morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-12-11
To: Another Start
Miles today: 0.0

Welcome. Thank for the interest in this journey. Hope you will be in touch, Sign the guestbook, follow along. This will be my second attempt at "thru- hiking" the trail. Last year I attempted a "flip" version of the hike. Did a section from Harper's Ferry north to New Hampshire but circumastances kept me from getting it all done. Met some great folks like "winesap" and "walkabout and caboose" and others. Hopefully I have put the major issues of life behind me for the moment and I can attempt the "thru-hike" starting March 1 in Georgia.Since my Army days in the 1970's at Fort Bragg, I have wanted to take on the challenge of the A.T.. It is only now, after my retirement from the Army, my leaving a job in government in Washington, my children growing up and moving on, that I am able to trade the day-to-day of life and all its challenges for the day-to-day pace of the trail. Looking forward to see everyone out there on March 1st. Heard there will be a crowd.
Date: 2006-12-11
To: Lessons Learned
Miles today: 0.0

Learned a lot about the approach to the trail in the days I was out last year. 1. Find a lighter pack. It all starts with the pack. My pack was great but at almost 8 lbs was a unwise choice. Lesson learned. I am now looking for something less than 3 lbs. Will buy after the first of the year when new stuff gets released.2. Stove - The JetBoil is a great stove. Fast. Hot. Downsize is again the size and weight. 90% of the folks I met and hiked with had the small "dynatured alcohol" stoves. So I have traded in the top of the line and its almost 2 lbs for something that goes 3 o.z. See gear page for details.3. Shoes and boots - Met a lot of hikers in low top trail or ridge runners. Seemed to not make much difference. Each person has to decide based on their needs. I will stick with the ASOLO's that have done me well and are now well broke in. 4. Trail towns - Some great one's ahead on the journey from Harper's Ferry. Lesson learned - They soak up your cash, provide great comfort, but can become addictive when it comes to make progress. To much comfort. This time I will march on past and spend more time in shelters, even when there is a hotel not to far off the trail.Just some of my thoughts. More to come.
Date: 2006-12-11
To: Preparation
Miles today: 0.0

Reservation made for Atlanta. Reservation made at Lodge at Amiacoala Falls lodge. One last night in a nice place before the walk begins. Weather is of course the first concern in the early days of the hike. But reading the excellent journals from last year's "thruhikers" has been very insightful. Those planning this journey are strongly encouraged to read a couple of journals of successful thru hikers. Lots of insight there.Using this time to get back in a pack frame of mind. Short hikes with boots on will give way to longer weekend outings with pack and the an overnight in the snow if we get some.Mental prep....well that's another thing. Best advise is from that dude on Extreme Home Makeover, Ty who says "lets' do it". Kicking up the dust.
Date: 2006-12-19
To: Starting Countdown
Miles today: 0.0

Put a countdown clock on my computer and it shows about two months and 8 days till departure from Springer. Got a reservation at the lodge in A. Falls. Looks like March 1 there will be at least 15 to 20 folks heading out. Plenty of company I am sure the first few days and weeks as the trail separates the fast from the furious, the slow from the deliberate. Still looking for that light weight pack. Thinking Gossamer Gear may be the way to go. For sure the Bora 80, a great pack, will have to stay behind. Friends and family wanted to know why I would repeat the trail miles I already have done over the years. Only hikers who set the goal of thru hiking may understand. It is the process the goal. To do it all in one season. Not to take away from the annual efforts folks make to do sections. That is what makes the trail such an interesting place. Some are section hikers, some are weekend hikers. there are scout groups, all kinds of groups. I count it all as a wonderful experience and it will be great to have the experiences of new sections and retracing steps on other sections.
Date: 2006-12-28
To: Christmas
Miles today: 0.0

Christmas has come and gone. Santa is always good to thru hikers. Got gaiters and down booties under the tree. Booties will be good for the first 60 days then I will send home. Decided on the Granite Gear "Latitude Vapor" for my pack. Searched and searched an over searched the options. Ultralight is great but not enough space. Wanted to do this with less than 4000 cu inches. So, got the Latitude Vapor at 3800 cu inches and 2lbs 10 oz. Big drop from last years Bora 80. Smaller is better. Forces you to take the essentials. So ready to go.
Date: 2007-01-16
To: One Month - 11 Days
Miles today: 0.0

