morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-07-25
From: Gorham NH.

To: Carlo Col Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Left Gorham at 8 o'clock. Hiked 17 miles today. They were some of the hardest miles yet. It was sunny today but the trail is still very wet and muddy. I stopped many times to ring out my socks. On top of Mt. Success there were boards over a bog. Two boards were broken and I slipped into the soupy bog. My left leg was stuck halfway up my thigh. I had to lay over the board and slowly pull myself out. I was scary. I have never hiked a harder trail in my life. The good news is, I'm in Maine. At 7 o'clock tonight I arrived at the sign. I gave that sign a welcome kiss. There are still 280 hard miles left, but I can start believing this will soon be over. To my sisters, Carolyn, Gladys, Pearl, and Glenda, here's the plan. At 15 miles a day I will be done in 19 days. I plan to finish around August, 12, 13, or 14. I plan to be home by that Satarday. What do you say we kill the fatted calf and have a Sunday night prodical son reunion. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone. Plus I want you all to see my scraggly beard before I shave it off. If that works let me know. Everyone I have met on the trail is also invited, perhaps even everyone reading this journal could come. I am tired and I am the only one at this shelter tonight. Yes it is lonely.
Date: 2008-07-26
From: Carlo Col Shelter

To: Speck Pond Shelter
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Quit hiking at 4 o'clock today. I only managed 9.5 miles in 9 hours of hiking. My slowest day yet. I hiked through Mahoosuc Notch, known as the hardest mile on the entire trail. It is a mile of house size boulders that you have to find your way over, around or under. Some places you have to take your backpack off to get under a rock, then pull it through. There were large chunks of ice under some rocks. The other 8.5 miles were also among the most difficult yet. I had heard how nice the creeks and waterfalls were in Maine, I just did not know I had to walk through them. On top of Goose Eye Mt. I slipped of a wooden plank over a bog and sank in with both legs up to my backpack. I was so disgusted I didn't have time to be afraid. After wriggling out of that mess I looked like some swamp creature. I walked dripping peat moss off of me till I came to a creek and jumped in shoes and all. Tomorrow I am going to try for 15 miles into Andover, Maine to a guest house for a hot shower and a washer and dryer. It is 7 o'clock, I am very tired and smell like a swamp. One exciting thing happened this morning, I went over 1900 miles. Only 274 Mainly hard miles to go.
Date: 2008-07-27
From: Speck Pond Shelter

To: Pine Ellis Lodging
Miles today: 14.9

Hiked through Grafton Notch this morning and over Baldpate Mt. Baldpate is just that, bald with no trees. I called Pine Ellis Lodging from the top of Baldpate. I needed to go into Andover to resupply so I decided a shower and a good meal would suit me just fine. It is 8 miles to Andover from the trailhead and when I arrived at the road at four thirty a van was parked there waiting to pick up 2 other hikers. It turned out to be the van from Pine Ellis, so my timing was just right. Only one mishap today, there was a wooden ladder leading down a small cliff. I walked down it instead of backing down like a normal person would. I was three fourth of the way down when I malfuntioned, I then blutzed down the rest of the way with my backpack acting as an airbag. I am tired all over. These climbs are endless and very hard. When I explained to the lady that owns this place why my trail name is apostle, she had tears in her eyes. Her husbands name was Paul and he passed away from cancer several months ago. I continue to be amazed by the people I meet.
Date: 2008-07-28
From: Pine Ellis Lodging

To: Rangeley Inn
Miles today: 36.5

I needed to come in to Rangeley for food, so decided to treat myself to a nice inn. Rangeley is surrounded by lakes and is a really neat town. I don't have my reading glasses since @ put them through the laundry in Andover, They came out in pieces, but they were clean. So I'm kind of doing this in braille. I saw a mother grouse and her 4 chicks forraging for food this morning. Four miles into my hike this morning I came across some trail magic. It was beer and little debbies. Now I'm a mere baby when it comes to beer drinking, but I don't think its a breakfast food. However I then realized how many needed calories it contained and thought it would almost be a sin not to fuel up. Not wishing to get one marked up on the blotter that early in the day I fueled up with one Natural Ice and 3 packs of little debbies. A quick 800 calories. The Lord moves in mysterious ways. Several hundred feet later I had a creek to ford. I took my shoes off and donned my sandals and waded in the ice cold water. I let out a yell and waded across. All this had happened and it wasn't even eight thirty yet. Someone mentioned going over 50,000 hits on my site. When this started if you would have told me I would have 5,000 I would not have believed it. I am honored you all are following my silly journal. Half of the hits are from my family. The true measure of a man is not in the number of hits on a web site, but in the hits he takes in life and gets back up to continue the fight. One of my favorite presidents is Teddy Roosevelt. He gave a speech once called, I believe, The Man In The Arena. It is one of the best speeches ever given, and inspires me whenever I read it. Google it and see what you think. TR started the Park Service in the early 1900s. I doubt that he could be elected president today, he was to politically incorrect for today. He was a big game hunter shooting Giraffe and elephants. He is best known for an animal he saved. One day he rescued a little bear cub and some enterprising person decided to make a stuffed bear to commerate it, that is how the teddy bear came to be made. Last week while going through Moohusic Notch I came across a Moose skeleton. A moose had fallen into the Notch and broken its leg and could not get back out. Hikers appealed to the park rangers to put the animal out of its misery but they refused saying its survival of the fittest. Some hikers attemped to do the job themselves, much to the mooses dissaproval. The moose finally starved to death. If Teddy Roosevelt were still around he would not have allowed that to happen. He would probably have gone down into that notch and rescued that moose himself. Then the kids would probably be playing with Teddy Mooses. Excuse the typos since the whole thing is just a blur without my reading glasses.
Date: 2008-08-03
From: Stratton, Maine

