear more in the distance calling in response.   It was really something. The one sound in addition to "who cooks for you who cooks for y'all" is like a chuckling laughing sound. I wish I had my owl call.   All of the trail was over 3000ft with a peak of 4020ft on Cold Mountain. I noticed my feet are forming blisters on the outsides of my toes.   I rarely ever get blisters not sure what's up.   My small toe is the worse and I'm having trouble keeping it covered.   More rain and mist most of the day.   I crossed a bald knob after Cold Mtn and it was so cloudy/foggy you could only see about 20 yards. Fortunately the trail was pretty easy to follow. Made it to Route 60 around 3:30 and decided to go into town for the night to dry out and figure out how to treat my blisters. I was able to hitch a ride without much of a wait.   I forgot what a good conversation starter a backpack and a scruffy beard can be. It was a really pretty ride into town. I love the mountains in this area.   Pizza for dinner. Washed my clothes and crashed at the Budget Inn.
Date: 2014-09-11
From: Buena Vista VA

To: Buena Vista
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Took the day off to deal with my feet before they get too bad.   Picked up some socks to use as liner socks that I hope will help with friction.   Left the Budget Inn, one night was enough for me.   That was a nasty dirty place.   The Hostel in town is no longer open so I decided to try the other motel.
Date: 2014-03-09
To: 10 Day Countdown
Miles today: 0.0

As I become more annoyed at the inefficiencies, injustices, and hypocrisies of the corporation I work for, my eagerness to be on the Trail grows stronger. We have seven days left to work and will leave just two days after we finish work. My wife's parents will drive us down from Michigan to Georgia and we will all stay in a hotel somewhere down there. The next morning we will drive to Amicalola Falls State Park where they will drop us off. And then we will begin our adventure!We started packing up all our things more than a month before our departure. And the small 'To Do' list I wrote last month expanded into a million other things. We still have several thing left to do, but nothing we can't handle. We have three going-away dinners to eat this week, we have to pick up some flat-rate boxes at the post office and pack up a few more mail-drops, we have to watch the last film in Godfrey Reggio's '-qatsi' trilogy which explores the relationships between humankind, nature, and technology, and we have to pack up the rest of our stuff. We've been going to Goodwill a lot, giddy to be free of one more thing. We're been looking up insurance policies and found good travelers' insurance, but still need to sign up. We've filed our taxes, but still need to send in our check. I've got a few more blogposts to write. I've got to load all of our music onto our Smartphone.I'm trying to reread Walden. There are two other books I wanted to read before we leave. I'm going to compile a prayer list. I'm going to gather addresses to send postcards to. I've got to write-in some information in our guidebook. I'm using the Avett Brothers to keep my sanity.I should have hiked more, even though it was cold outside. I should have shaved off a few pounds from my belly.But the adventure will be here in ten days and we will be ready!
Date: 2014-03-17
To: What I Am Nervous About
Miles today: 0.0

A few days ago, my dad asked my wife and I what we were most nervous about. My wife said "the cold" and I didn't say anything. The truth is I am nervous about nothing right now. Maybe tomorrow, when we're actually in the van driving down there, I'll feel something. The only thing I could think of to be nervous about was people criticizing our gear choices or criticizing whether or not we treat all of our water or criticizing us if we don't hang our bear bag in a way that ensures absolutely no bears will get it. But I don't get upset if people disagree with me when I have working knowledge and experience. The truth is there is no wrong way to go about this. Everyone will have their own way to do what they have to do to succeed. And what will succeed for one person might cause failure to another. I'm not nervous about bears because they are afraid of us. I'm not nervous about psychos because I never have been afraid of them and there are no more psychos on the Trail than anywhere else. I'm not nervous about ticks because we've sprayed down all our clothes with permethrin, will conduct daily body checks, and know the signs and symptoms of lyme disease. I'm not nervous about getting sick or injured because we both have insurance. I'm not nervous about quitting because we are prepared and mentally strong. We have no commitments ahead of us so we can go as slow as we need. We do not need to push ourselves when our bodies are tired. We have the time to rest. I'm not nervous about running out of money because we have saved more than people recommend and we know how to be frugal if we need to be. I'm not nervous about our gear because if anything doesn't work out, there are plenty of outfitters along the way where we can change out gear.         There is nothing for me to be nervous about. I don't think I'm being overly confident. We know it will be hard and that at times we will want to quit. But I think most of the concerns people have with a thru-hike that might make them nervous are created by a hyper-anxious society, fueled by sensationalized media coverage of every murder and every car crash.   Tomorrow we leave bright and early for a twelve hour drive, from Michigan to Georgia. We will spend the night at a hotel an hour south of Amicalola Falls State Park and begin our journey early on Wednesday, March 19th. Our bags are packed. All of our stuff is stored away. We are ready.
Date: 2014-03-19
From: Amicalola Falls State Park

