morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-06-09
From: Keys Gap

To: PA
Miles today: 12.0

Dawn picked us up in Damascus VA and drove us up to our next starting point at Keys Gap. This was a little more than a week after meeting us in Hot Springs. "He who finds a wife, finds what is good and obtains favor from the Lord" Pr 18:22.By far, the top two decisions in my life have been to follow the Lord and marry Dawn. And, I would never have met Dawn without following the Lord.We all took a rest day, resupplied (again, thanks to Dawn!), and ate like King Henry the 8th. "Bring me my bucket!"
Date: 2019-06-11
From: Pen Mar 

To: Caledonia State Park
Miles today: 17.4

What an incredible day of blessings...1. Jackie, a trail angel, that we met a couple weeks ago at a water stop. She was section hiking with a friend and had finished her thru-hike the previous year. I talked with her for 5 minutes and she offered to slack-pack (this means she was willing to take our packs so that we could do a section without a pack). 2 weeks later, I remembered her offer at 9pm while falling asleep. I texted her and she answered right back and said, "What time do you want to meet me?" Incredible! She took our packs and we were able to complete the tri-state challenge and made it to the PA border, 35 miles away. 2. She offered to pick us up in PenMar and then took us to her home. Showers, laundry, hot food, and couches. That's not all... she ordered pizza... Did I mention that we had met her at a water stop for five minutes?!! Her gracious personality really shone through when we woke up in the morning and there were our clean clothes folded. FOLDED. What?! Who does that?! Jackie is a therapist for clients in need of support. She is full of mercy and wisdom. We prayed that God would fill her cup to overflowing!3. After a blueberry pancake breakfast, we got back on the trail. Three hours later we came upon our first trail magic. A couple, Jeff and Judy, had laid out a spread of Sloppy Joes, oranges, bananas, apples, Gatorade, and baskets full of snacks. They are planning a hike next year and just wanted to bless some hikers!4. We left and got to the place we were planning to tent. However, just before crossing the road, there was a sign that said, "Come over for free food and fellowship". A short walk down the road and we came upon a house with a family that was feeding hikers. They rent this house for a week every year and then set up a station to feed hikers. Tacos, corn, pudding, ice cream, and tortillas... and blueberry pancakes in the morning. When it rains, it pours...
Date: 2019-06-13
From: Pine Grove

To: Boiling Springs
Miles today: 20.0

I've seen mama bears, cubs, and hungry trash dumpster bears. Not scared. I've seen timber rattlers. Not scared. Saw a big rattlesnake a foot away from my ankle. Nope. Picked off ticks - not even worried. This morning though... a big, fat hairy spider about the size of my palm was crawling up my leg. I jumped like Spideyman and did a lightning fast swat and a yelled like a Banshee. Yup. Terrified. Might not sleep again.
Date: 2019-06-15
From: Alec Kennedy shelter

To: Duncannon
Miles today: 29.0

After people go through the trauma of a car accident, it is recommended for the person to immediately start driving again so the fear of the accident doesn't overwhelm. Last post I mentioned the spider running up my leg...nuff said. The very next day we landed in Duncannon PA. The town was hosting a trail festival. We had no idea. One of the tables had some critters on it. The guy at the table picked up a tarantula spider and offered to have me hold it. Right.I only decided to hold it after my sons looked at me like, "Dad...my brave dad. Of course, he will..."
Date: 2019-06-18
From: Pennsylvania 

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 152.0
Weather: overcast clouds