To: Pleasant Pond Mt.
Miles today: 45.0
Weather: light rain

Hey, what's that sucking sound I hear? That's just my shoes trudging through the mud. Hey, why is there a chain saw going off around my head? Oh, that's just 200 mosquitoes buzzing around my head. Why only 200? I killed the other 200. Hey, how's the trail flowing these d&ys? Two feet high and rising. I am on top of Pleasant Pond Mt. where I have reception for the first time in 3 days. I am ok but have been pushed to limits previously unimaginable. Am doing 18 miles today and 21 miles tomorrow.Tomorrow evening I will be going to Monson, Maine where I Will be jumping into the deep end of an intellectual think tank and probably sinking straight to the bottom. I am taking a much needed zero on Tuesday. I will update more then.
Date: 2008-08-06
From: Shaws Boarding House

To: Darryl Whitmers supper table
Miles today: 0.0

For those seeking information about the trail, move on, nothing happening here. This is part two of a two part series about music in church. Over the years I have been amazed in the different tastes in music in people. I enjoy old hymns and Mary used to enjoy what I call wall singing. These are songs written by a freelance writer in Nashville, writing country music in the morning and contempory Christian in the afternoon. He then sells it to the highest bidder and soon gets tossed up on church walls across America. Well, the last time Christmas came on a Sunday we were standing doing wall singing when the song "The Little Drummer Boy" was flashed on the wall. Now, there are two songs that radio stations should only be allowed to play once each Christmas season, they are Drummer Boy, and The 12 days of Christmas. In any case there it was in front on the church wall. I leaned over to wifee and said, that song doesn't belong in church. She gave me a sharp elbow to the ribs and firmly said, I LIKE THAT SONG. It's not only that it's so tedious and long, but the thought of a little boy awakening one night compelled to march across the desert beating his bongo stretches my belief system. But since Mary liked the song so much and I was in the Christmas spirit, I decided to give her a gift of several extra verses of an already too long song. That afternoon I gave her the gift of the following verses. Instead of repeatedly using the rum pum pums I will be using ...... when you get these you can enter your own rumpety pums. So here are the long awaited verses. The Saviors sleeping.....The drum keeps beating.....I'm trying to get some rest.....you surely are a pest.....A bolt of lightening.....It was quite frightening.....It came from up above.....It came in Christian love.....The drums now smoking.....I was not joking.....I'll die for you some day.....Now please just go away.....You and your drum.... There you have them, it's ok, Mary was not impressed either. Folks, I have certainly enjoyed having all of you along for this adventure. This is a forum about hiking but I have made it anything but that. Now comes the wilderness, but oh! what a mountain top experience comes after that.
Date: 2008-08-09
From: Darryl Whitmers supper table

