morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-02-05
To: Club 57
Miles today: 0.0

Well, well - it looks like a good bunch of 57 year old hikers starting out this spring from Springer. And just WHY is 57 the ideal age to conduct a thru-hike, you might ask? Let me count the ways!First, we're at our PHYSICAL PEAKS! Natural selection has operated, permitting us to contemplate, and, the gods willing, to actually undertake this endeavor in a few short weeks from now. We'll never be stronger! Next, we have LIFE EXPERIENCE! If we had known at 20 or 30 what our lives would entail, we might not have had the nerve to proceed, but here we are!!! We carried on, through many fascinating, difficult, exciting, stressful, amazing, horrifying and delightful events, and here we are, voluntarily embarking on a trip that's absolutely guaranteed to be fascinating, difficult, exciting, etc. etc. Also, we HAVE $$. Not a LOT of $$, perhaps, but a darn sight more than we had at 22!! Instead of counting the pennies, we only have to count the dollars! From time to time we can even stay in the $37 motel room instead of the $3 bunkroom!And, by now, we have SENSES of HUMOR! No matter how stressful it gets, somebody will think of something funny to say and save us from our despondent moment! (Just don't say it when I have a mouthful of Pepsi). So, let's hear it for being 57! YAYYYYY!!!!! And all you 57 year old wanna-be's, cheer up! You'll be there soon enough! And as for you 57 year old once-were's, we'll be THERE soon enough!
Date: 2008-02-19
To: Water
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, the inner dithering is reaching a fevered pitch, every list is sprouting little lists from every line, and some nights, sleep is hard to come by. The only consolation is that this "prep" phase is over in a week - whatever is not fixed, arranged, packed, remembered, or fiddled with, is not GOING to be done - whew! Relief is in sight! Now, about the water. It's getting so that every time I hold a cup under the water dispenser at work, or under the faucet at home, or stand in the shower, or wash out the pots from supper, I am overcome with gratefulness for the ease and abundance involved. Images are coming to me of squatting on the rocks on the side of the stream, scooping water out into the Platypus, and then having to lug it up to the site, find the AquaMira*, set up the 7 drops-per-liter of each solution and mix them, wait the 5 minutes, dump it in the bottle, wait for it to mix - THEN have that drink of water - and that's on a good day. EVERY drink of water is hand-carried from the stream, or spring, or little seep across the trail. (*Okay, there are lots of ways of purifying water, AquaMira only one of them - you pick your strategy and deal with the drawbacks. For more than you could possibly want to know about these strategies, go to Whiteblaze.net and search "water treatment"). Then there's cleaning up - since water is precious, wasting it on dishwashing is not a common practice. "Reasonably clean" will do, with a really good wash at a hostel or motel occasionally. Ditto bodies. Hence the nostalgia that's already setting in about the hot shower any time I feel like it. It's been wonderful to read other hiker/journalists at this same stage of things, sharing their excitement, tension, dithering and prospects of relief in a week or month or two when the hike gets under way. When I switch to Pocketmail journaling, there will be some changes - mainly the circumstances under which the entries are written will be vastly different from the comfy-chair-warm-room-plenty-of-time-to-reread-and-edit which prevails now. As well, the Pocketmail screen is small, only allowing a few lines to be read at a time which interferes with the big picture - we'll see what effect that has. But let's hope the style handicaps will be more than made up for by the content - the reports from the trail that you read trailjournals for in the first place!
Date: 2008-02-20
To: Chill
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

Guess it's time to calm down a little before I earn myself an additional trail name that I might not be so fond of! The best image I have for what's going on now is the inside of your tent just before packing up to leave in the morning - stuff scattered everywhere, and almost impossible to believe it will all fit easily into the pack. But in 10 or 15 minutes, it all does fit in and off you go. So, to myself and confreres in this impending adventure I say, "Chill!" Thanks for the encouragement that folks have been sending through the guestbook and in person. It REALLY hits home, I feel it deeply.
Date: 2008-02-26
To: Three...Two...One...
Miles today: 0.0

