morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2002-08-17
From: Maine

To: Georgia
Miles today: 0.0

Hello Everyone. My Father, The Trail Grandpa, flew home from Maine after his Mt. Katahdin Experience with cyst on heel. Went to doctor, found out he needs to go slower if he is going to finish his AT hike. We found out that he did in 8 days which normally should take 11. I guess he was pushing himself too much. I should add that he is a marathon runner, and has also done and finished the Ironman Tri in Hawaii.   So we weren't surprised that he was pushing himself. But he ordered a new backpack and he is back on the trail by this weekend I hope. HE was coming back, via bus to get back on. I will be anxiously awaiting his reports to put back on the journals here. Thanks for all your wishes and support. Pam, trail grandpa's daughter number 3. :o)
Date: 2002-08-17
From: Georgia

To: Georgia
Miles today: 13.0

Saturday August 17, 2002 Got up at a little after 5 and got my blister and feet all wrapped up. Takes me about an hour to an hour and a half to get packed up and ready to go.   Got on the trail at 6:30am. First think I did was climb a mountain.   I am at the top of the mountain right now. It¢s kind of hazy right now so I am not going to take any pictures here.   All I can see is haze. Camped last night with this guy from Canada, Sylvine, he is such a character. Went swimming in the pond.   All night long, heard the loons. I left the tape recorder on, I hope it taped them.   Met a coupe of NB¢s and one of their names was GOD, and I said is that spelled Gawd? He said no, God.   The other one was Snafu, and there was a young lady in the shelter back there. Her name was Tadpole. She is trying to find herself.   She is a chubby little girl but I don¢t know if she is going to make it.   I also met a man Karanaut, like astronaut. He started a year ago and he has had a lot of trouble.   I am on top of Pleasant Pond Mountain. Beautiful view, kind of hazy, but I guess I will take a picture. Going to have lunch now, a snickers bar.    My blisters are bleeding. They¢re getting worse.   I am about 2 miles from the next shelter.   I have thoughts of coming home; every step is excruciating pain.   But I met a guy on the trail that said he had the same thing.   And he used duct tape and he just taped it from the bottom of his foot clear up to the calf. And then sideways. And he did it everyday. I need to go somewhere and get some sterile strips. I have to do something otherwise I can¢t continue on this way, it¢s just terrible. I am getting really discouraged by that. I can take a lot of pain but when each step is painful, then you start thinking, what is the use.   WHY? I met a gal coming down the trail, Midnight Sun; she is about done with trail. Nice lady.   This guy I met named Barefoot. He is the one I talked to about my blisters. He said I need to take zero days and not do anything, just keep air to them. That¢s hard for me to do. Not to do anything at all.   Lots of blueberries along the trail today. Had to stop and eat some of them.      Made it into the lean-to here at Pleasant Pond at 4:30.   Took my stuff off my blisters and they are about the size of a dime. They were bigger. It sure feels good to get my shoes off tonight. Was a big climb today. I am really tired tonight.   Seems like it never ended on my climb today, like it would never end.
Date: 2002-08-18
From: Georgia