To: White House Landing
Miles today: 68.4

I am at White House Landing, a Hostel on Pemadumcook Lake. I was surprised to have cell service here. I had to hike one mile off the AT to get to the lake. They have an air horn you sound and a boat will arrive to take you across to the hostel. I took a canoe out on the lake to watch the sunset. I also got my first look at the Holy Grail, Katahdin today. Today the sun finally came out after 3 days of rain. It has been really miserable hiking the previous 3 days. On Wednesday I was so cold I quit hiking after only 10 miles. I stopped at a shelter to get out of my wet clothes and dry out. The water source was down a steep rock climb and with my water bottle in one hand and my hiking poles in the other I ventured down the slope. Halfway down I slipped and had a head over heels fall. Both hands were stinging when I finally landed on a moss covered rock. I could not find the spring so just dipped water from a bog. Climbing back up I fell again on a slippery root. By now I was so frustrated I yelled out, God you're really not looking out for me at all, are you. I was in a major pity mode. Plus I ripped 3 holes in my expensive rain pants. It was a miserable 3 days and nights of constant rain. In the morning everything you put on was wet. The trail were running with water and very muddy. I could complain more but I doubt that any one really pities me since I am doing this willingly. For being a wilderness it sure has a lot of mountains. I crossed 8 in just two days. The rivers are running high because of all the rain, and in Maine the motto is, "we don't need no stinkin bridges" so I forded some rather rough rivers. Fortunatly some had ropes strung across to hang on. I could go on and on about the misery in this huge swamp. I slipped on a log going across a bog today and was determined not to fall in. Instead my arms went in the muck and I did a face plant right on the log. Did I mention it was miserable. I am 46 miles from Katahdin Mt. I have hiked 2130.3 miles. After what I've been through this week I am so ready to come home. I plan to summit Wednesday and will do a journal entry then. I will be at Abol Bridge Campgound on Monday and may have cell service there. I'm sorry about all the complaining but it feels good to vent a little. I hear the loons calling across the lake, how did they get my number? This really is a beautifull place. I ate a one pound cheeseburger here tonight, ahh, was that good. I hope you all have a good Sunday tomorrow. I can't believe that I will be in church next Sunday. Maine actually is very beautifull. I am falling for Maine.
Date: 2008-08-13
From: White House Landing

To: Baxter Peak, Katahdin
Miles today: 45.9
Weather: overcast clouds

One hundred and thirty six days ago I left Springer Mountain, Georgia on a journey of discovery. This morning August 13 at ten thirty I arrived at the last white blaze on that journey. It was a five hour uphill climb to where the Katahdin sign marked the end of the Appalachian Trail. Although it had rained almost every day for the last six weeks, today the sun finally came out. I took off my cap, backpack and my hiking poles and laid them in front of the sign. I knelt down and said a prayer of thanks for the safe journey I have had. Although I have had some hard falls there is not a scratch or a bruise on my body. My muscles, joints and bones all hurt though. It was an emotional ending to the adventure of a life time. I was fortunate to share the experience with three good friend who I have hiked with off and on. On Monday while at Abol Bridge Hometown and Rethinker came hiking into camp. Site See had caught up with me in Monson so him and I hiked the 100 mile mud path together. The four of us were all at the finish line together. Yeeterday I hiked 10 miles from Abol Bridge to Katahdin Stream Campground. I still had 2 river fords to do and the rivers were running high. There was a blue blaze around them, but as a purist I had to do the white blazes. The first crossing had some logs crisscrossed over the river. I crossed that ok, but the next one was harder. I dragged some logs out of the woods and in the next half hour constructed a makeshift bridge. At last my pure hike was secured. Now what? I will go home and visit family and see my new grandson. For those wishing to get in touch with me my address is Paul Stutzman PO box 340 Berlin, Ohio 44610. My E-mail is pstutzman@adelphia.net.Also my home number is 3308932918. I live at 5522 Rhur RD. Stutzman Allotment in Berlin, Ohio. Anyone I've met anywhere on or off the trail is welcome to come visit me. I have been honored to share my adventure with all of you, and will miss not sending these little journal entries to you. In the coming days I will post several more times to let you all know how reentry went. Also to let you know how the feast my family is planning for me turned out. I may even sent a picture of my new grandson. I will also post a before and after photo of myself to see if there is a difference. Talk to you soon. Apostle.
Date: 2008-12-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

My friend from Florida called me last night and reminded me that people were still reading my journal. He suggested I do an update. The day I finished my hike was probably the best physical shape i have ever been in. Its amazing how fast you can lose that when you are sedentary. Winters in Ohio really stink. Fortunately January and February will be spent in Sarasota, Florida. I am in the process of writing a book about the trail experience and hope to have it ready to go to a publisher by spring and available by year end next year. I am starting to realize how very special the hike was and the difficulties encountered are fading from memory, replaced by so many fond memories. With the book, i am attempting to put into words how the trail changed my life. Walking every day on the trail brought such clarity of thought and it is difficult now as i write to achieve that same level. I need to get out and walk to loosen up this brain constipation. I have been giving numerous talks in Church settings and at company Christmas parties. I have not looked for employment yet since the life style of late to bed,late to rise is working quite well for me. As i write i can feel the emotions and excitement of the trail again. I hope you will also be reminded of the adventure we had together as you followed me last summer. Once you hoist a pack on your back and become a bum for a summer things can never be the same. Please buy the book. I need the money so i can do another hike, plus i really don't want to get a real job. Enjoy your families this holiday season. Merry Christmas. "apostle" Paul Stutzman
Date: 2009-11-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It has been a long time since I did an update. For my many friends who followed me on my hike in 08 I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have spent the last year writing my book about the thru-hike and it is now ready to be released. I have a number of book signings coming up and perhaps I will see some of you folks at one of them. I have a web site with more information at www.hikingthrough.com I also have a blog link there and would enjoy hearing from you. Paul Stutzman AKA Apostle GA/ME 08
Date: 2008-01-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