Prep is complete. Tying up loose ends. Trailplace.com calendar shows at least 13 others taking off on March 1st. Sure this is only a sampling of those who are heading out that day. Looks to be crowded in the shelters for the first few days. Read someone's journal, sorry I forgot to note the name, where the goal was not miles each day but hours. A mindset worth adopting for those who are new to the trail. Still if you start at a decent time, say 8, you can walk one mile an hour and usually make it to a shelter. Certainly I am in the camp that says go slow the first days out. Even triathlete's will struggle with the pack weight and mountains if they don't take it easy. Reminded of a great guy I met last year at Greymoor in NY. He had been doing 20 mile days for 5 months and had hurting shins. Lesson learned from last year is - WALK YOUR HIKE!!! Don't get caught up in a rush to the finish. Enjoy the journey and let the trail dictate the pace and the adventure.See you all out there. traildust
Date: 2007-01-24
To: 36 Days
Miles today: 0.0

24 Jan. Snow here in Kentucky. All gear bought. Food for early days bought. Mail drops (only a few) done. Most food to be bought on the trail. I hope to skip the written journal with a new gadget that goes on the IPOD and acts as a microphone. Better to speak those thoughts and record those sounds.Understand everyone's excitement. Don't let that excitement convince you you can go fast and carry lots of stuff. Leave 3 lbs at home the day you leave. Success is measured differently by all of us..... less weight makes it possible to succeed.traildust.
Date: 2007-01-25
To: One Month an Counting
Miles today: 0.0

30 days now till I step off at Springer. Really wish it was tomorrow. Weather has turned so cold. I feel for those real early birds who are now marching north. Hope they can hang in there till the weather improves. Admire their drive.The dovetail saga continues, with clients bolting for fear of the market. She may not be getting off at end of March since there might be no real estate sales. I will be blessed each day she is out there. A great trail partner.The unofficial numbers on this site and others seem to indicate a traffic jam for a few days in early march. Motto is to hike as fast, as far for as long as humanly possible then bag it for the day. Could be 10 or 20 miles, 6 hours or 12 hours. Each day will set the tempo. The one day at a time plan.traildust
Date: 2007-02-26
From: last days

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Two Days. Leave on Wednesday for Atlanta. Flight is at 6 am from Dayton on airtrane. Cheap flights means early departure. Long days begin. Interesting to see by reading journals that there are many 30 others out on the trail already. Last minute pack switch maybe. Arktyrrk over granite gear. Just can't get all the stuff in. Will try again today. Still less weight than the start last year. Weather calls for rain on march 1st and second. Joy! Dovetail will be so much fun in the rain. Blessings to all. Traildust
Date: 2007-03-01
From: weather delay

To: amicalola lodge
Miles today: 0.0

travel day yesterday was a great day. 70 degrees to hike approach from visitor center to lodge. 72d hiker to sign in at center the ranger said at least 70 more out there having bypassed the approach trail opting to take forest service road to near springer. hold up at lodge riding out day of storms, tornado warnings across georgia. next 6 days are expected to be sunny. so tomorrow 030207 I will head off to springer and if I feel ok go on to Stover Creek a couple miles past Springer. with blackberry I hope to be able to give more frequent up to date info. please sign guest book and let me know you are out there. Traildust
Date: 2007-03-02
From: amicalola lodge

