morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-02-22
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

So here begins my trail journey. I thought I would begin by answering some of the questions I have been asked during the past year:Why do you want to hike the AT?   Because I have passed those white blazes since childhood on day hikes and always wanted to hike the whole trail.How long will it take you?   Hopefully less than 6 months.Are you crazy?   Yes.Will you carry a gun?   No.How will you catch the wild vegetables, then?   I will chase them. I'm fast.How did you get your trail name?   Inspiration. Plus, I'm a vegetarian.That's it for now.
Date: 2003-02-24
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I can hardly believe I will be in the beautiful state of GA in a few short weeks. How many days left? 23? How many times have I repeated that number to various people today? 1,023? I am sure that by the time I get down to 1 they will all be grateful that they will not have to endure the "great countdown" any longer. Perhaps I should not have started the count at 62.As my gear list dwindles and my stack of dehydrated food grows, I find myself mentally preparing for this endeavor. I have been saying goodbye to friends who are moving on to greater things. I have finally begun to realize that I am turning a corner and heading down a different path.... a path that happens to have A LOT of uphills. The journey seems daunting and difficult, but I know that along with the rain will come the sun and the frustration will fade and the joy will emerge. And then the frustration will emerge....Let the journey begin! 23!
Date: 2003-02-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I just finalized my maildrop and daily mileage schedule. I guess I should not say "finalized" because nothing is ever really final with me. At best, I give it a rest and declare it "good enough." So my maildrop and daily mileage schedule is officially "good enough"... for now. Sometime in the near future, the perfectionist bug will strike again and I will neurotically review my mileage wondering, "do I want to hike 12 miles or 18 miles on 7/24?" In reality, it doesn't matter and will end up changing anyway.If there is an award for "most maildrops planned," I think I am an excellent candidate. I did manage to keep it under 30...barely. I am still a bit paranoid about how many miles I will hike each day. 13 or 14 sounds like so much, but I know that once I settle into my "flow" it won't be a problem. Still, my drops reflect the assumption that I won't want to hike too far. I'm planning on hiking 2000+ miles and assuming that I won't want to hike too far on a particular. Go figure.
Date: 2003-02-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I realized today how badly the "trail bug" has bitten me. One of my headlights went out on Wednesday and I finally got around to getting it replaced today. I called some auto places asking if they replaced headlamps. In case the same bug has bitten you and that sounds perfectly normal let me remind you.... My car does not have headlamps broken or otherwise. It does, however, have headLIGHTS. I think I have gear on the brain. Much worse, I have discovered that I possess the attention span of a gnat. If it does not relate to hiking, then it holds my attention for approximately 5 seconds. "Wow, that's horrible that you're splitting up.... Hey have you seen my new sleeping bag?!?" I'm hoping that this bug bite and attention deficiency will disappear on their own. Who am I kidding? I'm going to be a nutcase until I leave. Correction for those of you who know me-- I'm going to be even more of a nutcase until I leave. My sympathy.
Date: 2003-03-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

