morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-06-27
From: Pochuck Mt Shelter

To: Vernon Hostel 
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Up and out at 7:00 after finishing my PopTarts. The trail was very muddy and swamppy. Seeing a trend here? We crossed Pochuck Creek footbridge that was a mile long boardwalk over a wetland. A very nice hike and because it was early in the morning, not too hot. More black raspberries along the way. When I arrived at NJ route 94 I hitched a ride to the hostel. Arrived at 9:45. Did laundry, took a shower and ate greasy burgers at Burger King. The hostel is at ST. Thomas Episcapal Church. The providers are very generous. They ask for a $10 donation for the use of the facilities. Including the use of the PC I am using to update this page. I will go to the local grocery and re-stock supplies for the next 4 or 5 days. New term. When you take a day off the term is "taking a zero day". I hiked a little over 6 miles before arriving at the hostel. I am taking a "nero day", or nearly zero. I will be up and out first thing in the morning.My Italian buddy arrived at the hostel mid afternoon. He needed to have his camera repaired. So we headed for the grocery to re-stock and the camera store. The gentleman at the camera store was very thorough in his explanation that the camera was broken due to a mechanism in the lense that was bent or mis-aligned. The Italian fellow looked at him with a blank stare...he understood nothing the guy was saying. Finally I explained the situation the best I could. He finally smiled and said "Oh, it is f--ked up?" Both the camera store salesman and I broke up. Clearly he understood the situation.We had about 8 guys in the hostel overnight. The washing machine and shower got a good work out. Lots of blisters and aching feet. Everyone enjoyed the break from nature for one night.
Date: 2015-12-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

5 years goes by pretty fast. Seems like it was just yesterday that I was reading everything I could on whiteblaze, and buying everything I could from R.E.I. in preparation for an AT thru hike. Well, that was March of 2011 that I set off on my quest to tame the mountains. I managed to hike around 750 miles in about 2 months and had the time of my life. I met so many amazing people along the way. I got to experience so much awesomeness, and walk away with so many memories and stories to tell that should last me forever or until I get diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Date: 2015-12-31
To: Mt Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Since I got off the trail back in 2011, there hasn't been a single day gone by that I haven't thought about it. I figured out pretty quickly that the worst day hiking the AT sure beats the best days in the suburbs. Anybody who has walked a mile on the trail knows that there is something magical about it, and anybody who has failed in their quest to thru hike it knows that the trail can leave a hole in your soul that can only be fixed at the the summit of Mt Katahdin.
Date: 2016-01-02
From: Mt Katahdin

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I purchased a one way non-refundable bus ticket to Georgia...leaving Monday night January 4th from Tampa. It's about a 13 hr bus ride through the night, so i should be on scene sometime around 10:30 am the following morning. I am planning on staying at the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega. I am waiting to hear back from them about catching a ride from the bus station. I have heard a lot of good things about the Hiker Hostel and am really looking forward to staying there. So, that puts my official start on Wednesday Jan 6th. I just checked the weather forecast, and it looks like its going to be a sunny day with the highs & lows being around 43/34 degrees. Sounds perfect to me. I plan on spending my last days in Florida visiting my brother and tying up loose ends. If you read my 2011 journal and were wondering...He got 10 yrs in prison and is doing really well and in good health and spirit. I have visited him as often as I can and am looking forward to seeing him tomorrow.
Date: 2016-01-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Well I survived the Greyhound bus ride...I made it to Gainesville, Ga where the owners of the Hiker Hostel in Dalonega picked me up so I could stay there. They are pretty cool people and have a great place. I would definitely recommend staying here. They will drop me off at Springer Mt in the morning. There are some section hikers who are staying here as they have just finished their hike. They were so eager to talk about their experience and it was cool to get some weather details...so far, looks like its going to be cold, very cold. I am expecting temps in the 20's. Looks like theres going to be rain on the way soon...So in case you were wondering what did i forget to pack... Hiking Gaiters... im definitely going to need those. so hopefully I can pick up a pair at the outfitter at neels gap in 3 days.
Date: 2016-01-06
From: Springer Mt

