morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-03-11
To: AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

A dear old friend of mine has expressed an interest in hiking with me this year. He is an avid outdoorsman, but not a long-distance hiker as far as I know. He asked about training for the AT, and this was my answer(plagerized in part from Whiteblaze):The best way to train for a hike in the mountains is to hike in the mountains. If you don't have any mountains handy, there is another method:1. Go to your local hardware store and ask for the roughest sand paper they have. Go home and take your shoes and socks off and put the sand paper rough side up on the bottom of your feet and then put your socks and shoes back on. Then pull down your pants and underwear and place a piece of sand paper in your crotch. This is to simulate blisters on your feet and the chaffing you will get. Any left over sandpaper may be used as toilet paper to simulate the leaves that will be available after all your TP gets wet. 2. Food regimen: at any point during training if you get hungry, get your cooking gear out and put it in the tub. Turn shower on COLD and cook ramen noodles under the shower. Repeat for 5 days. On the 6th day go to a restaurant and eat 3 large pizza's at one sitting.3. Don't take a shower or bath for at least 5 days. But please brush your nasty teeth. (Oral hygene is key.) When the 5 days are up take a bath, not a shower. When you are all done taking a bath and you are feeling clean proceed to drink the water. This will simulate the slimy puddle water you will have to filter when you manage to run dry 10 miles from a spring.4. At sunset, take your sleeping bag and roll it out on your driveway and lay down for a well deserved rest. Ensure the lawn sprinkler comes on at least once during the night and sprays your sleeping area. If you are planning on sleeping in shelters, bring all the t.v.s and radios you have into your room and turn them up as loud as they will go. Now slide under your bed and have a pleasant sleep on the floor.
Date: 2009-03-12
To: AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Things about hiking I have learned the hard way:I have recurring knee pain in the inside of my right knee.   Most people have knee pain in the outside of their knees ¢ this is called illiotibial pain, and can be prevented by stretching. No amount of stretching would prevent my knee pain. I had extensive exams and x-rays in the Navy to find out the cause. Of course, the pain is osteo arthritis, worn-down cartilage, but the cause?   I figured it out somewhere on the trail. When I get tired I turn my right foot out slightly - not noticeable by looking, but it causes pressure on my knee and a blister at the base of my big toe. If I consciously turn my foot in a little, no blister, no knee pain. The other thing that causes me knee pain very quickly is carrying a pack on pavement. Wet grass and washed out shoulders are tougher to walk on, but pavement will have my knees aching in 14 mile or less. Also, I learned to point my toes up slightly as I walk, this prevents the burning sensation in the arches, which is tiny muscles being strained. If your shoes don¢t have a big enough toe-box, pointing your toes up will cause you to lose your toenails pretty quicklyThis was a painful lesson ¢ when going up steep hills, don¢t relax your calf muscles and let your ankles flex up. If you do, this eventually causes an Achilles tendon strain, which is extremely painful and can take many weeks or months to heal. I pulled mine 5 years ago, and still feel it occasionally..Concerning blisters, a big band-aid seems to be the best cure for me. I have tried all the other methods, from sock liners and duct tape to fancy and expensive moleskin type preparations. The best prevention is to treat hotspots before they become blisters. The only way to do this is to stop often and take off my shoes, and let my socks dry. If they won¢t dry, change them. The best way to dry them is to leave them on and elevate the feet for about 10 minutes ¢ coincidently, just long enough for a decent cat nap. ..To be continued...
Date: 2009-03-13
To: AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