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Christine's parents drove us up to Amicalola Falls State Park where we were a bit too early to register for our thruhike. Outside the visitor center there was a scale and our packs weighed in fully loaded with food, fuel and water at twenty-three and twenty-seven pounds. I was very happy with that and so far everyone else's packs have been heavier. After two goodbyes we were off climbing the 604 steps up alongside the highest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. At the top we easily hiked the rest of the approach trail and passed our first white blaze. We were very surprised to make it there as quickly as we did. We thought it would take all day, but it was still early. We decided to move on to the next shelter. Throughout our hike it was misty so we couldn't see any far views and it was a bit cold, but it was nice to be out in the fresh air. We got to the Stover Creek Shelter earlier than most other thruhikers and nabbed a spot in the shelter. Plenty of other thruhikers came in throughout the day and we talked some, but there were many big talkers there so we mostly listened. It felt like the first day of school. We were the first to settle into our sleeping quilt just before dark, but soon everyone was trying to sleep.
Date: 2014-03-20
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

We weren't very tired when we went to sleep and we didnt sleep very well. So we got up at first light and were the first ones to leave. The weather was a lot nicer so we could check out some views. It was windy though so we couldn't stop to break too long without getting cold. We had to climb Sassafras Mountain and Justus Mountain which were small, but steep and a good way to break in our trail legs a bit. We got to Gooch Mountain Shelter early again and got a spot in the shelter. Most of the older thruhikers camped out in tents and the younger ones took over the shelter. Most of the young hikers from our first shelter made it here as well. We went to sleep when dark fell again.
Date: 2014-03-21
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Lance Creek Campground
Miles today: 7.5

We slept a little better during the night and left earlier than most. We decided to only hike eight and a half miles because after that the Trail passed six miles through a zone where a bear canister is required of all overnighters. We hiked slowly and stopped at all the great viewing points. All of the young hikers from the last two shelters we stayed at decided to push through the bear canister zone. We got to the last campsite set up our tent and ate dinner. Then we looked at our watch for the first time since we started and discovered it was only 2:30 pm. Since we were exhausted we hatched the plan to go to sleep real early and wake up real early to ensure a spot at Mountain Crossings Hostel the next day.
Date: 2014-03-23
From: Neel Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke up at 7:30 and left the comfort of the hostel to eat our breakfast outside and threw away the trash in the garbage can. As soon as we started hiking it began to sprinkle. We donned our ponchos and ventured forth. It rained softly throughout our hike and was really foggy which made for some beautiful scenes. Looking to the left or right we could see different shades of trees as they disappeared into the fog. It was also windy so we didn't stop for lunch until we reached Low Gap Shelter where we stayed for the night. There were a lot of hikers at the shelter including a group of humorous young people we hung out with.
Date: 2014-03-24
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: scattered clouds

The first long stretch of our hike was very easy walking across the side of a long mountain. I threw on the Avett Brother's album I and Love and You. Before too long my eyes filled with tears at the beauty of the music and the lyrics. I can't remember the last time I cried. As I listened I realized that I have not been overwhelmed by the beauty of the mountains here. In fact, I haven't really been in awe of anything in a long while. My sense of wonder is gone. I have understood this in regards to my senses. It is difficult to be wowed by food, art, movies, even the beauty of another person. We are overexposed to the bodies of celebrities, we are given too much access to a variety of cheap food, we have too many TV shows and movies that contain too much excitement and plot twists in order to hold our attention away from the others. It is difficult for us to truly appreciate anything when we have so much of it. But I think I have lost something deeper than a loss of sensuous wonder. It is some natural part of the spirit or the soul that is out of whack. So what can I do to regain a sense of wonder? Deprive myself of comforts and pleasures? Truly enjoying a frozen pizza after three days of hiking is one thing, but truly appreciating the simple love of my wife is something different. How can I actually feel the presence of God? How can I be overwhelmed by beauty or love or grace? Perhaps I can discover some answers on this journey. We had planned to hike twelve miles this day and set up camp on tpp of Rocky Mountain, but someone told us it was supposed to be very cold so we decided to hike more to the next shelter. We're sure glad we did because right after the mountain an older Georgian couple had set up trail magic at Indian Grave Gap. We had chicken burgers, hamburgers, bottled root beer, gatorade, spinach salad, strawberries, and bananas. Afyer we had our fill and thanked them we continued on up Tray Mountain which was extremely difficult, feeling sick from all the food. Once at the Tray Mountain Shelter we set up our tent and found our bottle of denatured alcohol had cracked and started leaking. Not too much got wet from it, but I should have known better than to store it in a cheap Walmart water bottle with thin plastic. Luckily, Christine grabbed a small bottle of Gatorade from the trail magic so we transferred it over. I will also keep it in a side pocket from now on. We went to sleep soon after dealing with the mess, fully bundled in all of our baselayers and jackets and sleeping quilt