To: Georgia
Miles today: 15.0

Sunday August 18, 20026:15 in the morning.   Slept in the lean-to last night for the first time. There wasn¢t anyone in the one the night before and I didn¢t use it and this one last night was really crowded.   I probably won¢t soon do that again.   I get up early in the morning and they don¢t. So I disturb them when I am getting up and then I don¢t know if I am getting all my stuff together. So I will probably just tent it from now on.   But it wasn¢t too bad sleeping. It¢s kind of nice not having to put up the tent and then take it all back down.   But it really doesn¢t¢ take me that long anyway. It is a really nice day. Sun is going to shine. I am headed into Caratunk and maybe see if I can stay there overnight in one of the hostels. Blisters are some better. I put lots of duct tape on to see if I can hold those moleskins on. Went down a side trail and it was very steep, down to a camp place called River Trails Landing and it¢s owned by a Steve Longely. I met this guy named Russ and he opened the store for me and I bought some extra food because I know I will run out before I get into Rangely.   I am going a lot slower than I thought I would so I need to account for that. Then I was going to stay there but it was only about 10am in the morning. So I decided that I would cross the river.   Because there is a Ferry that crosses the river that leaves 9 to 11 in the morning or 3 to 5 in the afternoon.   So I thought if I am gonna stay, I will stay overnight.   And because if I wait till 3 to cross the river then I won¢t make it to the next lean-to before dark.   So I decided to go ahead and go on. It¢s hard for me to stay when there is daylight left.   It¢s a beautiful crossing and I forgot to take a picture. DARN IT.   But I am not gonna walk clear back there now. I am down here by a little stream, a little mountain stream taking a break. I need to remember to keep that camera handy. I called Mary and she is doing fine. Stopped here at the First Pond Lean-to.   It¢s only 3 in the afternoon and I was going to stay at the campground there at Longely but I thought I will make a few more miles, I made about 10 miles today and that is enough. I want to get these feet taken care of. I almost went on. My Partner the French Canadian stopped here also. We camped the last 2 nights in the same spot. He is debating whether to stay. It¢s quite a ways to the next shelter or campsite. But he will just have midwack somewhere along the way and I just didn¢t want to do that. I have to get off my feet for the rest of day and take care of my blisters. Boy, I just about took off though; you know how I am. Just can¢t seem to sit still when there is daylight. But I am gonna stay.
Date: 2002-08-19
From: Georgia

To: Georgia
Miles today: 14.0

Monday, August 19, 2002Started out 6:30am and it¢s a beautiful day.   Nice scene out on the lake where I was camping with the sun coming up over the lake. My blisters are still there. I treated them best as I could. If I have to, I will get off the trail and go home. Too bad, but anyway I am gonna try and keep going, but if they get to where they are down to the bone well then I just can¢t keep going. Met some nice people at the shelter.   Rained last night a little bit, lightning and thunder but I did have dry tent this morning. Met a young lady, Aimlessly, looked to be about 25 years old.   Started in PA and is going to Katahdin and then she is going back to PA and then going south.   There was a young man right behind her named Wolf.   I am meeting a lot of northbounders today. There was Bluevist an older lady hiking by herself. Started in VA and going to Katahdin and going to flip-flop back to VA to finish. Met Otter, an older guy, started in VA and he is going to flip-flop and the go back and finish. So if I continue, maybe I will see them again down there, I doubt it though. Just met a man that is northbound and is about done with the trail. He is from Rangely, Maine; his name was Papa Geezer. Here for the night. Got my tent set up and there is nobody in the shelter, and last night it was crowded.   Overwhelming there were so many in there last night, with 3 tents camped around it and then tonight nothing.   SO looks like I am going to be here all-alone but it¢s 7:00pm and somebody could come in yet. So I have camped by myself on the trail here before so it¢s no big deal. Its been a tough day as I think about my day today. I had thoughts about coming home, and I keep thinking that always in the past when I was younger, I would give up on things. If my blisters would heal, and then I think, if they don¢t get better I might as well come home, so we will see.
Date: 2002-08-20
From: Georgia

To: Georgia
Miles today: 15.0

Monday, August 19, 2002Started out 6:30am and it¢s a beautiful day.   Nice scene out on the lake where I was camping with the sun coming up over the lake. My blisters are still there. I treated them best as I could. If I have to, I will get off the trail and go home. Too bad, but anyway I am gonna try and keep going, but if they get to where they are down to the bone well then I just can¢t keep going. Met some nice people at the shelter.   Rained last night a little bit, lightning and thunder but I did have dry tent this morning. Met a young lady, Aimlessly, looked to be about 25 years old.   Started in PA and is going to Katahdin and then she is going back to PA and then going south.   There was a young man right behind her named Wolf.   I am meeting a lot of northbounders today. There was Bluevist an older lady hiking by herself. Started in VA and going to Katahdin and going to flip-flop back to VA to finish. Met Otter, an older guy, started in VA and he is going to flip-flop and the go back and finish. So if I continue, maybe I will see them again down there, I doubt it though. Just met a man that is northbound and is about done with the trail. He is from Rangely, Maine; his name was Papa Geezer. Here for the night. Got my tent set up and there is nobody in the shelter, and last night it was crowded.   Overwhelming there were so many in there last night, with 3 tents camped around it and then tonight nothing.   SO looks like I am going to be here all-alone but it¢s 7:00pm and somebody could come in yet. So I have camped by myself on the trail here before so it¢s no big deal. Its been a tough day as I think about my day today. I had thoughts about coming home, and I keep thinking that always in the past when I was younger, I would give up on things. If my blisters would heal, and then I think, if they don¢t get better I might as well come home, so we will see.
Date: 2002-08-21
From: Georgia