More lessons learned the hard way:There is a rhythm to hiking, that changes with the terrain. 4 steps to each breath, 3 steps to each breath, 2¢¦. It is much like swimming. If you get the rhythm right, you can swim a long way. But if your breathing is not synchronized with your stroke, you will quickly get winded and tire. About my pack ¢ I keep futzing around with the suspension until I get it right. There is a definite sweet spot, where the weight seems to go away and the pack becomes part of me. This year it took a coupla hours and several miles to get it right, but I finally found it. And I will occasionally loosen the shoulder straps to put more weight on my hips, or loosen the hip belt to put more weight on my shoulders just to change it up or adjust for steep terrain. Also, I pack my sleeping quilt in top of my load, not down in the bottom. This way it retains the most loft. The only thing I pack on top of it are my snacks/lunch for the day and a jacket. I have a separate food bag for my daily snacks/lunch and the dinners/stove. When I hang the bearbag, the snack bag simply goes inside of the main food bag. Concerning trail culture ¢ it seems the thru-hikers are mostly young or old. These are the people whose lives are in transition ¢ from school to career, or from career to retirement. They are open, hard hiking, hard playing folks who are having the time of their lives and know it. They don't stay too long in one place, and don't have a lot of money to waste. The folks in their 30¢s and 40¢s are for the most part too busy making a living to spend months on the trail. Many section hikers are former thru-hikers. When they come to the trail as section hikers, they have scrimped and saved and planned, and they are intent on doing it right and enjoying every minute. They spend more money than the thru-hikers, spend more time actually experiencing each mile, and often return to the same section in different years or seasons because of convenience or love of the area. They often volunteer precious hours as trail maintainers and contribute to trail organizations. Also, their hikes, year after year, are just the difficult parts. You see, they only hike what is the hardest part of a thru-hike, the first two to four weeks of blisters, aching muscles, lack of sleep, gear problems, bad digestion, etc. About the time these problems start to work themselves out, the section hikers have to go home. When I was on my (attempted) thru-hike, I had little time for section hikers, other than to ask them if they had seen my thru-hiking buddies. After spending some time in conversation with hostel owners and outfitters, I have come to appreciate section hikers for what they do. Several trail-related business owners told me they could not stay in business on what they make from thru-hikers. While thru-hikers are undeniably the spirit of the AT, the section hikers are the heart of it. As far as the third group of folks on the trail ¢ the day hikers ¢ well, bears have to eat something, you know.
Date: 2009-03-27
To: AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I thought I was done with ¢things I learned the hard way,¢ but I¢m re-reading my favorite hiking book ¢The Ordinary Adventurer,¢ by Jan Leitshuh(Liteshoe), and it brought up a few more ¢things.¢   First of all, the Appalachians are old. They are worn down to the bone. There are cuts and valleys and hollows and peaks. THERE IS NO LEVEL GROUND. When you hike here, you are climbing, which tears up your muscles, or descending, which tears up your joints. Which brings us to ¢GAPS.¢ Gaps hurt. Sure, there is probably a road running through the gap, which will probably lead to a town and a shower, a pizza, a flush toilet, etc. But you have to descend for hours just to get to the road. And guess what, after you descend, you eventually have to climb back out. Kinda cancels out the shower real quick when you¢ve been climbing for hours, sweating, cussing, wondering if you are gonna blow a gasket. The fatigue, the lactic acid burn, the sheer effort expended can burn you out pretty quick. The smallest things can sometimes just p!ss you off. Lots of good partnerships have ended on the trail because of the strain. I have been known to growl at cheerful day hikers in their 70¢s who whip by me going up a steep grade with no packs, as I labor up the mountain with a belly too full of town food and a pack too full of fresh groceries. Of course at the end of the day, you will be proud of what you have endured, and you will admire others that made it also. So, how to deal with it? I set small goals ¢ walk to the big tree at the top of this rise then rest, climb ten minutes then rest¢¦etc. And never make a major decision (like getting off the trail) when you are going uphill! According to Jan, the trick is to make the choice, over and over, to remain in the woods - physically and mentally, every day, every hour, every moment. The reward? The peace and beauty of the mountains rarely leave me these days. Apparently it was something missing in my life, that now keeps me healthy, enthusiastic, and PLANNING THE NEXT HIKE!!!
Date: 2009-03-28
To: AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