To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: clear sky

Approach trail on the agenda for today. Nice weather to get going. Sunny warm. Passed a young man named Todd from Buffalo who said his pack weighed 62 pounds. No way, sorry.. hope he finds a way to drop and send stuff home. Nice young man, ex Navy.Interesting how many folks skip the Approach Trail and take the Forest Service Road right to a quarter mile of Springer. Sure the miles do not count but when you do this you bypass some wonderful experiences, and some excellent opportunities to get your legs loose and get a feel for the pack.Anyway, I signed in a the visitor's center and was hiker 72. When I got to Springer I was number 92. At Springer, it is sort of anti-climatic. No real views. Just a rock with a plaque on it and a ridgerunner, "many sleeps" who signs you in and give you the "leave no trace" info. Photos taken and then off to the shelter and tent area.Put the tent up in the meadow on top of the hill even though the shelter down the hill was empty. Winds are picking up but I will try the tent. Nice way to start the trail. traildust
Date: 2007-03-03
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 2. Up with the wind. Wind, did I say it was windy. Wow. A young man named John was on the hill. He was a speed hiker. He was gone. Two young ladies out doing a section hike. Down the hill to Stover Creek. No problem hiking to Hawk. A lot of long stretches where the terrain is flat. Some old fire road walking as well. Easy to make time. Got to Hawk at 3 and sitting there was Martinni and Rossi and older couple whose journal I have been reading. Nice to meet them. A young man and his German Shepherd came in as well as a young couple. The young lady had hiked the trail 13 years ago. She was back to do a section with her boyfriend. Also, T-Mac, who has a trail journal here, came in. He is speed hiking, doing ultrlight hike. His pack was 14 pounds. He is on a deadline, marriage I think, so he wants to get done quickly. Read his journal for more but the bottom line is he is an extreme athletic doing 100 mile marathons and tri-athlons. In great shape.Micky and Forgetful came in..... to hard to describe here but they are Georgian's who love the trail and there out again do some walking. Bed time was at 7 pm. Unheard of in the world but on the trail, not much gets talked about our done when the darkness falls. So the long sleep was on. Glad I was in the shelter this night. Temps drop in the teens and the wind was blowing hard.Nighttraildust
Date: 2007-03-04
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Hiker Hostel - Woody's Gap
Miles today: 12.3

Oh is it cold when you get out of the sack! Rossi said it was 17 on his gauge. Water in my bottle frozen. Water in bladder tube was frozen. No problem since I had an empty bottle. So the night was a challenge. Not used to going to bed and sleeping 12 hours. About 4 am, the back started to hurt from sleeping on the hard boards. Still, stay under cover til 7:00. Then up making oatmeal and hot coco to get the blood running. Martinni and Rossi and others first out the door. No problem though since we will all probably see each other tonight. In the first few days folks tend to stay together day to day. Destination is Gooch Shelter but if I feel good I will go all the way to Woody's Gap to the Hiker Hostel. Word is tonight is to be colder than last night. The big challenge for the day was Sassafrass Mountain and the distance. Gooch Shelter was great but everyone seems to be of the same mind and is moving on to the hiker hostel. It can be done and is worth the time and the energy. A lot of folks use the Hostel as a place to spend the night before they start. Others stay several days and slack pack in the area. Josh and Lee are great folks and will drop you whereever you want to go in the area. A fee of course but it is small in comparison to the service. Anyway, to my surprise as I came into the parking lot at Woody's Gap, there stood Josh with a car full of folks, to include Martinni and Rossi and another young speed hiker who had no trail name. Given name was Garrett. So a blessing was there, not having to call and wait for a ride. Perfect timing.Nice way to end a long day, here at the Hostel. Best $15.00 bucks on the trail. A bunk that is warm and soft. wish I could stay several days. Off to Neels gap tomorrow.traildust
Date: 2007-03-05
From: Woody's Gap (Hiker Hostel)

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: clear sky

Hiker hostel folks are excellent. Picked up right when we arrived. Took to town. Best 15 bucks spent on trail. Sassafrass mountain the deal. Good ups and downs. Average hiker can do Woody to Neels in a day easily. Blood Mountain the big challenge of day at the end of the day. When I pulled into Neels Gap there Martinni and Rossi, Garrett, who had taken my advice and gotten poles or hiking sticks and Andre and his German shepherd, Samantha. Neels gap lives up to billing. Store there has it all. Had to replace fuel bottle that was confiscated by TSA in the flight down. Others were pressing on but Dovetail and I went a quarter mile Dow the road via a side trail and stayed at Blood Mountain cabins for 25 a person. Nice hot shower, fee laundry, small store, DishTV to catch Deal or No Deal and 24. Excellent day. Older hikers may want to spend the extra bucks to go to cabins. Helps for the next day to be clean and warm.
Date: 2007-03-06
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: broken clouds