My attention has dwindled from 5 seconds to 3 seconds. And I now have the "twitches" where some body part remains in constant motion at all times in all places. I only hope that my symptoms don't worsen. Or prove fatal. Perhaps reducing the coffee would help with the twitches. Nah!It came to my attention today that I need to lose 3.5 pounds....of pack weight. I suppose I don't really NEED to lose it, I just have this obsession with getting my base weight down to 20lbs. Some women have a "goal weight" for their bodies. I have a "goal weight" for my pack. Hey, I've never pretended to be normal! Plus, I don't know what I would cut. I do have a few luxury items. I could tear my book in half, but inflicting that sort of pain on Harry Potter just seems wrong.I may just have to grit my teeth and deal with that extra weight. Or I could ditch my tent. Who needs a tent anyway? It just makes things more difficult for the bears.
Date: 2003-03-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It has been a rather rough week in the "real world." Monday and Tuesday were just bad-- I struggled with conflicting emotions. Part of me wanted desperately to be done with work and in GA. But then part of me didn't want to leave. As a result, I was an absolute BEAST to all in a 5 mile radius. Wednesday was slightly better. I said goodbye to several clients and finished up at one of the offices. Today, Thursday, was my absolute last day. I finished off all my work at the other office and said goodbye to the last of my clients. I got a free dinner and gift certificates to Barnes and Noble and Starbucks. I guess they know me a little too well at that office. My clients went around the room and said what they would miss about me. It was touching and was an excellent note to leave on-- not happy to leave, not sad, just ready. Ready is a good way to end.
Date: 2003-03-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I said I would do it. I intended to do it. In spite of some cold feet, I did in fact do it. What am I talking about? Why, my lovely new haircut of course! The haircut makes the whole trip feel real and makes backing out even more difficult. Is anyone hiring green haired freaks? How about garden variety freaks? I can dye the hair back. I can't make it grow any faster, though.Luckily, I had much support throughout the shearing process. I should have been skeptical, though, when my friends said, "this will look so cool!" "this will be so much fun!!!"3 days! Will I survive? More importantly, will my family and friends survive ME?
Date: 2003-03-21
From: ApproachTrail 

To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: broken clouds

Well, the game is afoot! I have survived my first day of hiking the Appalachian Trail. I even made it onto the actual AT from the approach trail. That means 1.5 fewer miles to hike tomorrow. Thus far, 6 hours into the adventure, all is going well. The first 8 miles were relatively easy--or at least easier than I expected. A few blisters in the making, but otherwise pain free. It surprised me how quickly I returned to the "backpacking routine." Eating instant foods, filtering water, being dirty--it's like I never left the trail. And tomorrow is another short day to acclimate my body to hiking. Alright, my chili is almost done rehydrating. Time for dinner!
Date: 2003-03-22
From: Black Gap Shelter

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: broken clouds

Thus far, my second day of hiking has gone well. I hit the trail around 9:00 and arrived at my destination, Hawk Mtn Shelter, around 1:30. Still no pain or full-fledged blisters. I've been fighting the urge to hike major miles. I end up at the shelter with lots of time to kill...er...make the most of. I know if I hike the next 9 miles then my feet will be hurting. I suppose if that is my worst problem, then I am doing pretty well. Tomorrow looks like another easy day - around 7 miles or so. After that I have a 12 miler. I don't expect any problems though.
Date: 2003-03-26
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: overcast clouds

The past few days have been a flurry of activity. Lots of hiking. So far I've experienced a lot of "firsts." My first 12 mile day, my first night tenting, my first bear bag experience. And yes, it WAS quite an experience.First, though, let me tell you about my pre-first bear bag experience. I was tenting for the first time which, of course, necessitated hanging a "bear bag" to keep my food safe. I was examining some already hung bags and asked two retired men, "T-nut" and "Meatball," if it was theirs. It wasn't, but before I could bat my eyes, Meatball was in the process of hanging mine for me. Yay! My first "real" bear bag experience occurred this evening, at Blue Mtn Shelter. There were no pulleys at this shelter and no Meatball to hang the bag for me, so I was on my own. The incident involved tying a rope around a rock and throwing the rock over a tree branch. Sounds too easy to be true? It is. After about 15 minutes of missing the branch, hitting the branch (and bouncing off), and going over the WRONG branch, I finally got the dang thing up there. Despite all the frustration, I must admit it was one of the highlights of the day. After all, how often do you get to throw rocks at trees in everyday life?
Date: 2003-03-28
From: Addis Gap