On March 12th, my boyfriend, Eric, and I will begin our thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. We have been planning this trip for over a year now, and as our start date rapidly approaches, we¢re finding it hard to contain our excitement. My name is Kristin, I¢m 25 years old and from Orlando, Florida. As a child I grew up camping, fishing, and boating with my family around Florida, but it wasn¢t until several years ago that I really experienced mountains for the first time and fell in love with backpacking. In 2005 I went on a 22-day backpacking trip with Outward Bound in the Sierra Nevadas, and I have been hooked ever since. I first became interested in the Appalachian Trail that same year, when my cousin, whose trail name is Break a Leg, began a thru-hike. She kept a Trail Journal and completed over 600 miles, but ended up stopping early due to an ankle injury. While reading about her journey, the thought of one day completing a thru-hike of my own slowly began seeping into my consciousness. My boyfriend, Eric, is 24 and from Baltimore, Maryland. Growing up near the A.T. and near mountains in general, he gained a lot of experience hiking and backpacking with Boy Scouts. During high school, he and his friends even hiked several sections of the A.T., including the 100-Mile Wilderness, in Maine. It was only natural, therefore, that when we met almost two years ago, it was love at first realization of backpacking interest. ;-)We both thought a lot about completing a thru-hike, and we realized that we could dream all we wanted, but it was never going to happen unless we actually made plans, and committed to setting aside 6 months of our lives to do it. Conveniently, Eric and I both happened to be graduating from our Master¢s programs near the end of 2007 (his in Human Factors Engineering and mine in Gifted & Talented Education), and we decided that before we settled down in our careers, we¢d go on one last adventure, and thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in the spring of 2008. As part of my on-going preparation and gathering of gear, I went into my local outfitter the other day, where I met fellow A.T. hikers KrispyKritter (¢04) and Caboosey (¢07). After talking with them for almost an hour, and asking every gear and hiking-related question I could possibly think of, I decided I would take KrispyKritter¢s advice, and start my own trail journal. I had been thinking about doing so for a long time, and his gentle nudging finally persuaded me that it would definitely be worth my while. So, here I am! (Thanks, KrispyKritter!)
Date: 2008-01-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

For Christmas, Eric and I gave each of our parents a 4-foot long map of the Appalachian Trail, similar to the one shown here. When I actually sit down and look at it, and realize how far we¢re planning to walk, it seems kind of ridiculous sometimes. I understand people¢s shock and amazement when they hear of our intentions to walk from Georgia to Maine. Sometimes I even stop and ask myself, ¢Am I crazy to want to do this? Who in their right mind goes out for a 2,174-mile walk?¢ It¢s difficult to fully explain my reasons for choosing to undertake such a journey. The simple answer is because I love backpacking, I¢m not ready to start my career, and I want to get away for a while. The more complicated answer is because of a feeling: It¢s the feeling of joy and exhilaration from waking up outside each day and feeling more alive than I ever have before; The feeling of simplicity that comes from being out in nature and living a carefree, relaxed life; The feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment from overcoming obstacles and tackling challenges head-on; And the feelings of wonder and excitement that come from meeting new people, discovering new places, and experiencing all that life has to offer. A thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail is definitely not for everyone. It¢s my hope that by keeping this trail journal, family, friends, and fellow AT-lovers will be able to experience our adventure with us, and to see that I am not in fact crazy, but an ambitious lover of life. Welcome along for the ride!
Date: 2008-02-23
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Eric and I are so excited about our hike that we really cannot stop talking about it. It has become somewhat of an obsession, to tell you the truth. We discuss our gear daily, from sleeping bags, to clothing, stoves, fuel, and maps. For those who are unfamiliar with long-distance backpacking, when you are carrying your entire existence on your back, every ounce of weight makes a big difference. So we are constantly trying to find ways to make our loads lighter. More planning goes into a thru-hike than most people know. Besides all of the gear, there are many logistics to work out, and things to take care of ahead of time. From the filing of taxes, to securing health insurance, determining what to do with your car while you¢re gone, to setting up automatic bill pay for things like cell phones and student loans. The list of things to be done seems endless. One thing that surprises a lot of people is that we really only bring one set of clothing, plus additional layers for warmth. Our goal is to keep our pack weights at around 30 pounds, including food and water--something that is much easier said than done. With five million or so steps ahead of us on our hike, any gear that is not deemed absolutely essential gets cut. But even so, we have found that some of our existing ¢essential¢ gear isn¢t quite light ¢enough,¢ and we¢ve been rushing to replace things with more ¢ultra"-light versions. With just over 2 weeks to go, I hope our last-minute gear purchases get here in time! I¢m so excited, I can¢t think about anything else but our hike!!! :-D