Got a late start in the day. The cabin was great. Still a perfect day to hike. Before we got up the first climb out of Neels Gap, we were sweating and shedding clothes. High in the mid 70s with a gentle breeze. Good weather inspires Dovetail and she walks faster. OF course. I know.Hog Pen Gap was the perfect place to take a break. Dovetail checked in by phone. I call my son to congratulate him on his one year of being drug free. Live moves on, slowly on the trail but at warp speed in the world.We had a good visit with Martinni and Rossi, John, the Nashville Sisters, Todd the Navy guy, Caveman, Yogi. A full shelter and lots of tent sites full. Shelter is down the hill but water is right next to shelter. We tented on a sort of level space. Memo to hikers heading out.... If you stay here at this shelter camp at the top of the hill where there are better spots. Early night for some but the young folks hung out and made a small campfire and talked until 9:30. Tomorrow is the Nashville Sisters last day, hiking during Spring break.
Date: 2007-03-07
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Helen, Ga. 
Miles today: 7.2

A short day today to give our knees a break. The strategy we have is to go at a pace that is not going to blow us out. When we are tired we stop. So today we are heading over Blue Mountain and down to Unicoi Gap. On the map you may think you can do the 14 miles from Low Gap to Tray Mountain but success is built on an early start. You got to go by 7:30 and go, go, go. A difficult day for sure. Climbing Blue Mountain is no piece of cake. There is a good reason there is an excellent shelter there. But we opted to move down the hill and get the hard downhill done and hitch a ride into Helen. As we were sitting at Blue Mountain Shelter, the Nashville Sisters, Yogi, Todd, and John came along. The sisters were meeting their mom at the gap. Todd, Yogi, and John were going on. The Nashville Sisters called Mom and asked her to stop by McDonalds in Hiwassee and bring some trail magic. The climb down is long and knee pounding. If you do not have hiking sticks you are making a grave tactical error. It is on hills like this you really need the support. So we got to the bottom, and there was Nashville mom with three bags of McDonalds. Todd and John shared one of the double cheeseburgers with me. Nice young men. After the obligatory photos, the sisters. Todd and John and Yogi were heading to the tent sites at the Cheese Factory a couple miles up the hill.We got dropped off at the first resturant we came to, a german place with great food and cold german beer. Then we walked down to the Super 8 Motel where we were treated to some excellent service. They gave us a great room at a great trail discount price. We had supper at Wendy's and visited the pharmacy. The only caution I would give is be prepared to do a little walking. The Best Western and Super 8 are near each other but the Post Office and Pharmacy are about a fifteen minute walk away. Then again, what's fifteen minutes to a hiker. Next day, we got a ride by the hotel staff back to the trail head.
Date: 2007-03-08
From: Helen, Ga. 

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: few clouds

Again we struggle to depart at an early time. We would have loved to gotten out early but our free ride was not until 10. So we got some breakfast at the Huddle House, (NOT RECOMMENDED), and made a visit to the Post Office to drop some stuff that we were not using. Six pounds of stuff gone home. Still we know the six will be replaced in the days ahead when we restock food for the walk into NC and on the Nantahala.Still, another great day. We had hoped to get all the way to Dicks Creek Gap but it was not to be. The hills are tough in this stretch. Right when you are tiring you have to take on Kelly Knob which is at least a mile climb, a steep incline, that drains you. So we pulled into Deep Gap Shelter for the night. Awaiting us was Byron (still with no trail name) a new hiker for us, Moonwalker (from Indiana), and as darkness fell, in comes Todd. This is an excellent shelter if you have to stay. A little far off the trail so a lot of folks just hit it for water and lunch and move on. The hike out is not hard but to add more miles to the day is always a toss-up.Darkness fell and the cool air hit us hard. Still, sleep is getting easier. Tomorrow we head into Hiwasee and resupply for the push into NC.
Date: 2007-03-09
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: US 76 Dicks Creek Gap - Hiawassee
Miles today: 3.5
Weather: broken clouds

Here is where we sort of got caught. We sent a mail drop to the Blueberry Hostel which is 3.5 miles off the trail, down the winding road. The Cloud 9 is closer but we didn't think this one. So even though it was early afternoon, we had to bag the rest of the day and head into town. A mile from the gap we ran into Soulman again, section hiking Georgia. Nice to see him. He was hoping Dovetail would talk with his wife about hiking the "thru" with him next month. We were again fortunate in the downhill meeting up with a section hiker, a young college student hiking on spring break. She was nice enought to drive us to the blueberry hostel and let us get our mail and since we had the ride, we took it into town. She dropped us at McDonalds, which Dovetail was not happy about, but hey, you gotta have it now and then. After lunch we headed over to the Holiday Inn where again they were offering great hiker discounts. I know there is a couple other options but you can't beat the $200.00 room we got for $60.00. So, that is where we are. Resting, resupplied, and ready to head into NC tomorrow. The only sad note is that my Kentucky Wildcast once again blew a big game. No sense worrying about where we are on Sunday for the selection show. They need to not be selected.
Date: 2007-03-10
From: US 76 Dicks Creek Gap - Hiawassee