To: Dicks Creek Gap (Hiawassee)
Miles today: 5.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a relatively easy day, considering it was my very first town day. We awoke from our campsite at 4:30 AM to hike 5 miles for the Blueberry Patch Shuttle. Although difficult, my first "trail magic" made my day. When I was almost down to the road, I glimpsed something glittering. Sure enough, sitting on a stump were two Bud Lights. Excellent! As "Last Minute Mark" commented, "A Bud Light never tasted so good." Even at 8:30 AM. Leanna and I experienced our first "hitch" into Hiawassee. We must have stood outside the hostel for hours with our thumbs outstretched before someone took pity on us. A trip to the grocery store yielded massive amounts of fresh produce and happy spirits. After hitting the Post Office, Rite Aid, and Dairy Queen, another kind soul took pity on us and returned us to the Blueberry Patch. We spent the afternoon enjoying our clean bodies and clothes and one another's company. Hopefully tomorrow will be a good day - a rough hike with newly filled food bags. I do have yummy blueberry pancakes to get me off, though!
Date: 2003-04-06
From: A Rufus Morgan Shelter

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

The one mile hike into Wesser today was good - and went quickly. The NOC was wonderful - like a little oasis in the middle of the wilderness. Leanna and I were cheap and skipped the all-you-can-eat breakfast in favor of coffee. Hopeful bought us each a 20 oz cup before we could protest. So we sat by the river and drank our java as we cooked oatmeal. Unfortunately, part way into the cooking, we noticed our coffee was mostly gone. No coffee with breakfast! Then out comes Hopeful with another cup for us to share. So we happily ate breakfast and attended to errands. Before we knew it, it was almost noon - Hopeful and I decided to be nice and help Leanna out with her Ben & Jerry's craving. Okay, who are we kidding - who can pass up Brownie Madness?Full of ice cream and coffee, we left for the infamous climb out of Wesser. The first three miles were fun - I thought, "What's the big deal?" Then I attack the last four miles. Ack! The climb went up and up and up. Doesn't this stupid state believe in switchbacks? At some points I was just trudging along - taking baby steps. At this point it started raining, and then there was hail, and then lightning and thunder. I knew we were supposed to cross a bald. I kept thinking "Where is the bald? Where is that bald?" I knew the shelter was a mile past the bald, so I desperately wanted to see that landmark - lightning and all. I never found it, but out of nowhere the shelter appeared. Thank Goodness! I hiked down toward it, in the mud and muck. Somewhere in the process, I began sliding. I was in classic snowboarding stance. Poles in the air, I slid some more. There was a tree nearby, so I grabbed it. It bent, but didn't break, and slowed me down enough that I didn't fall.I arrived to a full shelter. And I mean full! There were at least 21 people in the shelter. Was there room for number 22? Yes there was! I'm not really in the main shelter but not on the floor either. Kind of on a walkway, but under a roof. Not bad!Of course, I was soaked when I arrived, so the second thing on my mind (the first being finding a place to sleep) was to change clothes. I ended up changing in the only available semi-dry and private place - the privy. so now I'm really not kidding when I say I smell like crap. But I got clean and dry. And once I got some hot food in me (the best Raman EVER!) I felt half way human. So now I'm sitting in my sleeping bag eating chocolate cashews and jelly beans (thanks, Hopeful). Not a bad night. Maybe the number of people in the shelter will scare off the mice. Or maybe not.
Date: 2003-04-09
From: Fontana Dam

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 1.1
Weather: overcast clouds

We had a big day hiking today - one whole mile. Yikes! We got out of the Fontana Inn around 1pm. Check out time was at 11 - we were late of course, with all the errands we needed to do. We were actually ready to leave around 12, but the post office was closed, for lunch, so we had to wait an hour for it to open again. We finally got on the trail around 2 and arrived at the Shelter shortly thereafter. Now I'm sitting in the "Fontana Hilton" (there is actually a sign outside the shelter saying that), cozy in my sleeping bag drinking hot cider. The temperature has dropped some since we arrived, and it sounds like we will get rain and/or snow for a few days. The weekend looks nice (or at least nicer). Can't wait to get to Hot Springs!
Date: 2003-04-10
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: snow

