morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-01-16
To: Recived my gravity filter
Miles today: 0.0

I went to my mailbox today and was very happy to see my gravity feed water filter in the box. That completes everything I need for my thru hike now. I still have a backpack on order that should be in this week. This new backpack is not a necessity though. I it one that I found that I wanted to try out because I have heard good things about it and it is also a two pounds lighter then the winter backpack I am starting out with. It is even almost 1 pound lighter than my summer pack I will be switching out to after the Smokey¢s.   Last night I went through my gear checklist probably a million times.    I also went through my mail drop list. I have updated it to all the places I will be stopping or passing though. Just because I have a place on my mail drop listing does not mean I will be expecting a mail drop at that location. For example, places like Hot Springs that are on my list are there because I will actually be walking through that town. This way I leave the opportunity to have one sent there later if I decide to.
Date: 2010-01-18
To: Wondering why people start in February
Miles today: 0.0

I spent the morning redoing my mail drop listing and reading through some journals.   After reading some of the journals and seeing that there are more people starting their thru in February than I realized. This had me baffled and wondering.1.        Are these people leaving in February because they are anxious to start and do not want to put it off any longer than that have to?2.        Have they done there research?3.        Do they realize the colder weather they are going to run into? 4.        Are they worried that they need to start that early because they think having a two month leeway window will help them?   I would like to see the statistics of people finishing that started in February.   I am not saying that these people should not start in February and I am not saying it is a bad thing. I am just thinking out loud and wondering.
Date: 2010-01-26
To: Fixed my journals and more
Miles today: 0.0

I screwed up this trail journal by mistake a few days ago and just now figured out how to fix the problem. Sorry to anyone trying to view my journals.   I got a new backpack on Friday from ULA. It is the Catalyst but I ordered the wrong size. I contacted ULA and they are getting the right size out to me. These people are great. I like what I see about the pack so far and it being two pounds lighter then the pack I have. I cannot speak for the fit yet until I have the right size. I am really looking forward to getting the right size to try it out.   I have been busy getting things done at home to get ready for my absence here. I order some spare batteries for my blackberry that I will be keeping my journal on. I got two for under $10 on ebay. What a great deal that was. They are usually $49 each. I even order two more.   I have been starting to think over mail drops some more. Nah, I will just wing it. I have a list of mail drops for the wife to send me stuff if she wishes to or if I ask her to ahead of time but I am only going to have one to start with and that will probably be in Franklin.   I have also been trying to hook up with Ham & Brian Glass who will also thru hiking this year. We just cannot seem to time it right to meet on a weekend.      I have not given my notice at work yet. My wife is going in for major foot surgery on Friday. I want to wait until next week to make sure she is recuperating well before I give my notice. I am not too worried though, she has had foot surgery before. My last day at work will be 26 February.
Date: 2010-01-31
To: Returning pack and hair cut coming
Miles today: 0.0

I got my new pack today. I should say the right size pack today. I ordered the wrong size the first time. I really love this pack. The hip belt is a problem for me though. It is too wide for me. I am bummed because I really like the pack. The width of the belt does not feel right on me but the pockets on it are awesome.   It looks like I am going to stick with starting out with my Osprey Aether 70. I like that pack as well but the hip belt also presents a slight problem. There are no pockets. I wish there was a way to mount a pocket on it.   One last piece of gear I need to get is some convertible pants. They are not necessary but I am going to give them a try.   I have been growing my hair long and it is currently below the collar. I think I will get it cut before I leave for my thru hike.
Date: 2010-02-01
To: Gave my notice
Miles today: 0.0

I made the next step forward today towards my thru hike. I turn in my notice at work this morning. 26 Feb is my last day of work. I am stepping a little closer to the point of no return.   I have been very nervous in the past but that is starting to change now. I am getting very excited about starting now. I cannot wait. I don¢t think it can come fast enough now.   I am going to start working out a little more now that the time is getting closer. I am working out more for my endurance than anything else.   I am thinking about getting a small AT tattoo before I leave.
Date: 2010-02-02
To: Final notice responce
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I gave my notice at work yesterday. It went something like this.   This is my unofficial notice. My last day at work will be 26 Feb. My official notice will commence on 15 Feb.   They told me today that it had to be an official letter to the company. Can you believe that? I was try to be nice and give them a month notice and they have to come back and say that is not good enough. Maybe I should just give them the official letter on 25 Feb, the day before my last day.
Date: 2010-02-04
To: Moving along
Miles today: 0.0

Drama, drama, drama, I have a lot of that going on right now. I promise everyone and myself that it will not end my thru hike.I have three days of vacation left at work. I took two of them next week at the end of the week. I scheduled an appointment next Friday morning to get an AT tattoo.I am trying to get a haircut appointment next Friday afternoon also. Someone recommended to me that I should get the tattoo and haircut on the same day and I would be a new man. I liked the idea and that is the reason I am trying to get them both on the same day.The time is getting closer all the time. I am so excited. I am looking forward to meeting people, making new friends and possible hiking partners.I am not working on getting a physical before I leave. I know I am in good health but want to double check just to make sure. One thing that has been bothering me lately is my vertigo. I have a vertigo issue that bothers me once in a blue moon. It seems like I get it once a year for about a week or so then it goes away. The doctors have told me that it is an inner ear thing and nothing to worry about. I have had it for about a week no. That means it should be going away soon if it is like all the other episodes in the past. I have been corresponding with other 2010 thru hikers that are leaving this year and hoping to hook up with a few of them along the way. Did I mention that I am so stoked right now? My start date cannot come soon enough.
Date: 2010-02-11
To: Life changing
Miles today: 0.0