In the immortal words of renowned Damascusser Lone Wolf, ¢It¢s just walking, get over it!¢So here¢s one about camping, not hiking. Or more specifically, sleeping on the trail. You see, I am scared of the dark. Really. Ever since I was four or five, huddled under the covers, the dark has terrified me. I know it¢s irrational, but there it is. So how the heck¢¦.? Well, let me tell you, you will probably have trouble sleeping the first coupla nights of a long hike. Owls seem to love to hoot near shelters, and deer wander in and snort and whine, and if you¢re lucky enough to camp near a whippoorwill, I guarantee you won¢t sleep. Which brings me to the ¢one bigger¢ rule. You see, a bug crawling around at night sounds like a large mouse. And a mouse scurrying about sounds like a squirrel. And a squirrel sounds like a coon, and so on. And you WILL hear things rustling around in the woods at night. Guaranteed. So how do you deal? Some people camp near babbling brooks, but that makes me wake up hearing voices. And every animal in the forest will come to the brook sometime during the night. Others folks wear earplugs, which block out all but the loudest noises, including most of the snoring, farting, and rustling sounds emanating from the shelter.   Me, I just tough it out. After the third or 4th night on the trail, I¢m too d@mn tired to worry about it. Unless, of course, the moon is full, and the coyotes come to serenade¢¦.
Date: 2009-04-05
To: AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

It's exactly 30 days from my hike. I'm not sure I can wait that long! The hiking season in Florida is over for me - when it gets in the 80's I just don't get anything out of it, except bug bites. I have been working lots of overtime to pay for my hike, and making preparations for the spring retreat my better half and I are hosting 3 weeks from now. I asked a buddy what the heck he does in FL in the summer, when it's too hot to hike and too buggy for kayaking, and he said one word: 'scuba'. Brought to mind when I was diving in Hawaii, I asked my dive instructor what kind of a dive knife I should buy. He said don't worry about getting one big enough to fight sharks with - all you have to do is stick it in your dive buddy and swim away. SOoo - to my prospective hiking partner: I reserve the right to use this principle on the trail. If we ever find ourselves fleeing from a bear, I'm gonna trip you first, then run like hell...   - Duffy
Date: 2009-04-12
To: AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, it's all over now but the waiting. I bought a new poncho at Dick's, a backpacking one that is longer in the back to cover your pack. I made a new cozy for my freezer bag cooking method. Second time I've sliced up my wife's reflectix sun visor from her truck. She doesn't seem to mind too much. I think she'll be pretty glad to see me go hiking again. All I have to do now is buy food. I intend to build another hammock stand in my backyard today, so I can spend a few nights in my hammock before getting on the trail. I always sleep good in it, but it has been a long time...Thanks to everyone who signed my guestbook, it is great to hear from you, and your encouragement means alot. Now if I can just survive the waiting....
Date: 2009-04-18
To: AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

DAMASCUSwords and music by Stone Monkey ga-me 99'I'm not sure which weighs more, the load upon my backOr the weight i carry within meThe only thing i know is if i'm gonna goGot to leave some burdens behind meBut if i make Damascus gonna be a jubileeGonna gather my new friends all around meGonna be a big reunion, feels just like communionLike i was lost and someone found meIf i make Damascus, if i make DamascusLord, won't that be one fine dayIf i make Damascus, if i make DamascusI believe i'll make it all the wayEvery step i take my bones feel like they may breakSweat pours down me like a riverI'm so far from home, many miles i walk aloneAt night the cold winds make me shake and shiverBut if i make Damascus i'm gonna be a happy manA little rest and relaxation for awhileI'm gonna sing and dance all day, throw my cares awayEvery face i see will wear a smileIf i make Damascus, if i make DamascusLord, won't that be one fine dayIf i make Damascus, if i make DamascusI believe i'll make it all the way
Date: 2009-04-24
To: AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Have you gazed on naked grandeur where there's nothing else to gaze on,Set pieces and drop-curtain scenes galore,Big mountains heaved to heaven, which the blinding sunsets blazon,Black canyons where the rapids rip and roar?Have you swept the visioned valley with the green stream streaking through it,Searched the Vastness for a something you have lost?Have you strung your soul to silence? Then for God's sake go and do it;Hear the challenge, learn the lesson, pay the cost....Have you suffered, starved and triumphed, groveled down, yet grasped at glory,Grown bigger in the bigness of the whole?"Done things" just for the doing, letting babblers tell the story,Seeing through the nice veneer the naked soul?Have you seen God in His splendors, heard the text that nature renders?(You'll never hear it in the family pew).The simple things, the true things, the silent men who do things --Then listen to the Wild -- it's calling you.......-From The Call of the Wild, Robert Service
Date: 2009-05-04
To: This hike is dedicated to Fred McCall
Miles today: 0.0