To: Georgia
Miles today: 9.0

August 21, 20026:30amIt¢s a Wednesday. It¢s pretty cold this morning but I slept pretty good last night.   Warmed up in my sleeping bag and actually got some sleep. I dressed my blisters this morning. I am trying something-new called Molefoam.   Feels pretty good so far but I just started hiking. I have about 6 mile to go then I will be on the highway that goes into Stratton and there is a boarding house there. I am going to go in there and I am going to stay. Going to try and get my blisters fixed up and I am going to have to. Because if I don¢t then I am done. Here comes somebody running, isn¢t that something? ON the trail. It¢s a nice morning for hiking. Here comes a lady, she is jogging, she must be a tri-athlete.   I met another lady she is an older lady she is hiking north to south. I see her name in the register as I come to the shelters.   And I finally got to meet her. She has lost 3 husbands and her last husband was always going to hike this trail so she decided to do it in his memory.   She is going kind of slow but she will probably be ahead of me after Stratton.   So I will probably run into here again. Very nice to talk to. (Singing) Here I am walking down 66 Nobody is traveling Sleeping under a roadside park picnic tableA man could wake up deadHere I am walking down 27Hope to get a ride to Stratton(Done singing)Sitting in a hostel in Stratton Maine. Soaking my feet in some Epsom salt trying to get my blisters healed up. Trying to decide whether to have Mary send those shoes to Rangely or wait till Gorham. I don¢t know what to do.   Soaking my feet in Epsom salts and it seems to be helping.   Some guy on the trail told me to soak my feet in Epsom salt that it would toughen up my wounds.   And it really does seem to marbleizing them. He said once they do that they are starting to get better. Debating about whether to go into Rangely.   Its 3 days from here and who knows whether they will be there. So I think I will have Mary just sent my shoes on to Gorham. Maybe if I can make it there with these blisters. I am just going to have to take it easy. Keep it to 10 miles a day.   Just go from shelter to shelter and I have to accept that. ¢MY BODY SAYS GO, BUT MY BLISTERS SAY NO¢. It¢s a nice night, I had a pretty good day and I only had to go 6 miles and My blisters didn¢t hurt that much, because I had a new system on the left one and the right one did hurt some. But I have advil and better get some more in the morning.   I am here watching TV and relaxing and about ready to hit the sack. Took and shower and shaved. It¢s amazing, you look forward to get to town, civilization and all that entails and yet it¢s good to get back out of the trail again. I am anxious to get going again tomorrow.
Date: 2002-08-23
To: Georgia
Miles today: 10.0

Friday August 23, 2002 Heading out rained all night. Tent was wet, had some condensation because had to keep vestibule closed but slept pretty good. But had to pack up a went tent so have more weight than usual. The shelter was full. Just chuck full and there was another guy tenting. There were just 3 of us south bounders and the rest were north bounders.   Feeling pretty good this morning. Got my blisters wrapped up, takes me about a half-hour to get that done.      Just reached the summit, the horn they call it, 4041 feet, you can see forever, but it¢s still kind of hazy, met Mag and Dag, husband and wife team, and then another couple was with them and I can¢t remember their names.   And then met 2 ladies hiking together, Happy and Boo. I asked her how she got her nickname Boo and she said it was some kind of song.   Everybody calls her Boo now.      Walking a ridge line up here on the mountain and there are no trees.   But there are some bushes and some wild blueberries and boy are they good.
Date: 2002-08-23
From: Georgia