True Stories!When we first entered Tennessee, we met a forest service technician. He was wearing a denim green shirt, big walkie talkie, and had a holster with pepper spray. He asked, "Have you seen any bears?" We told him we had seen a couple in Georgia. He asked what we did. "Walked by" we said. Wondering if that was the right answer."Next time" He said with authority befitting a ranger, "Throw a stone at it."We paused. Really?! "Right!" I said sarcastically. "And we should also yell insults. Hey! Mama Bear, your cubs are ugly!""I'm serious." He said. "We need the bears to be afraid of you. We want them to stay away from humans.""Well... I've lost about 15 pounds. I'm tired and hungry. So, you want me to start a fight with a 400 pound black bear?!" We laughed.He didn't. "The bears stay close to the trail. We want them to be afraid of humans."But, I couldn't stop.. "Ok. So, I throw a rock at the bear. What about the next poor guy that's not holding a rock? David threw a rock at Goliath. But, what if he missed? Humans are SUPPOSED to be afraid of bears. You want me to change the social order of the forest with a stone? Why me?!"As circumstance would have it, we actually saw a mama bear and cub about an hour later. They looked at us. We looked at them. They went back to eating. And, we walked away.An hour after that we stopped for lunch. The ranger caught up to us. "Hey!" He said excitedly. "Did you see the bears?""Well, we saw a mama and cub." He didn't ask if we threw a stone. "I ran at the bear and chased them away from the trail." He said this without a hint of bragging.I have to admit we were impressed. Next bear, though, I'm still going to "Just smile and wave boys. Smile and wave..."
Date: 2019-06-18
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We have 76 miles to New Jersey. Dawn is coming today for a visit and resupply. So, we are taking our second zero day. Another true story...A famous hiker, Skurka, recently wrote an article arguing against the use of hanging bear bags. https://andrewskurka.com/argument-against-hanging-bear-bag/He is way more experienced and wise in outdoor matters than me. But this led me to some fun thoughts. But first, For those who don't know what a bear hang is: it is taking your food in a bag and hanging it from a tree too high for the bear to reach it. Picture a bunch of bags swinging from trees near a shelter and you get the idea. Problem is that some bears occasionally get the low hanging fruit and then have a feast. This trains the bear to come back to that place over and over looking for food.To be fair, Skurka's recommendation is to use a smell free, hard canister and keep it with you. But, I'm not worried about the canister. I'm worried about the food smells from my sticky honey bun fingers that screw the lid on the canister. My wise wife told us to not brush our teeth with mint toothpaste and then spit next to the tent. Sound advice. Bears, I assume, like mint.To extend the logic of sleeping with your food so that bears associate humans with food, and thus, eventually give up fighting for it: we could speed up the process of retraining the bears. My suggestion is to squish some marshmallows in your hair. Take a couple bites of peanut butter, and then fall asleep in your tent. You will smell like a fluffed-nutter. At 2 in the morning, the back of your tent will be slashed open with bear claws. Thankfully, or, rather hopefully, you will awaken quickly. In your terror, you jump up to frantically find the front of the tent zipper. The bear will find his fluffer-nutter sandwich moving away. He will act quickly and bite down.But, since your head is sticky from the marshmallow, the pillow will be stuck to the back of your head. This is what the hungry bear will bite down on. Since, you are a Thru-hiker, the bear will gag and choke on thousands of down feathers. This gives you the few extra seconds to flee the tent and keep your head attached. The bear will think that humans in tents have choking food and will learn to stay away. This will be at least as effective as throwing a stone at a bear...
Date: 2019-06-25
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Chris Martin texted me to find out if we were still alive. He pointed out my lack of updating the journal.. Yup. Sorry. My excuses range from fatigue to, well, falling asleep at 830pm. We have made it to High Point NJ. This was a significant moment for us because last August, on the way to section hike Vermont and officially start our AT hike, we stopped at High Point. We didn't even know it was there until we drove past and then quickly decided to stretch our legs.Interestingly, for us, this is also the halfway point. We also landed on our 45th day at the same time. We are 1352 miles from Springer and have  784 miles to go - it would be more but we already did some miles in VT.Even more significant for us, was that Dawn met us at High Point and resupplied, refreshed at a motel, and then she hiked South with us through High Point park. "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" James 4:8Our goal is still August 9 on Katahdin.
Date: 2019-07-01
To: Katahdin!
Miles today: 0.0