Just had the last lunch at home, read the last Morning Sentinel, and am watching the beginnings of a largish predicted snowstorm that COULD make me nervous about traveling to the airport in the early morning hours, except that I am practicing being laid-back and cheerful about these uncontrollable events. Well, well! The Trail works its magic, before even setting foot on it!So many kind folks have emailed or called, spoken to me or sent their regards that I am filled with gratitude. You have no idea (well, maybe you do!) how much that helps me calm down and stay confident about this adventure. Speaking of confidence, it does get me to wondering about the fine lines between confidence and arrogance, being well-prepared and over-prepared, taking reality into account and staying focused on the goal, and the dance back and forth between those poles. I guess there will soon be plenty of time to contemplate such wonders...The folks at work gave a wonderful send-off lunch, complete with trail cake, that touched me no end! Talk about warm thoughts! Cards and tiny mementos to bring along, and a wonderful memory to take with me. You guys!! The next entry will be from the trail, if all goes well!
Date: 2008-02-27
To: The Road to Atlanta
Miles today: 0.0

Wednesday morning started very early, in fact, kinda ran together with Tuesday night - sleepless, stormy, stuff on my mind - you know how it is. Rose to the 5am alarm and stared out onto the driveway where the biggest plow-mound of the season greeted my bleary gaze. We'd asked the plow guy to come at 6am, but judging by the depth of the snow, we would need to leave much earlier to make the 8:30 bus out of Portland to the Boston airport. So, threw on my clothes- the very ones I would be hiking in all month - and tackled the heap at the foot of the drive. A vivid image to remember home by!Threw the pack in the car and slid out onto the snow covered roads. Chugged our way warily out to the highway and sped down the pike at a wheel-gripping 37mph. Allmy "laid back and cheerful" resolve was nearly out the window by now, but by Augusta the road was a little better, and by Brunswick it was clear sailing. Major WHEW.Met Uncle Tom & Auntie Mame for the ride to Portland, where tender goodbyes sent us off. Bus on time, plane on time, and now the tension is draining away as we fly thru the bluest air to Atlanta.Later: At Atlanta airport we waited for baggage, finally picked out the packs with a sigh of relief, and were striding away when we remembered the hiking poles, stashed in a mailing tube for the ride. No tube! But asked the baggage guys who pointed us several bays down, to the oversized bags counter,andthere they were. WHEW again.The MARTA train station is right there - simple job to get up to the well-marked platform to North Springs, onto the waiting train, and settle back wearily for the hour ride to the other end of the line. We called the Hiker Hostel to confirm our pickup. It was by now 5pm and the train picked up and let off much of Atlanta's population during rush hours stops. Finally, North Springs and Leigh's warm greeting and even warmer car - a serious issue since it was barely 30 degrees! She kindly stopped for us to get takeout supper, and we got the Hostel at 7:30pm. A long day!
Date: 2008-02-28
To: Holding...
Miles today: 0.0

Just a brief note that we are holding off on start date til Auntie Mame gets a little weller. The exceedingly long trip down to Springer did nothing for her health, and it looks like a few more days of rest are called for. Have encountered the kind folks at the Hiker Hostel, and many wonderful aspiring hikers, starting out. Many! Wonderful!
Date: 2008-03-03
To: Southern Hospitality
Miles today: 0.0