To: Cooper Gap
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: clear sky

Day 1On your mark, get set, go!!!So I stayed the night at The Hiker Hostel, which is a really awesome place. The owners are super friendly and very knowledgeable about all things pertaining to the AT. The H.H. is definately a great asset for the trail community. Breakfast was delishous, and the oatmeal was probably the best I've ever had. I got dropped off at the parking lot to Springer Mt with Karen and her dog Cooper. Karen is a newbie to hiking and it is really cool seeing people take their first steps of following their passion. We had to hike a mile to reach the starting point of the AT. We took the customary pictures and chatted for a second on top of the Mt.I took a moment to take it all in. It was a really weird feeling for me. Up until I was standing on top of Springer Mt, I I noticed a lack of excitement leading up to this moment. I didn't have any intentions of thru hiking this year, and especially not in the middle of winter. I kinda did it out of necessity. The last month or so has absolutely sucked for me, I found my life turned upside down and falling apart. I went through my emergency contingency plans alphabetically and ended up on plan "H". I basically said forget it, I'm going Hiking...I needed to get away, I needed time to myself, I needed to figure out some things. So i turned to mother nature to try to fix a broken heart and mend a battered soul.As soon as I was standing on top of that Mt, I felt at home. I sincerely felt that for once, I was at the right place at the right time. It felt good to be on the trail again. I was overcome with a feeling of deja vu. I did what any hiker would do...I started hiking. The views were amazing, the weather was perfect. I was really looking forward to seeing Army Rangers out training, and even brought Slim jims for them, but I didn't get so see them. Maybe they were just really well camoflauged...I was planning on staying at Hawk Mt Shelter, but there wern't any hikers there and the privy was closed due to public safety concerns....I didnt want to find out what those concerns were first hand so I took off. I tried to make it to the next shelter but I didn't make it. It got dark and colder so I set up my tent at Cooper Gap. I ended up hiking 12.2 miles.
Date: 2016-01-07
From: Cooper Gap

To: Woods Hole Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 2I was slow to wake up and get going, as it is very difficult to get out of a warm and cozy sleeping bag and step out into 30 degrees. I must admit it was perfect weather for hiking. I was cruising along at a good pace, trying to take advantage of any good weather. I am always keeping an eye on the weather, and I knew rain was on the way so i got my hike on. I didn't see any northbound thru hikers, only a handful of day hikers with their shiny clean clothes on. I did cross paths with a southbound flip flop hiker named Riptide, who was finishing up with his journey from Harpers Ferry to Springer. We exchanged pleasantries and were on our ways. I ended up doing almost 16 miles, which required me to give maximum effort. I started this adventure without any expectations and only a commitment to myself to give it 100 % every day. I figure enough days in a row of 100 % effort just might get me to Maine, but If I end up hiking for a week, a month so be it, as long as I return home with a smile on my face. This adventure is more about the journey and not so much the destination, although it would be pretty neat to get a picture standing on Mt. Katahdin. By the end of the day it was getting dark, which means colder. The sun sets earlier in the mountains. I was trying to make Woods Hole Shelter, as I was pushing it, I got soaking wet from sweat...yup I broke rule number 1. ...I had to dig down deep, find that self confidence, and push myself to get up those inclines. I did not want to set up my tent knowing rain was imminent. I made it to the shelter as dark fell only to find it empty. I quickly got out of my wet clothes, climbed into my sleeping bag, just in time to listen to the rain fall on a tin roof. It was a cold windy night, which I shared with a mouse.
Date: 2016-01-09
From: Neels Gap Hostel

To: Helen, Ga
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 4I didn't hike any miles, but I did go swimming.I woke up Saturday morning at the Blood Mt Cabin and arranged for a shuttle ride to Helen, Ga. The driver, a retired gentleman named Sam picked me up and was very eager to tell me everything there was to know about everything. I found him to be informative and knowledgeable. He took the scenic way and it was picture perfect. Sam recommended a stay at The Helendorf Hotel, which was slightly out of my budget, but was a great place with lots of charm. It looks like a castle. Helen has been on my list of places to visit for a while now, and I am glad I got to experience this little town that was inspired by a German Alpine village. I spent my day being a tourist checking out the little shops offering handmade pretzels and fudge. I got to go swimming in the middle of the winter in the mountains in a heated swimming pool. I went to the little country grocery store to resupply. I started this hike with a strong focus on the importance of nutrition. I have adapted the mind set that I am a long distance endurance athlete, and have planned my meals accordingly. I brought protein powder and amino acid drink mix with me that will help my muscles recover from the daily grind of thru hiking. I am paying attention to nutrition labels on everything I buy. I know my food bag might be slightly heavier than most but it will ultimately help my body recover quicker and help me acquire my hiker legs faster which will help lead me to a more enjoyable hiking experience. I know that there are a lot of ups and down hiking the appalachian trail, but none that compare to watching that Steelers vs Bengals playoff game....wow, that might just be the most intense, action packed game I have ever seen. Go Steelers!I arranged a ride back to Neels Gap, but the driver wasn't able to pick me up until 1pm...so I have to rework my mileage. I am looking forward to getting back on the trail as the weather will be sunny with temps in the 20-30's ...perfect.
Date: 2016-01-11
From: Whitley Gap Shelter

