morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-03-20
From: US421-Kincora

To: US421-Kincora
Miles today: 0.0

Another zero day here. I don't really feel better. I think it's a good thing I take these days off.Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to start back hiking. Kincora has been to kind to me.3more thru-hikers came in today. Crash Test Dummie,Ku and Enoch. Ku and Enoch are going north and started in February like I did. Crash Test Dummie, on the other hand, started north in Cap Gasp© ,Qc and is going south all the way to Key West, Fl. He already has 2500M under his belt on this trip alone. I talked to him a lot because the International Appalachian Trail goes through New-Brunswick the province I am from. Maybe I'll walk the NB portion of the IAT.Tonight we ate at an all you can eat chinese restaurant but my stomach didn't accept the 1/3 of the plate I ate, I sure didnt get my money's worth but it's my fault. When Am i going to start feeling better.? Soon I hope.
Date: 2004-03-21
From: US421-Kincora

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: broken clouds

Woke up this morning feeling better. I decided I would hike today and I got a ride to the trail from two section hikers. Tom and Richard from Atlanta.As soon as i hit the trail I realized my body was not healed yet. The 14.7M today was the easiest terrain on the trail yet and I still had a hard time hiking it. Another thing I didnt like about today's hike is solitude. I like hiking with other people way more than traveling alone. I got to " the place" hostel at around 2 and thank god A1 was here . He was in town because today is sunday and he has to wait until tomorrow to get his mail drop at the post office.One thing I know for sure is I'm not hiking tomorrow! Probably not the day after . Heck if I'm not better soon I might have to call it quits. I'll wait until the 25th. If I'm not better by then I'll be going back home to fully heal.Tonight I wasnt able to eat anything for supper and Im in bed and it's only 6pm.
Date: 2004-03-22
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus,Va
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

I'm still sick. A1 is leaving today so I will be bored alone in this town. At least I got internet access. If I do get better by the 25th I will be skipping a section to catch up with the others. SUre it's yellow-blazing but who cares. Im sick it's not like I planned it. Tomorrow I'm going to go to the medical clinic to go see a doctor to tell them that I dont think the antibiotics are working. Im on my 4th day with them now and usually they say you should see a result within 2 days.Sorry if I am beeing pessimist L-A Dom~time warp~ Stanimal decided to stay in town tonight. It's sweet for me because I'm not alone. Another thing MountainMan who runs SideTrack Cafe(It's not open yet) here in Damascus fed us Cheeseburgers tonight. After he asked where we were staying tonight and both Stanimal and I said at "The Place". Tonight's forecast temperature is suppose to be 15. Very cold for this time of year so since The Place has no heat MountainMan invited us over in his cabin with kerosene to spend the night. We chilled outside a bit because he has a huge yard with animals and then he brought us caving. YES CAVING! Sure i don't feel so good but I can still cave and it's awesome he's got cave on his yard. We saw a few bats in there it was sweet. Now we are inside the cabin and it's nice and toasty here tonight.
Date: 2004-03-23
From: Damascus,Va

To: Damascus,Va
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Woke up late this morning. This time off is kind of nice. I guess the circumstances suck but it could be worst. I decided that instead of hiking alone and pressuring myself early on in my recovery to catch up to my friends, I would hitchike out to Marion where Dozer,Drifter and Chainsaw are suppose to be tomorrow night.I'll probably come back do this section during trail days. It's 63Miles I'm skipping so when I'm fully healthy I could do that in 2-3days.I got a brand new Thermarest today because yesterday I found one at MountainMan's cabin and he said I could have it. Unfortunately that one was busted but I brought it over to the outfitter and they gave me a new one and they are going to send back the other one for warranty issue.We spend the better part of the morning helping MountainMAn rearrange his cafe in town because he's suppose to open up next week for the season. Not tomorrow but the day after will be my next day on the trail. I hope I feel better and close to 100% at that point. See YAL-A Dom
Date: 2004-03-28
From: Damascus,Va