Well,I'm of two minds about continuing to load up the front of this journal with Prep entries, but a lot is happening even though I'm not yet hiking. So, here goes.It is another world here. I am stretched out on the bottom bunk in this 4 person bunkroom, listening to the "world" category on the mp3 player- Israel Kamakawiko'ole singing that ethereal version of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" while hikers in the living room talk and laugh. It's after a late dinner - different groups ordered out pizza or Chinese food, and I had a wonderful, very delicate vegetable and tofu soup.We've been here several days, waiting for Marsh to recover enough to start hiking. At first, the realization that we absolutely couldn't hike out as planned on the 28th was disorienting and dispiriting. The hostel hosts, however, gave us good advice on how to think about the dynamics of one hiking on - it only widens the gap and makes it harder to get in sync. And they pointed out that there is plenty of time, it is still early in the hiking season. So, it seemed better to wait and start together. Then the issue was whether to go home and wait, or stay here and wait - get a motel room, say. It turned out to be possible to stay at the hostel, and it has turned out to be great fun and very healing for the spirits.Each day new hikers arrive and others hike on, so we have met a couple of dozen prospective thru-hikers and their companions. Every encounter has been so cheerful - everyone is on the same wavelength to a startling degree. After all, everyone has been going through the same nerves, stress of getting gear ready and the monumental task of preparing to leave 5 or 6 months of "normal" life behind and dive into hiking this trail.And coolest of all, we have met so many of the other Trailjournalists that we have been following and sometimes communicating with. It makes for a super atmosphere, friendly, hopeful and warm.Maybe we can start hiking Wednesday, we'll see. Tomorrow is rain and storms so we will likely only hike around the property here. Boy, am I getting ready to hike, but if you have to be on hold, this sure is the way to do it. We're optimistic about this coming off okay after all.
Date: 2008-03-05
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hightower Gap
Miles today: 8.3

3-5-08start:Springer Mt.destination:Hightower Gapmiles: 8.3Oh my, oh my! Today we started to hike the AT! We caught a ride from the hostel to the parking area north of the summit of Springer. The plan was to day-hike, aka "slackpack", and get picked up by the hostel folks at 5pm.(We're trying out this slackpacking as a way to get started, without taxing Marsh too much - we'll see how it goes, and will start the backpacking part when we know we're strong enough. This option would give some people fits, but I think it's the best compromise to get us on our way after our lengthy delay.)It was 40 or so degrees when we left the hostel around 9am. The summit, however, was about 28 degrees with the most spectacular display of rime ice or hoar frost on every limb, twig and branch. Just this amazing white fur standing out on everything.We walked the gradual trail up to the summit for .9 miles and there sat a boulder with a plaque of the AT, and in the side of the boulder was a metal door that concealed the trail register. Others who had stayed at the hostel were also arriving, but no-one lingered because it was cold!The summit is modest, pine trees and some hardwoods, and views all around, but puts you more in mind of a Camden Hills summit, say, Megunticook, than the craggy wild above-treeline effect you might expect from its reputation.What a feeling, though - to stand where I'd read about all these years - to be the hiker this time!Big mix of awe, joy, amazement, with a good dose of apprehension. We took a couple of pictures as the sun came out fully, and started back down the trail. The .9 miles from the parking lot "don't count" so the meter started running as we took our first northbound steps of our hike. With daypacks it was an easy trail, very flat like a packed-earth sidewalk, with gradual ups & downs - a wonderful beginning. Streams crossed often, clear, with sandy or rocky bottoms. We enjoyed all this ease, knowing there are altogether different manifestations of trail to come!We ate lunch at one shelter that was a little off the trail, so other hikers would pass and then we would pass them as they stopped for a break. Ultimately we came to Hawk Mt. shelter, where at least 20 people were lounging around the leanto or putting up tents, said our hellos, and continued down to the forest service road at Hightower Gap for our ride back to the hostel. This part of the trail slabbed/arced across a huge bowl so just turning to look at Marsh would give this incredible effect of tiny person on this giant brown wooded hillside.To bed - more tomorrow!
Date: 2008-03-06
From: Hightower Gap