4/14/2009This hike is dedicated to Fred McCallI was finally able to cry big fat tears for you going down the last mountain into your hometown. When I finally cross to the Other Side, I'm going to squeeze your skinny hand again, and hug you close. I miss you. Rest in Peace, brother.
Date: 2009-05-14
From: Abingdon Gap Shelter

To: Damascus
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Got up a few minutes after daylight, packed up and hit the trail. Emotional day. As I got lower down the trail, the sun burned away the fog, and the air got warmer. I passed several camp sites, people just getting up, making coffee, jovial. Trail Days was in the air. Starting hearing town sounds, faintly heard my beloved Ruffed Grouse, I think. Trees started leafing out as I got lower, birds singing. Saw two chipmonks. Mayapple flowers. Blooming Mountain Laurel. A fat squirrel crossed the trail in front of me. Butterflies everwhere. Passed a few townies on their morning constitutional. Trail was identical to the trail leading down into Hot Springs, brought back some memories of the last day of my '07 hike. Passed a girl coming up the trail with three beautiful Irish Setters. A guy hollered "Good Morning!" from his back porch. Cried a tear for my bud Fred, who was raised in this beautiful place. Emerged on the street at the 'Welcome to Damascus' sign just as Spiceman was walking by. Had him take a picture. On the way to tent city, talked with Greenlight and Blue Sky. Strung my hammock between two trees in tent city, and who should walk by with a dog, but the so-called Cheeky. Gave me that goofy grin and waved. Hike over.-Duffy
Date: 2009-05-15
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Trail Days, was of course, wonderful.The energy, the respect, the love, the artistry, the reunions, the fun...I rode a magic carpet down the Creeper, was even better than I remembered.Talked deeply with old friends, and new....Laughed alot, and wept a little.Made a promise to myself, as I always do at Trail Days, to come back...hopefully afoot...Conclusions:The freedom of walking these ridges in the spring is as cleansing and spry as a drink of icy springwater gushing straight out of a rocky hillside.The only feeling in this life that is as satisfying, is being wrapped in the warm embrace of family and dear friends.Peace
Date: 2009-01-01
To: Welcome
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Click Last (above) to see my latest entry.Welcome to my 2009 Appalachian Trail journal.If this is your first visit to my journal, you can read more about be by clicking the About link on the left. Click the Gear link to see what I'm taking with meClick the Photo link to see the pictures I'll be taking along the way.Don't forget to visit the Guestbook link to let me know you were here, and (if you like)leave an email address for me to get back to you.If this is a return visit, be sure to click the Last link (above or below) to see my latest entry. You can also find additional information, see more pictures, and find out more about me by visiting MSanson.comTo keep up with my hiking partner Liz's journal, visit lizzie.To contribute to our Trail Fund, please click below: Happy Trails!
Date: 2009-03-30
From: Helen, GA