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Well here I am back home. I decided to get off the trail because fighting the bug I have drained me both physically and mentally. It's been a wonderful trip and I would not take away a second of it but I'm glad to be home. Next project in life. Roadtrip across Canada.L-A Dom GA-VA
Date: 2004-05-05
To: This is not the end
Miles today: 0.0

Howdy. Well a little over a month since I left the trail. Left, quit wathever. I'm not sick anymore as you would assume and life back home is a luxury. Yes I miss the trail. I left on a bad note beeing sick and all and not telling my friends I was leaving. I guess I have unfinished business with the AT. If it wasnt for a lack of funds i would go back right now.But guess what I'm 18 ! That means i have more than a lifetime to attempt another thru-hike. Mountain Man dont worry man I'll see you on my next thru-hike attemptI guess university will get in the way of that for 4years or so but that will give me time to plan and wait anxiously. I work at Mike's bike shop now , the workplace I've worked at for the last 3 summers and will train a bit this summer to compete in mountain bike races. As for backpacking , I'll try to go out as much as I can. I'm going on a 2day backpacking trip in Cape-Chignecto Nova-Scotia tomorrow . I'll try to head to Maine when the Dutch boy posse (A-1,Dozer,Georgia Chainsaw, Drifter, Coolhand Luke, Cactus with Gus the Maninmal) gets there because I live quite close and hiking with them again would be awesome!!Thanks to everyone for the support through the hard times when I was sick in Virginia.Well that's it for now and for a long time . This journal has been too kind.p.s. I also miss the southern accent Y'alllllll
Date: 2004-07-05
From: Monson Me

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 114.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Hey well I met back up with the Dutch boy posse to hike the 100Mile wilderness with them. Damn it was hard. 20M,24M,22M,18M and 26M to get to the base of Kathadin and then the 5.2M to get on top and 5.2 back down. Well let's just say for someone who hadnt touched his backpack in a month and a half it was hard!!!! I was so glad to be with A-1,Chainsaw,Cactus and Drifter that it didn't really bother. Dozer wasnt around wich was a bit disappointing but I'm sure I'll see him again someday. .My body didn't like the sudden shock of hiking hard. I'm still in good shape but not in +2000M thru-hiker shape. My leg swoll up , i got a truckload of blisters and I hurt my ankle pretty bad but all and all the hike was well worth it. Just look at my pictures. I always got the smile! Now I've got 580Miles of the AT under my belt. only 1600 Miles to go. hehehe I'll cut that down in the next few years.PCT Dutch Boy Posse reunion 2008!Dom
Date: 2003-04-28
To: At the Keyboard
Miles today: 0.0

Entry one. Well, as of today,it¢s only 304 days, 18 hours, 39 minutes until the start on February 27, 2004. For me, this idea has been drifting around my head for almost 30 years. I have hiked about 250 miles of the AT over those 30 years. Now my time has come. After 40 years of working, I am committing to this hike. I plan on going with at least one and possibly two more partners. The first one, my wife, Jeannie. For our honeymoon in 1996, we spent 6 weeks on the AT starting at Springer and ending in the Smokies. Prior to that time, she had never put on a pack in her life! Pretty good if you ask me! We got off trail only since it started getting fairly cold (for a Miami girl anything under 55 degrees is cold!). However, she manages her own business and her mother is in pretty poor health. The family comes before play so its going to be a close call. My partner, Doug, is going for sure. Get a load of him on pre-hike entry 6. He is also a former infantry Marine. Doug is footloose and free. His kids have grown up and gone, no wife, no house. He works as an EMT. He has a very positive "can do" attitude about this whole AT thing. So, "The Merry Band of Brothers" (a Marine thing) is e-mailing, Doug lives in California, calling and meeting in Florida a few months from now for the detailed planning. I have followed so many other AT journals and know their adventures kept me motivated during dreary working days. So, I hope to do the same for others just waiting their turn. Stay tuned and see what happens! And please, e-mail me and let me know if you too are one to be on the At when life permits. My job requires me to be online several hours a day and I would love to hear from anyone!
Date: 2003-05-08
To: The Purple Grape
Miles today: 0.0