We are under 700 miles to go. The days include a lot of walking. Talking. Walking. Silence. Walking. Praying. Walking. Hikers talk about the green tunnel effect.  The idea that this is one big, long, green tunnel. There is one study that gave hikers a before and after IQ test. The hikers IQ ability dropped after a thru-hike. Hope it rebounds after a while.
Date: 2019-07-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Autopilot Walking 24 miles through woods, streams, mountain tops, rock, roots, dirt, and up and down; the mind wanders off trail.Thoughts recur in a circle. Some; I'm hungry, thirsty - come like a drippy faucet. Others are like sticky marshmallow...Family, children, God, imaginations of me triumphing over some injustice, history, church, Family, the persecuted church, praying for people I know, imaginary apologetic conversations, Family...We listen to podcasts and this stimulates conversation. However, most of the time is spent walking and thinking."Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Phil 4:8Lord, thread all my thoughts together.
Date: 2019-07-15
To: Guyete shelter
Miles today: 0.0

Chris, John Paul and John left last night. We didn't get back to the car until 9pm. We had a great, but exhausting hike. The mountains here are steep, lots of scrambling, and very few places where we can walk fast. It will be difficult to do more than 16 miles a day. Unfortunately, Chris's car was broken into. The window was smashed through and someone stole his daypack. The good news is that his wallet wasn't taken. We felt awful because his car was parked there for us. It's mind boggling to me that someone would break into a car at a trailhead parking spot. We have had so many encounters of generosity and kindness and when something like that happens it reminds us that there is evil in this world. Chris actually left and brought back burgers and shakes for us - AFTER - seeing his window broken. Incredibly generous. Wow...
Date: 2019-07-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We made it to MT Washington! We were headed up Wednesday and there was supposed to be a thunderstorm. So, we made the decision to go Thursday. It ended up being sunny with a slight breeze. The cell service has been very spotty. The updates to the journal has been difficult. Chris and his sons, John Paul and Caleb, met us on rt.302. They resupplied us with great food, warm hats, and jackets. I think we turned them into official trail angels... We enter Maine tomorrow! Our goal is still to summit Katahdin on August 9, but we might get there early. I feel somewhat bittersweet about finishing. It would be nice to not wake up sore but this has been a wonderful time of bonding with my sons and spiritual revival in my life.Still 288 miles to go so lots can happen. Dawn said there were connections at Baxter State Park we were going to have. Can't wait..
Date: 2019-07-23
To: Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0

Good news : We made it to Maine. Bad news: It's the second longest state. 288 miles. Good: We'll be home soon. Bad: lawns need mowing and bushes cut and pool fixed and house painted...Good: Can't wait to see my wife!Bad: gonna be tough explaining why the bank account is drained.Good: We summit the last mountain, Katahdin in a day.Bad: We still haven't figured out how we are going to get the 1,200 miles back home.Good: Maine is beautiful!Bad: and buggy, and steep, and full of roots, and resupply is few and farBut with all that.. We are starting to count the days to home. Somewhat bittersweet... beds would be nice, but it is nice to hear the birds sing in the morning and see the stars and jump in every creek...
Date: 2019-07-26
To: Stratton
Miles today: 0.0

We just passed the plaque for the 2000 mile marker. We have 192 miles to go...Tonight we head to Stratton for a resupply. We have a couple 4000 footers to complete and then the mountains get smaller until we hit the 100 mile wilderness. Mount Katahdin is after the wilderness and rises like a triangle. We summit up and down in a day. Ethan and I had to get new shoes. We are so close to the end that we decided to buy a couple 26 dollar Walmart brand. It has been three days and the bottom is shredded already. Sometimes it is cheaper to pay more...We are all doing well, mostly.  Ethan has some feet problems - soreness on the bottom. My right knee flares up going downhill but isn't getting worse. Caleb's hips hurt. Joshua, the youngest, is still springy and strong. His calf's look like Popeye's arms. He has also grown two inches. To answer "what do we eat??" Ramen and potato at night. Bars and sometimes bagels during days. Oatmeal, sometimes grits at breakfast.  Nuts and peanut butter round out the protein and tuna is a mainstay. Not very varied...but keeps us going.
Date: 2019-07-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