We ended up having a good night at the Fontana Hilton - I got some "football pudding" in my maildrop and we used it as such and turned it into "baseball pudding." It rained off and on all evening - and we didn't get to see the sun rise over the Fontana Dam. The sun came out for part of the hike. Then, around 12, it started raining. Around 1 the rain turned to snow. The snow continued all day - the forecast says we should get between 4-12 inches by the time it ends. The hike was rough - a lot of slipping and sliding in the mud and snow. But no injuries thus far, thank goodness. We finally made it to Mollies Ridge Shelter around 5 - surprisingly there were 3 spots available. Unfortunately, there were 4 of us and the spaces are defined by raised wood bars - so I am on top of one with Leanna on one side and "Wrong Way Brown" on the other. Yes, we'll be warm tonight! Six more days of snow and then nice weather. I hope.
Date: 2003-04-11
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 5.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Boy do I love the Smokies! Snow, snow, and more snow! The grand total appears to be 5-6 inches, with snow drifts up to 12 or 13 inches. Hiking was slow - we only made it 6 or so miles to Spencer Field Shelter. The shelter is full and I am again sleeping on a slat, this time between Leanna and Last Minute. It's still cold - close to freezing it feels like. Perhaps my boots and water will not freeze tonight. Am I lucky to escape freezing shoes two nights in a row? We'll see. Tomorrow the highs are supposed to be in the 50's. Lots of mud and slush. Fun, fun, fun! So when do I get out of the Smokies?
Date: 2003-04-12
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: clear sky

Well today was another wonderful day in the Smokies. Did you hear the sarcasm dripping from my voice? The day itself wasn't too bad - the sun made an appearance. The temperatures were decent - in the 50's. And the snow was melting. Yet the hiking was still difficult through the remainder of the snow, the water, and the mud. More than the weather or the terrain, it was a psychologically difficult day. A day where there is no joy in hiking. To make matters worse, it was preceeded by two other days with no joy in hiking. Originally, we wanted to hike 12 or so miles to Silers Bald. We ended up just doing 6 miles to Derrick Knob Shelter. We got a late start, and by the time Leanna and I got to the shelter, we both were having bad days. Hopeful suggested a rest here and made plans to stop in Gatlinburg for a quick all-you-can-eat (AYCE) lunch and re-supply. Last Minute was agreeable, so we have made it official in the hopes that it will boost the morale of the group. Too much snow, wetness, and general ickiness. So we spent the afternoon soaking in the sun, stretching, and relaxing. We are hoping for a bigger mileage day tomorrow with a departure at 7:30 am. Hopefully, the weather will be kind to us.
Date: 2003-04-13
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mount Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: clear sky

I have now officially had my first good day in the Smokies. My alarm went off at 6:00 am and we actually got up and out of the shelter by 7:40 - not too shabby! The sky was clear and the sun was rising as we began hiking. Awesome!We made awesome mileage to Clingman's Dome, officially the highest elevation on the entire AT. Leanna, Last Minute, Hopeful and I visited the observation tower and let people gawk at us. Several random people got their pictures taken with us and we answered all sorts of questions: "Where are you going?" "You're doing what!?!" "How long will it take you?" My favorite was a little girl who asked her mother, "What is it?" Okay, I was pretty dirty and smelly.After hanging out for a while, I hiked the 4 miles to Mt. Collins Shelter. With all the walking around Clingman's Dome, that brought my total to 15 miles. I'm tired, but happy to have done the mileage. It feels good to be a hiker again. Off to Gatlinberg and Shoney's tomorrow! Yea!
Date: 2003-04-14
From: Mount Collins Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: few clouds

I am counting today as my second official day in the Smokies. I am disregarding the other snowy days and giving the park a second chance. Thus far, it has not let me down. We got up early again and were out of camp at a stunning 7:20. We hiked an easy 4 miles to Indian Gap where we were greeted by trail angels, Yvonne and Annie. They made an awesome sandwich (whole wheat bread, cheese, lettuce, and tomato), fresh fruit, cookies, and brownies. With full stomachs, we hiked to Newfound Gap where Warren, another trail angel, gave us doughnuts, moonpies, and poweraid. After feeding us, Warren offered to drive us into Gatlinburg. The four of us piled into the back of his pick up and enjoyed the ride. I laid down on my pack and watched the world go by - it was a beautiful day - blue skies and green trees. I can't remember the last time I saw trees with leaves on them. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. We completed errands in Gatlinburg, including spending over an hour at the Shoney's buffet, and returned to the trail at 5. We only had 3 miles to hike to the shelter, but it seemed to take forever. I guess it was a combination of full bellies, approaching darkness, and a philosophical discussion of the nature of good and evil. It was good stuff, though, and I got to see the sun set over the mountain. A great day! And Happy Birthday, Hopeful!
Date: 2003-04-15
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: few clouds