Behold the new bride in her 1996 "Purple Grape" coordinated AT wear. My wife, Jeannie, and I hiked the AT from Springer to the Smokies for our honeymoon. We started on my birthday, August 17, and decided to go until it got too cold or problems from back home got unsurmountable. We had to get off due to the back home problems. Since we started in August, I would guess, of the time on the trail, about 65% was without running into any other hikers. We had many a shelter to ourselves. Only 294 days, 21 hours and 12 minutes until start time!
Date: 2003-05-14
To: Motivational Sayings to Help Me Get There
Miles today: 0.0

¢The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.¢                     Vince Lombardi"If a man advances confidently in the direction of his dreams to live the life he has imaged, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours" Thoreau"To try and fail is OK, but to fail to try is truely tragic.""Aim at nothing and you will hit it everytime""Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off of your goals" AT"Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries" "By the yard its hard, by the inch its a chinch!" 5,000,000 steps"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" The AT"Success is simply a matter of luck, ask any failure" The ATAnd, finally,"IF IT IS TO BE, ITS UP TO ME" I want to hike the AT.
Date: 2003-05-30
To: This is Doug!
Miles today: 0.0

Well, after years and years I finally get to see what my hiking partner, Doug, looks like. I haven't seen him in over a decade and likewise he hasn't seen me. That's one reason I keep putting in all these old pictures of myself. Well, one thing for sure, he's just as ugly now as he was than.This picture, I believe, is what is motivating Doug to do the AT. He has hiked the Smokies a year or so ago and got the bug to do it all. Well, only 272 days, 22 hours and 30 minutes from RIGHT NOW and we will be stepping North."The Journey, it's alway's the Journey." - DougAloha
Date: 2003-06-21
To: Still Waiting
Miles today: 0.0

"It's a dangerous business, Froto. Going out the door, step onto the roadand if you don't keep your feet,there's no knowing where you mightbe swept off too." - Tolkien - Lord of the RingsWell, it¢s another Saturday and about 95 degrees outside. Too hot for anything other than reading trail journals and web surfing hiking products. Here is picture 2 of my hiking buddy ¢ Doug. For you women, what would you think if you came upon this guy while hiking! Aaahhh! Run, run fast! Just kidding Doug.The time continues to go by. Reading all the journals of the ¢Virginia Blues¢ is interesting. Doug and I have talked somewhat about what to do when one gets about 500 ¢700 miles under their belt and the mind games really start to play against you. The past few days both Jan LiteShoe and WindTalker seem to be going through the Virginia doldrums. I pledged $500 to Hospice (Jan LiteShoe¢s hiking charity) but only if she summits Mt. Katahdin. The pressure continues Jan. I particularly liked the verse on the information piece Hospice sent to me. It¢s worth sharing:¢Don¢t walk in front of me, I may not follow.Don¢t walk behind me,I may not lead.Just walk beside me And be my friend.¢~CamusNice. Oh, by the way: 251 days, 0 hours and 10 minutes until Springer!
Date: 2003-06-25
To: The Camp Site
Miles today: 0.0

I do not want to be the guy with the largest pre-hike entries so when the mood hits me I simply delete the last one and put in a new entry. This pic sorta tells it all -- when you can "tent"do it. Shelters are nice and usually there are tent sites nearby. I guess it's up to the individual hiker, but, in my opinion, hiking and staying in a tent are just part of the whole thing. This tent is not the one I would ever take with me now -- for the entire AT. It was, at the time, an experimental Marine Corps Mountain Warfare product - single wall, Bibler Tent, and is now considered too heavy at 4+ pounds. However, I have used it for 15 years and it's bomb-proof and great, just a little too old for this trip. Less than 2 pounds is now the standard.
Date: 2003-07-31
To: Time is Moving Fast
Miles today: 0.0

When I started my pre-hike journal there was 304 days to go. It¢s now down to 210, time is moving fast. Like most, I am reading several journals and getting to meet the class of 2004. I have almost daily e-mail discussions regarding equipment, philosophy of hiking, dogs on the trail, you name it. Regardless of our start time, I am sure we will be meeting many of you over the course of six months. I read this all the time in the 2003 journals. This will be a good thing!The gear is getting sorted out. The training program is on track. The enormity of this undertaking is waking me at night. ¢The ultimate purpose of the Appalachian Trail? To walk. To see. And to see what you see.¢ Benton MacKaye, age 93.
Date: 2003-08-21
To: Late At Night
Miles today: 0.0