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 6I survived.I wasn't able to get much sleep last night due to a slight case of freezing. The sun came out to play and I wasn't ready to crawl out of my sleeping bag. It must have been around 10 before I got moving around. My feet were like ice cubes. Inspector Gadget and I made our way north, he left me in his dust as I was moving in slow motion. This day was the first time I actually questioned myself..wtf am I doing. The idea of throwing in the towel was the topic of the day in AK land. I must admit all of the encouragement from you guys really paid off big time here...and a special thank you goes out to my hiking buddies from 2011 Triton and Bum Knee for their support. I put it to good use and kept on hiking on. While I was contemplating on what I was going to do with my life, should I stay or should I go? Winkle walks by. It was refreshing to have someone to chat with for a second to put that internal stuff on the back burner. She actually mentioned that she was following my trail journal. I knew at that moment..I was going to keep on going. I stopped in Low Gap Shelter for lunch, and there were some SOBO'S hanging out with Inspector Gadget. The SOBO'S continued south, The inspector went north, and I stayed put. Low gap is a very cool spot and one of my favorite places so far. There are 2 mountains that kinda meet right there and each has its own stream trickling down and forming a "Y" right in front of the shelter. I decided to kick back, relax, and recuperate from the wild night before. As I was watching the sun start to set over the mountain, in walks Subman and Slipnot. 2 really cool guys. Subman was hiking along with Slipnot for a few days. Slipnot is going all the way to Maine. I have to admit that it is very comforting having somebody else out here on this journey.I slept in the shelter by myself as Subman and Slipnot were staying in their tents. I was getting ready for another round of freezing but the wind was no where nearly as bad as the previous night. It turned out to be a really nice night, until a mouse walked over my face. I wasn't in the mood to play with the mouse so he took it upon himself to inspect all of my gear while I slept and decided to chew on my lid to my jetboil. Thanks Mr. Mouse, I always wanted an extra hole in my lid.
Date: 2016-01-12
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap (Hiawassee)
Miles today: 10.0

Day 7A hot shower was calling my name.I woke up at Low Gap feeling pretty good. The extra rest worked. Subman was headed back to his truck, leaving Slipnot and I to continue towards Maine. He got a head start on me leaving camp, and I wasnt able to catch up to him..he must hike really fast. At one point I was thinking I shoulda caught up to him by now and was convinced he made a wrong turn outta camp. Nope He just walks faster than me. And thats all right. I am hiking my own hike. It was as close to perfect weather as it could possible be. The sun was shining and now the right side of my face has a tan. I stopped to check out some really cool views along the way. I saw a bunch of frozen icicles hanging down a bunch of rocks. Today was on auto pilot, I was cruising the whole way. I attribute that to the protein powder working, and my legs responding accordingly. I brought 1 lb of protein and a bag of "Aminolytes by Beast " I figure every time I fill up my water bottles in the morning, I will make a smoothie and mix the two supplements. During my 2nd water fill up, I add in a "Emergency mix" and 3rd fill up, I add "Propel". I also take a multivitamin daily. My food choices for snacks include Slim Jims, an assortment of protein bars, and mini snickers. For lunch I brought some sliced turkey and cheese from the deli. I figure it is good to go as we are basically walking in refrigerator temperature. I really dont like cooking dinner, so I try to keep it simple and go with instant mashed potatoes or pasta sides. I try to eat regularly through out the day and stop at cool viewpoints for snack time.As I got closer to Unicoi Gap, the lure of town was calling my name. Hiawassee was right down the road, I could smell the cooking, and I knew from last time there was an all you can eat buffet at a steakhouse...I figured I would try to hitch a ride into town and if that didnt work I would hike on to tray Mt. The very forst person I asked for a ride said sure hop on in...success! Turns out the gentleman who gave me the ride was retired and a former thru hiker...he knew all about hikers needing rides to towns and was glad to help out. I got dropped off at the Budget Inn a place that Ive stayed at before and is know to be super friendly towards hikers...but was told today they were closed..they didn't look closed. What ever, I continued down the road and got a room at the Holiday Inn. I immediately took a shower and went to find that all you can eat restaurant...and I ate all I could for only $7.50...your looking at one satisfied customer. I spent the rest of the day in the hot tub...Subman is going to link up with Slipknot at Dicks Creek Gap and head into town tomorrow night. I will high tail it outta town and make my way to Dicks Creek Gap to meet up with them when they return from their stay in town.I should be in NC soon.
Date: 2016-01-13
From: Unicoi Gap (Hiawassee)