To: GA
Miles today: 0.0

Friday August 23, 2002 Heading out rained all night. Tent was wet, had some condensation because had to keep vestibule closed but slept pretty good. But had to pack up a went tent so have more weight than usual. The shelter was full. Just chuck full and there was another guy tenting. There were just 3 of us south bounders and the rest were north bounders.   Feeling pretty good this morning. Got my blisters wrapped up, takes me about a half-hour to get that done.      Just reached the summit, the horn they call it, 4041 feet, you can see forever, but it¢s still kind of hazy, met Mag and Dag, husband and wife team, and then another couple was with them and I can¢t remember their names.   And then met 2 ladies hiking together, Happy and Boo. I asked her how she got her nickname Boo and she said it was some kind of song.   Everybody calls her Boo now.      Walking a ridge line up here on the mountain and there are no trees.   But there are some bushes and some wild blueberries and boy are they good.
Date: 2002-08-24
From: Maine

To: GA
Miles today: 10.0

Saturday August 24, 2002Left Daddy¢s Pond and packed up and on the trail again this morning.   No activity in the other tents so I must not have woke them up when I was getting packed to head out.   Had to treat my blisters again. The Left foot is worse than the right one now.   I tried a different method this morning but had to redo it.   Looks like it¢s going to be a nice day.   Got a ride first thing this morning off the trail into Rangely about 9:30am and got my shopping done. Called Bob and got his nephew and told him I would meet him at the library. Got my last bit of shopping done and I see Bob coming down the street.   So we are back at the place here and I am going to take shower and do my laundry and then take bike back into town.
Date: 2002-08-26
From: Georgia

To: GA
Miles today: 12.0

Monday August 26, 2002      On the trail at 6:40 and there is no sense getting in any hurry.   Because I am hopefully meeting the man who is going to bring my mail drop to me at Hwy. 17 which is 3 miles from here.   Cool morning and the sun is shining.   Just met Artsy and Twinkle Toes. Retired couple She is a retired art teacher and he is a retired CPA.   He is 73; she didn¢t give me her age.   Very nice people, from Florida. Just a mile hike but I explained the whole thing to them so they are going to come back and hike the whole thing next summer.   Met a fella named Potato man and he happened to have cell phone with him and it was only 9 and I was supposed to meet Bob there between 10:30 and 11. So I Thought man I have to wait here till noon.   So I asked the guy if I could use his Cell phone and I asked bob if he could just forward my package to Gorham.   But my feet don¢t need them anyway now. I just jumped the gun so you never know.   This lady came along and runs this place called the Cabin and she let off a bunch of section hikers (slackpackers) and anyway I am pushing on and going into Andover tonight if I can make it to that road in time. She picks people up at the south arm road and that is about 8 miles away, so don¢t know if I can make it but if not I can just camp. Potato Man was giving out pens.   Said Maine on it and a little potato.   Just saw some fresh bear poop right on the trail, I wonder where the devil¢s at.   Was at the Beemis mountain shelter about 12:30 and had a candy bar and some water and wrote in resister. A couple came in, he is from Colorado and she is from England, had their dog with them, northbounders. His name was Cheeseburger, hers was Milk Shake and the dogs was French Fries. If you would like to be notified of when my daughter gets the trail journals updated you can email her at: pamparis@yahoo.com and she will send you emails letting you know she has logged on more news from the Pa Kettle from the AT
Date: 2002-08-28
From: Maine