What brings At hikers to Springer Mountain or Mt. Katadin each year to attempt to walk over 2000 miles? Why give up a house, a job, an apartment, furniture, friends, strain family relationships, just to face a task that only 10% to 15% will complete? I have read the answers of other hikers, I think many are a repetition of those past, maybe because they themselves, do not know. But,late at night, as I lay in my bed, my wife sleeping next to me, I keep asking myself that same question; why? Like most, I will give up considerable "things" to attempt this, and, I want to, that¢s not the problem. But why this journey? Perhaps the joy of simplicity, the challenge of fending for oneself, the ability to really ponder about things you can¢t with all the weight of a job, family and other worldly responsibilities. Conceptually the hike is simple, one foot in front of another 5,000,000 times. Eat, walk, sleep and do it again and again for six months. Not too complex a mission. Well, I really may not know why, but I know I will.
Date: 2003-09-03
To: The Countdown Continues
Miles today: 0.0

It¢s been 128 days since my first entry. We have 176 days left to go before starting at Springer Mountain. During that time:- I have talked (e-mail) with several of the 2004 hikers. Become friends with a few. Looking forward to meeting all.- Done extensive research on equipment and have a basic list made up. All that remains is the buying and trying.- Continued my physical training program.- Still have not found the best, real answer as to ¢why?¢- Doug, my partner, and I have e-mailed / called discussing our individual hiking philosophies back and forth to determine if we are basically compatible in key areas, we are.- Still haven¢t told my boss although I think the rumor has reached her ears.- Still wake up late at night thinking about the hike.- Still want to go more than ever and hope I can focus on the hike rather than outside problems.- Still wish my wife could go with me. We have a list of six places she can visit and discussing the possibility of her hiking the last 200 ¢ 300 miles with us. - Still spend at least one hour per-day on some aspect of the hike.
Date: 2003-10-04
To: Reflective Moments
Miles today: 0.0

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."--Dr. SeussI found this saying in one of the many AT journals. It seems as if all those 2003 hikers I have been following have finished. Their journey ended, new lives to live, new jobs, new outlooks on the meaning of things. Now, my preparations still continue. The workouts have increased. Shortly, the walks with the heavy pack will commence. Time spent with my wife seems more precious. A sense of urgency has slowly crept into my daily routine. More time thinking about equipment, my physical condition, my hiking partner, the logistics, how the home affairs will be handled, checklists are getting longer and longer. Yet, still, every day I go to work, do what I need to do. I have 146 days to go, I had 307 when I started this journal. Now, I am more closely following the 2004 hikers and what they are doing. And, in some cases, the mental and physical challenges they are confronting to put their foot on the start plaque, turn north and go.
Date: 2003-11-05
To: Getting Closer and Closer
Miles today: 0.0

Less than four months to start date. Yesterday, I was talking to Doug my hiking partner, that we have been planning this thing in detail for over a year. All this started during a short telephone call in 2002 when he said that he would like to hike the AT. Little did he know that this casual comment from him was an obsession to me! Doug lives in California and I live in Florida, so since that call, there have been many, many e-mails and telephone calls. In fact, he was supposed to visit last week but he was heavily involved in the fires burning in California. He¢s an EMT and was working some very long hours. So, I have taken my mandatory physical exam (my wife Jeannie insisted) got my dental exam, have my equipment list ready to order (waiting for new stuff for 2004 and Christmas specials). I¢ve been working out four to five times a week, suffering from fewer and fewer journals to read of the 2003 hikers, and trying to be nice to my wife for letting me undertake this adventure. The 2004 hiker list grows longer weekly and will soon be in the 100¢s. Plans are being made from all over the world for this individual event, so many people focusing on that plaque on Springer and the sign on Katadin. Well, 113 days for us!
Date: 2003-11-27
To: Resons to Be Thankful
Miles today: 0.0