Today was a lazy day. I got up late (7 am), partially because I didn't get into camp until 8 pm and partially because of mouse issues. When I arrived at the shelter, I found a tiny space to sleep on the upper bunk by the wall. As I was putting my thermarest out, a mouse came out from the stone wall. It sat and stared at me. I stared back. We must have stood there staring at each other for a minute or two. Finally the mouse declared defeat and went back into the wall. Even though I saw no sign of the mouse for the remainder of the evening, I still had trouble sleeping. We broke camp around 10:30 and hiked 8 miles to Peck's Corner Shelter. Although i was not entirely in the mood for hiking, I had to admit it was a good day. First, the day was beautiful - blue sky, warm temperature, and SUN. Second, the scenery was great. We passed a lot of overlooks and could see mountains far, far into the distance. You would think that one overlook would seem the same as the next, but they all were different although I couldn't tell you how. I also saw my very first landslide - about 150 feet down and across. It started right below the trail, which made that short part of the trail a bit intimidating. I had visions of tripping and falling down the mountain, pack and all.I made it to the Shelter safely, though, and had plenty of time to wash myself and my clothes. It will be an early night tonight - hopefully with no mice incidents.
Date: 2003-04-16
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Mount Cammerer Fire Tower
Miles today: 16.2

We awoke early yesterday in our attempt for a 13+ mile day. Hopeful and I got on the trail around 7:30. The morning was filled with sunshine and birds singing. I don't think I've heard so many types singing at the same time. And none of them recognizable from the bird clock! The morning went by slowly. The weather and scenery were beautiful, but I just was not in the mood to hike. As the afternoon wore on, I became less and less inclined to hike. In addition to not being in the mood to hike, my pack was giving me trouble. it was straining my back and making my right hip numb. During a break, Hopeful helped me adjust my pack and redistribute the contents. With my pain-free pack and a Snickers in my stomach, I felt like a new woman! But not for long.We ate dinner at Cosby Knob Shelter and decided to hike an additional 3 miles to the Mount Cammerer Fire Tower. By now my mileage was close to 17 including going into and out of the shelters and the high mileage was wearing me down physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Hopeful kept urging me on saying "We're almost there," "I can see the fire tower." Although tired when we arrived, I had to admit that the views were worth the grueling miles. We were above the trees and could see mountains in all directions. When the sun set, I could see the lights of distant cities gleaming. Beautiful!
Date: 2003-04-17
From: Mount Cammerer Fire Tower

To: Painter Branch
Miles today: 9.4

Today we again got up at 6am, although we decided to skip the 17 mile day and opt for a more reasonable 10 miles. I'm still a bit tired (and hungry!) from the past few days, but it's nothing a good night's rest and food won't fix. We spent much of the day going down, down, down until we were officially out of the Smokies. Yea!After exiting the park, we hiked along the Pigeon River for a few miles. As far as AT standards have gone, the Pigeon is a decent river - and we crossed over it numerous times. Each time we did so, I desperately wanted to jump in the water. My impulse control is pretty good today, though, so I refrained. Hopeful had a wedding to attend, so we left him at the Standing Bear Hostel and continued on to Painter Branch campsite. It was a little sad and strange to hike on without him, but Leanna, Last Minute, and I have managed to have a decent evening anyway (including breaking a tree branch while attempting to hang a bear bag. Oops.)So now I am tucked into my tent, sipping my tea, and listenting to the creek babble beside me. It feels good to be a hiker.