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 16.0

Day 8"No one is going to walk that last mile for you"...I woke up at the Holiday Inn in Hiawassee, I checked the messages on my trail journal and saw that Subman would be able to give me a ride back to the gap on his way to meet up with Slipknot. This was most helpful, as now I didn't have to try to arrange a ride and could sleep in a bit longer. I have the feeling that Subman has the DNA of a trail angel...I felt great after getting rest. I was ready for the climb outta the gap up Rocky Mt. Once I got to the top, the weather was perfect,there were some amazing views, and the right song came across my ipod, so lets just say I had a dance party all by my self on top of Rocky Mt. I have been listening a lot to music as I hike and I heard a Jay Z song that made me think of one of my best friends JD who passed away a few years ago. I thought he would have really enjoyed hiking. For the next few miles or so, I was reminiscing about the close knit group of friends that I had back in the day, and how that is very similar to the close knit hiking community. Hikers have a way of taking care of their own. The friendships that you make on the trail will last a life time. When I was hiking in 2011 I met some of the most incredible people ever. It really it me as I was walking along this section as it was where I first met John F'N Wayne. He quickly became part of my hiking group back in 2011. The memories quickly came rolling in, and I found a few awesome spots along the trail to stop to remember them. John Wayne went on to finish the trail that year, only to pass away in a tragic hiking accident in Alabama. He is a legend and the hiking community will miss him dearly.The day was going great, I was having a lot of fun...until I came across what seemed as a never ending uphill climb that is know as Kelly Knob. Straight up, for hours. Just when you think you have reached the top, you are wrong, there is more uphill. There is always more uphill to go. I had to tap into my second and third wind to make it to the top. This was definitely a snack depleting, water bottle draining, layer off kinda battle. I decided to bypass Deep Gap shelter, put it in high gear and make it three more miles to Dick Creek Gap where I could get a bunk at The Top of Georgia Hostel. I had to night hike out of the woods to make it, which is pretty scary, but the thought of walking down a crazy mountain highway to the hostel in the dark was even more scarier. I am super glad TOG was able to pick me up. I was exhausted by the time I got to the hostel. Not only is the trail a geographical rollercoaster, but can also be an emotional rollercoaster too. I really appreciate the trail for giving me the time to think and remember.
Date: 2016-01-14
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Plum Orchard Shelter
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 9Easy does it.I woke up early at the Top of Georgia Hostel, which is a cool place owned by Sir Packs a Lot. He gave me a ride to Dick's creek gap after breakfast. My plan for the previous day where I hiked 16 miles from gap to gap was to put myself in a good position to be able to link up with Slipknot when he returned from his stay in Hiawassee. We made plans to meet up at Plum Orchard Shelter which was 4 miles in. I got there first and took a nap while waiting for him. I figured since it was a really beautiful day out that we would hike on to the next shelter. I was a little surprised that he wanted to stay put for the night. It went against my hiker game plan of taking advantage of the nice days to get miles in, knowing rain was on its way. My need to socialize got the best of me and I decided to stay put and hangout with Slipknot. I started a fire and we sat around and chatted for a while. The jury reached a verdict and found Slipknot to be a pretty cool guy. Plum Orchard is a really cool three level shelter. I climbed to the top and went to sleep early.
Date: 2016-01-15
From: Plum Orchard Shelter

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 10Rainy day bluesI woke up to rain, which left me in no hurry to get up and hike 12 miles. I finally crawled out of my warm and cozy sleeping bag, put on my rain gear and set off north. About a mile into the hike my rain gear failed me and left me completely soaked from head to toe. Wanna talk about misery? I quickly realized that I was in a bad situation and wasn't going to make it the 12 miles before I became a hiker popsicle. I stopped into the next shelter to get the wet clothes off as quickly as I could and climb into my sleeping bag to warm up. I am so glad I stopped as I noticed my sleeping bag was starting to get wet too. If I would have continued no doubt the sleeping bag would have been drenched and woulda left me no way to warm up. And yes I had a rain cover on my pack. As soon as I climbed in my sleeping bag and got warm, a southbounder named Nat Geo and a puppy came running into the shelter soaking wet. The wet dog made a B-line to me and got real familiar with my clean stuff. I didn't mind, as it was a miserable situation and we were all in it together hikers and hiker puppy. Turns out the dog was roaming the trail all alone and Nat Geo rescued it and was looking after it. He didn't have much food left as he was planning on making it to town that day but got holed up in the shelter with me. I donated some Banana Walnut oatmeal for the puppy who devoured it.