To: GA
Miles today: 11.0

Wednesday August 28, 2002. Stayed at the Andover Guest House last night.   The guy was waiting for people at the end of the trail to cross the highway there and was about 2 and I didn¢t think about this slack packing. Slack packing is when you go into town and you leave your pack at the guest house and they take you back out to the trailhead and you hike sections of the trail until the next highway. Then they pick you up there and bring you back to the guest house again.   So you hike without your full pack. So I decided to try that to try and heal up these blisters. So having less weight and strain might help heal up my blisters. So I am going to try this for a few days before I get into the White Mountains which I hear are really difficult.   I thought about pushing on and saving a little money but thought better and stopped here to maybe get my blisters healed up somewhat.   They do feel better this morning because I was off the trail at 2 yesterday until this morning. So that helped a lot.   It¢s a nice cool morning. Going 10 miles today went 10 yesterday.   Should not be near as long, might have to wait at the highway for my ride back but will be nice day.   There is a guy here from Illinois and he is here. They hiked the whole thing before and now they are back they are going to hike Maine again. I think they must be crazy. Ha.   But anyway I was telling him about my blisters and he just gave me a heck of a good tip. He showed me how to lace my shoes different, so that they don¢t slip. And by gosh it feels good. I wish the heck I had known this in the beginning. But better late than never. It¢s 8:30am and I am on the trail. Just got dropped off by Richard from the guest house. I don¢t have pack on and it feels like I am light as a feather. OH, IT¢S A GREAT DAY TO BE ALIVE, I WILL TELL YA.   This slack packing is everything I heard it was. Here I am walking along with just enough food to last me. Some blister treatment in my pack and 16 ounces of Gatorade, my camera, I am just as light as a feather.   Really enjoying it. I am able to look up and see the things around me instead of worrying about every step I take. It makes it a pleasure, just a pure pleasure to be out here in the woods.   But I suppose after I get used to that, I would lighten my 50 pounds in my pack to make it a lot easier on myself.   My attitude has changed considerably today. I am ready to hike the whole trail now. I know, I know, I will have to put that pack back on again tomorrow so I am going to enjoy the day.   Got to Hwy. 26 about 2:50pm. Made pretty good time. I was kind of in a hurry, I thought maybe they would be here but they are not. I don¢t know if it was a good decision or not to do this slack packing. Maybe it was¢¦I don¢t know. Tomorrow I am going full back and going to take off for Gorham.   It¢s going to be a tough day tomorrow. Because I have to get through the Mahoosac Notch. There are house size boulders and you have to go in and around and over them, they say some people it takes them 3 hours to go one mile and hopefully I will get 10 miles tomorrow. Today I went 10.
Date: 2002-08-29
From: Maine

To: GA
Miles today: 0.0

Thursday August 29, 2002Almost 6 and getting shuttle out to the notch and the sunrise is coming up red.   I am on the trail it is 6:30am. Wild ride out here. Last night when I was reading Pam¢s email and I read what Val had written to her about Bill Jass and the way he had died. [Hesitant ¢ pause] I just broke down and cried and here I am this old man sitting at this computer reading that and all these people sitting there and I know they have to be wondering, ¢What¢s this old man doing crying?¢.   Nobody said anything and I kind of felt sorry for myself.   I thought if I saw an old man sitting there crying, I think I would ask him ¢What¢s Wrong?¢. But they minded their own business.   But later on I went out and it was real quiet down in the valley there and I was looking up at the mountains and the sun was going down and I was thinking about Bill and his life and all the sudden I hear the bagpipes playing coming from clear up in the mountainside somewhere. Floating down into the valley.   It was Amazing Grace, (voice emotional) I just lost it. Thinking about Bill and the bagpipes playing. The lord works in mysterious ways. I will always remember him; he was a good man. I know he was all for me doing this Hike and today is his funeral and God rest his soul.   I wish I could be there to be with his family but I know what he would want and he would want me to be out here and I have been thinking about him.   And I will for a couple days probably, probably a lot more than that.      Came across another southbounder, name was Braer Rabbit, young fellow. Well I made it though the notch. It¢s only 3 in the afternoon but decided to stop at this shelter and stay the night. It just started sprinkling and raining. I am lucky to have gotten through the notch without getting rain.   There are house sized boulders and you go under, over, and through and sometimes you have to take your packs off to get through the holes but you are slipping and sliding and it¢s treacherous.