Great news this week! On Thursday, my Boss called me into her office. Sometimes, this isn't necessarily a good sign. She closed the door; asked me to sit down (apprehension level RED) said she wanted to discuss something. She had heard a rumor for some time now about me going some place to ¢climb a mountain or something like that¢. She wanted to know what's up? Why hadn't I come to her earlier?This was actually about two weeks short of when I was going to break the news and ask for a leave of absence! I wasn't ready! I hadn't rehearsed my bended knee speech! Mind racing, I gave it my best shot, described the trail, the goal of a lifetime, a chance telephone call from Doug a year ago saying he was hiking the AT, all those things that make the decision the right one. She pondered it over and said ¢ how much time do you need? I¢ll give you a leave absence. You¢ve worked hard, pursue your dream! All of a sudden life was much better. A large part of the "Am I totally irresponsible leaving a great job to hike?" was answered. Now, that's a good boss! WOW! Thanksgiving will have a little more meaning.The power of prayer has a little more meaning.The light is now very GREEN!
Date: 2004-01-03
To: Alas poor Doug
Miles today: 0.0

Well, Doug and I decided to have separate journals so if you want to follow his adventures, see his entries. I started his journal for him since he is packing and moving as we speak. To keep him focused, I mentioned that in the "About" section I said something about him liking farm animals and small children, that should get his attention! He shouldn't have given away his computer so soon (I really didn't enter that stuff regardless of what I heard about him). Hahaha!I went to North Carolina to look at my mountain property and walked up and down the mountain. I'm NOT is shape! I continually said to myself, as I was sucking wind like addicts do cocain, "you have time, walk in peace butterfly, life is short" and I was dying! Geez, I guess it will be one step at a time.I will be posting my final gear listing soon, everything has been purchased except for the Marmot Pre-Cip outfit.
Date: 2004-01-25
To: 2004 AT Ruck - Florida
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday we held the first 2004 AT Florida Gathering at my house in Kissimmee, Florida. It was great! We had a combination of 20 people attend, some thru hikers, some section hikers and about ten of the class of 2004. Leading a lengthy discussion on Thru Hiking the AT, was Subman, Wench and AWOL who had recently completed their 2003 thru hikes.There was a tremendous amount of experience at the gathering and it was openly shared by all. Jon Phipps ¢Wanchor¢ who has hiked the AT in 95, 94-96 and 2001 as well at the PCT, spoke on behalf of DWG Hostel. We raised $135 for them from donations and proceeds at a silent action. There were two significant sponsors who provided the items for this silent auction; AntiGravityGear, courtesy of Tin Man, sent in some of the latest ¢Mapdana¢s¢ of the AT (set of four AT section maps printed on bandanas, i.e. you wear your guidebook on your head), several alcohol stoves, a cooking kit, a cozy among other items. The new ¢Mapdana¢s¢ proved to be a very hot item. To check it out go to: www.antigravitygear.com We also received a nice donation of the finest quality beef jerky from Mountain America Jerky of Denver, Colorado. They are one of the few companies that will ship directly to your mail drops www.mountainamericajerky.com Ask for Chuck, he¢ll take good care of you.AWOL brought in his ¢Hiker¢s Box¢ of items he used on his 2003 AT hike. He graciously let the 2004¢s pick it clean!Several hikers brought and erected the latest tents. The TarpTent by Henry Shires seemed to get a lot of attention. Technical discussions on the pros and cons of not only tents but also just about every piece of equipment possible took place. Several hikers brought their favorite item to show off. Joan Jarvis conducted a ¢Left Behind¢ discussion for those who provide support to thru hikers. Wench held an open group on ¢Women Hikers¢ that was very well received by the female hikers getting ready to start in 2004. We finished off the evening with an AT slide show by ¢Wanchor¢. Everyone had a great time. And the food, well, it was like an AYCE buffet, no one left hungry!2004 Thru Hikers attending were:BurnCuppa JoePeak-a-BooKrispy KritterSudzLopakaStonesPaula GoodwinDonna Stowe Fred Collins Pictures to follow!Well, all that¢s left is the time between now and the start!