There are logs across bogs that are intended to help the hiker not sink and die in the swamp. Some of these logs look like they have been there since the trail was finished in 1937. It is not unusual to find a log broken in half.I used to take all the kids shopping with me. We would grab three carts and they would follow me around the store as I threw food into the carts. This was always fun and we would sing and make a spectacle as me and 7 small children trained our way through the store. Occasionally the child driving the cart behind me would run the cart into the back of my heels. This hurts. Really bad.Since then, I've developed a keen sense of when someone is too close to me. This happens frequently on the trail. We cross a bog and I can just feel my son behind me, too close. I threaten and cajole, "Give me some room... too much weight on the log"I've said that a hundred times. Still, I remind again. We were crossing a particularly black, muddy, quicksand type of bog one day and I noted out loud, "Pity the poor sap that's going across the log and it breaks in half!" I said this partly to get out the reminder to stay off my log, couched in a friendly way.I was halfway across the log when the log turned 180 degrees sideways. My arms flailed out like two wings, and I started to fall sideways. I had enough sense to plunge my trekking pole into the bog and this temporarily slowed the pending disaster. The pole sunk two feet. I thought for a second that i had saved myself. However, the weight was too much for the pole and the pole snapped in half. My relief turned to panic as I hit the bog sideways. I immediately sunk in. Thankfully, my descent only went in about 6 inches of warm goo. The pole that had snapped was standing straight up with the sharp edge exposed. I imagined the pole breaking through my skin and stabbing through my left ventricle. I would bleed out on the bog. My last words, "Finish the hike boys. Finish the hike..." At my funeral, "He was a good dad...at least he died doing what he loved...if he had only been more careful..."A plaque would be put in the bog and I would rest among the mosquitos and gnats. "Bill Vickery died here while crossing the bog. This plaque is in memory of his last hike and his inability to make it to Katahdin."Usually when one of us falls, comments come fast. "Good one!" Or "Lets see that in slow motion"This time there was complete silence as I turned around. Half of my body in the bog, looking at the boys, their faces a mixture of awe and shock.Joshua, the youngest, broke the silence. "Pity the poor sap who falls in the bog."
Date: 2019-07-11
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

with only five and a half weeks to go I figure it's time to get things together. I just came from the post office to return my Osprey pack to the factory warranty work. They will pretty much fix anything that's wrong with your pack. My pack has two thousand miles on it so it was beginning to look rather rough. I also ordered awols guide in the southbound loose leaf form. I have used in Northbound guide to like southbound in the past it's rather confusing particularly when you are at close to the Midway point of the trail. Northbound mileages and southbound mileage is very similar. I am considering buying a your sack major XL to replace my food bag. I definitely don't want to carry a bear canister. That's about all the time I have for now catch you on the flip happy trails
Date: 2019-07-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I know the next few weeks are going to really fly by so I really need to zero in on taking care of details.Buy details I mean not only taking care of gear and food drops but also paying forward on a few bills. I had to go to the dentist the other day and found out I need a root canal. I'm also thinking about getting a new pair of glasses before I leave. Feel like I'm running out of time what that very well may be. I just don't want to have an issue while I'm on trail that would bring me back home before I'm finished. Nothing works better than making a list and checking them off one at a time. Anxious to get my three entries done on this Trail journals so I can become become efficient at navigating this website. So gots to run for now I have grass to cut. Catch you on the flip.
Date: 2019-07-26
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