To: Gooch Gap
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: clear sky

Another beautiful day, sunny with a light breeze, only a little warm in sheltered spots on the trail. I'm not complaining, mind you, but it makes me glad to be starting relatively early.It was much hillier today - some longish ups, with undulating ridge walking along the tops, and some long downs, but with a refreshing amount of switchbacks and some long stretches of flat, graded trail. We kept pace with a pack of hikers who had full packs...with our comparatively small daypacks. Oh well, at least we are ON the trail!Lots of interesting vegetation, rhododendrons growing wild, arcing over the trail. Other glossy-leaved shrubs that I didn't recognize, probably laurel or azalea. Sort of reminds me of Florida in the winter.I think I saw galax, reddish green fat heart-shaped leaves growing like a ground cover. Otherwise, mostly a dull brown, tree trunks and earth. The rocks are not so granite-y, more volcanic looking - some boulders here and there in the woods.We crossed a few streams, which were stunning in their sandy-bottomed clarity. Hard to describe, but just enchanting. Not like New England...(not that New England isn't enchanting in it's own austere way).Friends! There is this stream of hikers, some 50 or more who we now recognize who we encounter off and on the trail and in the hostel.Some of their names: Piddler, Hannah & Megan, Johnny & Debbie, Bad Rock, Bayou, Leaping Turtle, ShadowHawk, UsedtoCould, Those Girls, The Mad Hatter, Paul, The General, LilMAK, Mr. Clean, Bananas, Mammoth, Bushwhacker, Greg, Limestone & Carla, Driftwood, Newt, Kirby, Jess, ZOOm and Tuit,Jason, Puppy, Glowworm, Mule, Bobby, Cookie, Bert, Slow Barbara, Leslie, Pops &Brushstrokes, BunnyLove & Bruiser, Jade & Mel, Shepherd, Ruby Tuesday, Sauerkraut & Todd.Also, we were surprised by the visit of Survivor Dave this afternon, who took pics of a number of the motley crew "to post on WhiteBlaze"... thanks, Dave! And, again, THANKS so much for the support folks have been so generously offering through the guestbook - I read every one of the entries, over and over, when I get a crack at the computer. It is a little harder to reply, since the line is often long with other hikers anxious to check their email and update their journals.
Date: 2008-03-07
From: Gooch Gap

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: moderate rain

>It was rainy this morning, and some of us stayed at the hostel, taking a "nero" - a full day off is called a "zero day", so a partial day off is a near zero, or nero.There is plenty to do, organizing the pack for another day hike, figuring out food for the next few days - the hostel serves breakfast, but you need to take care of lunch & dinner yourself. They kindly take folks to town for food and resupply each evening, so it works out. They also keep the menus of the restaurants that deliver. Anyway, it takes some experience to remember what you need to be planning to get...we're getting a little more grip on it, having been here a while now, but still it feels like chaos a lot of the time. This afternoon, five of us went on a short hike to both give us a rest and put us in a good position to hike the next section tomorrow. It was very foggy, about 50 degrees, breezy and some showers. Hard to know what to wear - raincoats get sweaty inside, wind shirt breathes but doesn't shed water, etc. It was a nice temp for hiking in. The path was lovely, often slabbing the edge of a steep drop-off, and probably really good views, except all was fog.It was cheerful chatting with each other, and in no time we were at the pickup in Woody Gap. There we met Glow Worm who was also waiting for a shuttle. The trail is often a very small world, with hikers you've met turning up again and again. Glow Worm, in turn, had news of other hikers, and so on.It also struck me again how many hours our hostel hosts, Leigh and Josh, spend behind the wheel - many shuttle trips, many times a day, every single day. Plus all the tasks of running the place, breakfast, beds & laundry, and endless phone inquiries. It is amazing to watch.How's the body? Fine, with only some minor rubbing on one area of a foot. I will be careful with that, but also have a great deal of company in that affliction, judging from the remarks I overhear all day from the hikers who are on their seccond, third or fourth day out.All for now - one more slackpacking day and we plan to hike out under full load after that. We're doing it!------------------------------
Date: 2008-03-08
From: Woody Gap