To: Muskrat Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: broken clouds

Today we say goodbye to Georgia. The saying goes that Ge preps you for NC and on and on with one state preparing and building you for another. Expected something more at the state line than a sign posted to a tree. Then again it is the trail, everything understated. Sitting on the side were the four NY boys, Chris and Everett.WARNING - Bly Gap is a nice place to spend the night but not a lot of level sites for tents. BIG WARNING - As soon as you crest Bly Gap, you go up,,,, welcome to NC with a stiff vertical climb up and ver Courthouse Bald. Fitting since it is a judgement to how well you have prepared yourself in Georgia.Big group at Muckrat so the tent was set up. Good water right near the shelter. The young folks had a fire and set up talking. Time change was making it easier for folks to stay up a little later.Passed the 75 mile mark.
Date: 2007-03-11
From: Muskrat Shelter

To: Carter Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

A challenging day. Doing more than 12 miles. The big challenge was Standing Indian Mountain. More than 5,000 foot to the top. But on the top what a few.The climb was steep but nice, over an old forest service road.Cruised into Carter Gap and there was the crew, set up and getting ready for dinner. Pitched the tent in the Gap with Texas. Talk was about getting into Franklin tomorrow or the next day. I plan on trying to get there tomorrow.
Date: 2007-03-12
From: Carter Gap

To: Winding Star Gap (Franklin)
Miles today: 12.8

A lot of speed in the legs today. Terrain is favorable for hiking fast. Lots of long flat stretches at alltitude. While I am going all the way to Franklin, most of the young folks are stopping at Rock Gap for the night and then catching the shuttle from the Haven Inn tomorrow morning.Big challenge today was Albert Mountain. A twin to Standing Indian. And almost as tall. The trail over the mountain made it pretty easy to get to the gap and the shelter where the privy seemed to be at a crucial position along the trail.Got lucky and caught a ride with a young couple who just did a 30 mile training hike for a "thru tomorrow". So they were great about giving a ride right into Franklin. Franklin is a nice town but spread out. The Haven Inn and the Saphire Inn are run and owned by the same folks. If you have to choose, go to the Saphire. the Haven is mostly where the young crowd stay. The Saphire is a little better quality for the same price. Neither is real close to the things you might need but they do offer a shuttle and are real helpful.Will ZERO tomorrow to do laundry, rest the knees before we head toward NOC. Hope to get to NOC in two days and then three more days to Fontana Dam.
Date: 2007-03-13
From: Winding Star Gap (Franklin)

To: ZERO
Miles today: 0.0

First real ZERO day. Late sleep with breakfast at Hardee's. If you stay at the Saphire there is an excellent "pork sandwich and dinner" across the street called Mountain Feast. Best "hushpuppies". If you like that sort of thing.Tomorrow we leave early with the plan to hike 15 miles, two shelters in so we can get to NOC the next day. Got to get to HotSprings by end of month if not sooner. Someone wants a spa treatment ZERO day instead of going into Gatlinburg. Don't understand that!
Date: 2007-03-14
From: Winding Star Gap (Franklin)

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Beautiful day today. Long walk but a great day. As many have reported, the Forest Service did a controlled burn a few weeks ago on Burningtown Gap so it was a little strange and interesting to walk on the trail right through the blacken forest. Then you walk out of the blacken forest and there is the trail angel "Apple" in a orange geodesic dome tent giving away hotdogs. A little surreal to me. But hey a free hotdog.... we are gratful. WARNING the last mile up to Cold Spring Shelter is a little tough. Can be done but if it is the end of your day give yourself a little extra time - especially the older folks like me. A long climb. ADVICE: The shelter at Cold Spring is one of the oldest. Better to camp up on the hill above the shelter. Great water at the shelter. Walk about 50 yards past the shelter and there is a sign up to the camping area. We camped with Nat one more night.