3 weeks to go I've got a few new items that have come rolling in. One is my AWOL guide southbound loose leaf. I can carry just a few pages and put the rest in my resupply boxes. I know there are a lot of people out there using gut hook on their phones, I'm kind of an old-fashioned I guess and like the paper in hand. Something else that just arrived is my bear resistant food sack made by ursack. I know this bag is a little heavier than my old food bag from z-pack but this will give me some added protection when I hang my food bag. I will also use a liner in the bag that is odor-free apparently. There is some controversy out there about hanging bear bags but I have always been a stickler about hanging my food and I will continue to be that way. Especially on the southern half of the AT. This week I was also in contact with osprey. They had determined that could not repair my pack. So according to the warranty they're going to give me a brand new pack no charge awesome warranty kudos to Osprey. The only problem is I've been wondering how heavy that pack is, I discovered that it's 4.54 lb. And I know that it is very very heavy when it is wet. So I will take the new pack no charge can't beat the price. But I've been offered from my brother whose Trail name is Third Half to try out his Ula pack which weighs about half that much. So with anticipation building and a list of to do things in front of me I will continue to prepare and keep you all posted on how things are going, so for now happy trails and I'll see you on the flip.
Date: 2019-08-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

12 days to go. My to do list seems to be getting longer rather than shorter. So this morning I'm going to try to be first in line at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles get a title transferred. Yesterday morning I took a 5-mile hike with my full pack at Caesars Creek State Park. Trying to wake up my legs have also been riding a bicycle. yesterday afternoon I split wood and stack it underneath my back porch so I'll have wood when I get home in November. Today I'm going to go to Columbus and see my dear daughter Mary. It will be very good to see her before I leave. So tomorrow morning will be my last week in the golf league and I'm also going to see my my friend Bruce who is into bees. I have a very young swarm I'm trying to help along so they'll have a chance to make it through this coming winter. I've decided also to make fore more resupply boxes. So needless to say I'm going to be kind of busy here. That's all for now, catch you on the flip.
Date: 2019-08-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

3 Days To Go I never knew a guy that's retired could get so busy but three months worth of logistics is a little bit of work. So I've been working on my resupplies. I took some to my dear mother today who is 93 years old and is going to help ship my resupplies to different points along the trail, to days picture is of her,also I've been volunteering for my sister's nonprofit that is parking cars at the Western Southern tennis tournament out by Kings Island. And of course I've made a few last-minute gear changes. Instead of borrowing my brother's Ula backpack I purchased one of my own. Also I have purchased a gossamer umbrella lightweight for backpacking. So that pack wait I thought I would have under 30 lb is creeping up there. When I get everything put together I'll put it on the scale. I think I'll be under 30 I hope so.Charlie "Willi" Christianson
Date: 2019-08-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

it seems like there's always a couple more things to put in the pack. Like last minute stuff. So I'm trying to refrain. The only thing I can think of that's going to add any more weight will be the umbrella which is not arrived yet. It weighs 8 oz. Sound pretty delighted to be a 28 lb at this point. I know and that when I pack for cold weather in the end of September that my pack weight will creep up by 4 lb or so for now I'm happy. Happy pack way hope it makes for Happy Feet. Catch you on the flip. WILLICharlie "Willi" Christianson
Date: 2019-08-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

And away we go. woke up at 4 a.m. got up at 6 a.m. as you may imagine whole lot of details on my mind I carried a piece of paper around. there's a remembered things I wrote it down. I had the same feeling this morning and I had back in high school when I said I would jump off the top of Foster's Bridge. So when I got to Foster's and I climbed up to the top of the bridge actually thought, did I really say I was going to do this. So here I am driving to Harpers Ferry West Virginia saying that I would hike 1025 miles to Springer Mountain Georgia tween now and November. Sounds a little daunting but one step at a time on Mountain at a time one day at a time one section of trail at a time. This first section I'm hiking for three weeks before I go to a wedding in Boston and then I will fly out the next day to London with my brother. So that point I will be off the trail for two weeks. In England I am going to visit my son and granddaughter and the rest of the family. Then I will be back to continue my journey to Springer Mountain. So for now I meet my good friend Betty and Harpers she will get some of my resupplies and send me off on the trail tomorrow. That's about it for now I'll catch you on the flip. WILLI  Charlie "Willi" Christianson