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Great day! In some ways, just like hiking in Maine in late November - high winds, sideways blowing snow squalls and 22 degrees f. But in other ways, it was clear we weren't...rhododendrons drooping in the cold, all snow covered, and wonderful graded trails for most of the way. Also, names like Granny Top Mountain, Henry Gap and Turkey Stamp Mountain remind you that it is definitely not New England. Five of us got dropped off at Woody Gap at 8:30 this morning in the lightly dusting snow. It felt like 30 degrees, and we were actually glad it wasn't rain. It grew colder by the hour, and squallier, until about mile 5 we wondered what we'd gotten ourselves into. Here's where I discovered I had the right clothes - oh happy discovery! Had a long sleeve silkweight underjersey, a long sleeved zip-neck powerstretch over jersey, and a windshirt with hood. This combo worked well till Jarrard Gap, when I pulled out the heavier goretex-type jacket. Layered all together with both hoods up and the pack on, it was just right. Also got the first real test of the mitten situation - thinnish wool gloves and some MSR shell mitts. This was really good for using poles, and warm enough in general.By the top of Blood Mt. the squalls were letting up and the sun was coming out. Great, great views of ranks and ranks of large rolling hills - spectacular! We hung around for a few minutes in the stone hut, where we encountered four guys who looked pretty chilly indeed, and who looked at us and said "Well, this is the LAST thing I expected to see - five LADIES up here on a day like THIS!" Made my day, let me tell you!Down we went to our pickup at Neels Gap, with some time to sign in at the outfitters and wander around appreciating the thorough job they do of stocking ANYTHNG that might possibly interest a serious backpacker. Oh, and there was Survivor Dave, greeting us yet again!My, that guy gets around!
Date: 2008-03-09
From: Neels Gap

To: Wolf Laurel Top
Miles today: 3.5

Backpacking at last! We got up & checked out of the Hiker Hostel, finally, and got shuttled to Neels Gap where we spent time in the outfitter's watching them go through packs of hikers who requested this service - it was fascinating to see the changes some folks underwent. I did not make any changes yet, but after a week or two with full pack I bet there will be some! I especially like the idea of using larger, rather than smaller, stuff sacks, so that the "stuff" can lie flat rather than all balled up in a tight wad.Auntie Mame and I got going around 1pm, it was a beautiful afternoon, and we did not plan to go far with full packs this first day out. I felt SO HAPPY to be walking along, finally hiking out on our own. A.M. has made a spectacular recovery from her relapse - each day she is stronger, and remains happy and injury free. This is a dream come true. We are very well matched in pace and can make decisions easily together. So far, when one is flagging, the other is chipper, so it is working out very well.By late afternoon we came around a corner to this ridge top, east-facing campsite with grass, trees to shelter from the west wind (cold!), and a million-dollar view of the ranges of mountains and hills to the east. We were hiking with Bananas, and shortly along came Puppy, Viewfinder and Cannibal. We had such fun setting up the tent and cooking dinner on our little stoves in the bright afternoon sunlight. Throwing the rope over the tree limb for a bear line was cause for great mirth & consternation - but finally we got it!All snuggled in our sleeping bags by 8, we drifted off to the chatter of friends around the fire nearby. (thanks, Cannibal!)END
Date: 2008-03-10
From: Wolf Laurel Top

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: clear sky

Woke up at 6:30 after a really good sleep, but because of the time change it was still completely dark, so dozed while waiting for light enough to see. Also, cold! Later on, when mornings are warmer, fussing around by headlamp will be more possible, but not yet. Sunrise glowed over the ridges to the east onto our tents. I went to get the food bags down from where we'd strung them last night over a big branch, (another first that got us all laughing). Fixed hot chocolate with instant coffee, not too bad. Breakfast was homemade cereal mix with whole powdered milk, also surprisingly good. Packed up, got on trail by 9am. Expect this will get a lot quicker with experience, but we are not rushing at this point.Another gorgeous day. Cardinals singing at one point, and holly trees growing wild along the trail. Also what looked like wild grapevine - knarly ropy trunks and shaggy reddish bark. Might be something else, but no leaves at all yet so can't tell.Came down into Hogpen Gap after a really rough climb up and down Wildcat Mt. (reminded me of home) to find some folks with coolers, apples, pepsi and cookies - we stopped and enjoyed this and lounged a little against the sunny bank. Thanks, Trapper & Myrtle!I hiked all day with a little fear about the climb down into Low Gap because the profile on the map looked just like the descent from Wildcat, but it turned out to be very graded with long switchbacks and we were there in no time, it seemed. So much for carrying fear all day.We found tentsites near some friends, and there were many more good places to tent as well as a nice shelter. Water went right by in front of us, nice as you please.All had supper and sat around the fire a while, and all quiet by 8pm or so.