To: Helen, GA
Miles today: 0.0

Zero Day Number 1Today will be my first day on the trail, along with Liz and Einstein. Einstein is excited, although he doesn¢t quite know why. Liz and I have a bit more trepidation, but we¢re excited as well. We¢re getting a later start today than we planned, because we stayed up very late last night packing and repacking our bags. We didn¢t realize what a chore organizing our food would be. But we¢re packed now, and both packs are coming in at a reasonable 35lbs (excluding water). Einstein¢s pack is coming in at just under 8lbs (excluding water). 35lbs is more than I hoped for, but I¢m comforted knowing that this is the heaviest my pack will ever be on the trail. I asked Einstein to trade, but he wasn¢t interested.It was a nice trip here. We left Springfield early Saturday morning for my parent¢s house in Belleville, who generously offered to drive to my sister¢s house in Atlanta. Of course we were very tired because I had stayed up very late the evening before ¢ in a panic after discovering everything wasn¢t going to fit into my pack. We got to Atlanta Saturday evening, and spent a very enjoyable Sunday with my sisters, brother-in-law and nieces. Sunday night we headed up to Helen, GA, which is a quaint tourist trap on the Chatahoochie River designed to look like a German alpine village. Stayed at a place called the Hofbrau Riverfront Hotel, where we stuffed ourselves on a huge German meal, topped off with strudel we couldn¢t finish.So, we¢re finishing up last minute odds and ends at the motel while my Parents travel to a local church to get a plenary indulgence. Will probably regret not going if something calamitous happens to me on the trail, but really needed the extra time to finish up scheduling trail drops and updating my trail journal. As soon as they return we will be headed to Amicalola for a short hike to the falls then farewells at the trailhead. I don¢t expect to get many miles in today ¢ just content to get started and officially be ¢on the trail¢.   Thanks for reading, and I hope to providing you with many entries over the next 2178 miles.UPDATE: We had a slight change of plans today - we needed a bit more time to get our gear together. Tomorrow - 3/31 - will be our official first day on the trail.
Date: 2009-04-02
From: Hawks Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: light rain

Shifty MacGeeWell, the clear night on Hawks Muontain changed to rain shortly after midnight, and continued to rain on into the morning when we woke to find most of our gear completely soaked. We waited in the tent until the rain stopped sometime around 9:30 and finally got out to pee and make breakfast. Einstein wasn't in any hurry to get up either. We didn't get started on the trail until very late,, sometime around noon. We were the last to leave, along with Ezra, Muscles (formerly Sara), Ten Sticks (fomerly Adam), Julio and his 'service dog' Patience Jr. As we left, we met Pheoniz Rising, a woman who had attempted a thru-hike in 2008, but quit and became a Trail Angel for the rest of the season. (A Trail Angel is a name for anyone who makes it their mission to provide assistance to thru-hikers on their journey). This year, she was again attempting a thru-hike, and provided us with some well received advice for our attempt - most valuable of which was how to hold our trekking poles, which was very useful on that day.We also met a thru-hiker that we've been calling Shifty MacGee - no one remembers what his real name or trail name was. He was a short, elderly Irish/Scottish man, with a poor temperment and penchant for singing song he made up himself at the top of his lungs. He was not fond of Einstein, and the feeling was mutual. He was apparently hiking from Florida to somewhere in Northern Canada, and had put in nearly 20 miles that day. More power to him. We haven't seen him since the next morning when he left the shelter.On this day we were the most miserable to date. It continued to be a mix of rain, fog, mud, cold, and mountain after mountain. When we arrived at the Gooch Mountain Shelter, it was very late (in hiker time - around 7p) and we had to set up our tent in the rain. There wasn't much socializing on that evening as the shelter was packed full, and the rain didn't leave much to do but retire to the tent.That night was very rough, as it continued to rain throughout the night and the winds picked up to a gale force. I thought we were in a tornado and it was going to blow us right off the mountain, tent and all. Einstein didn't really get settled all night, nor did I. It was a very crowded, wet and cold night in the tent. But we had a treat to look forward to the next day as our parents offered to meet us at Woody Gap and take us for a hot meal. That thought sustained me throughout the night.