I am glad to announce that I have every piece of gear to start my thru hike now. I am so ready for this. Tomorrow morning I am getting my AT tattoo and then off to get my haircut. I was told by a good friend that after these are done I will be a new man. We¢ll see about that.   I have only two more weeks of work left. I am just over a month away from my start date.   I have been exchanging emails and chats with some other hikers that I am really looking forward to meeting and hiking with. This hike is really going to be a mind altering and life changing event for me. I don¢t think I will be the same person I was before I started. This is scary in some ways.  March 18th seems to be the date where my life will take a new direction. Something I am really looking forward to. Then will come my thru hike. Not sure of my exact starting date yet. I have narrowed it down to two dates though. This year is my year.
Date: 2010-02-12
To: Tattoo
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I did it. I got my tattoo and a haircut. I don¢t feel like a new man though. My friend told me that I would be a new man. I still feel the same, old.   I went to Brunswick today and hooked up with Shiloh, a WhiteBlaze member. Shiloh thru hiked in 2008. We sat and talked for 2 12 hours. It was great to see his eye light up when he talked about his thru hike. I know I will feel the same way when I tell my tale of my thru hike. He showed me many of his photos from his hike. I enjoyed every one of them knowing I would be doing the same to others in the future. I think I was just as excited seeing his photos and listening to his stories as he was doing his show and tell.
Date: 2010-02-13
To: Family visit
Miles today: 0.0

I was in a slump last night. I am fine today. I think it comes from being too overwhelmed with everything going on in my life right now; being overtired sure did not help matters either.   I am going to my parents today to visit. I want my mother to see my haircut; she has been on me about getting it cut since I started growing it long. I can now show here that my hair is short again and she can relax. My sisters will be my parents too and I want to see her. We were at each other¢s throats when we were kids. Now that I am older I really care about her. She has a big heart and has been through a lot. I love my sister.   I will come home later and go through my gear again for the one millionth time. There is nothing more I can do at this point except start working on my list of things that need to get done around the house before I leave, I have been putting off this list for too long. I dread working on this list.
Date: 2010-02-16
To: Spirits up
Miles today: 0.0

What a great weekend I had. My spirits are lifted once again and I am very excited. I wish I could leave tomorrow. I am so very ready for this hike in so many ways.   I worked off some of my ¢to do¢ list here at the house.    I am down to under a month for my departure date to leave from Maine to take the Amtrak to Georgia.   I turned in my final notice at work this morning. I already did this once before but they told me they wanted it in writing, now they will have it. This will be my two week notice. It is my absolute point of no return once this is read by the company. This means they will start filling my position and I cannot change my mind. I am very scared but I am ready for it. I am ready for this life changing event.   Mike called me on Sunday to verify my Amtrak arrive time in Boston so he knows when to pick me up. He said he also has all his gear and is ready to go. Everything is in place now, just wanting for the days to tick down.   I have been experiencing some knee pain again but it is minor. I am sure it will go away. I will bring some Ibuprofen with me to help if the pain comes on.
Date: 2010-02-17
To: Trail Days, Billvilles Useless gear contest
Miles today: 0.0

I spent yesterday morning working on my entry for the Trail Days annual Billville Useless Gear Contest. I think I am onto something with this idea. It could even go to market. Hmm, the possibilities this has. Sorry I cannot say what it is. I don¢t want anyone stealing my patent.   My knee has really been bothering me the last two days. It has me really concerned. There is no turning back for me now, even if I wanted to. They posted my job last night as an opening because of my departure. I am probably be a little overly concerned with all the stress and everything going on getting ready for my hike. I am sure things will all work out. I just need to keep reminding myself why I am doing this and it is not about the miles, it is about the smiles.   I am looking forward to all the people I am going to meet and all the good times I will have along the way. If anything this will be one hell of a vacation. The down side is that it will have to ends and I will have to come back to the real world.
Date: 2010-02-21
To: Ready for a Change
Miles today: 0.0

Things have been moving along as expected, probably better than I expected with the exception of some knee pain. It looks like Mad Mike will be my hiking partner for the first two months. We are starting together but are not committed as partners and we probably will not stay together for the whole two months but I am sure for the first week we will. I have another hiking partner that I will be hooking up with in Atkins, VA if all works out as expected. I think this person will stay with me for the remainder of my thru hike. I have exchange emails with them and I think our hiking styles are very similar. It would be nice to be able to find the perfect hiking partner and maybe this will be the one, only time will tell and I am keeping my fingers crossed.   This hike is going to be a real life changing event for me in so many ways. My life will never be the same. People may not like the changes and that is expected but this is my life. I am looking at it in the same philosophy and Hike You Own Hike (HYOH). I am going to Live My Own Life (LYOL) from now on. I am not going to stop worrying about everyone else. They can deal with their own problems and issues and keep them out of my life from now on. I am going to live for myself, you only live once.   I am so ready to leave for the trail right now. I really, really need to get away so bad for an extended break. Sometimes I think I will leave and not return home but what would I do if I did not return home?
Date: 2010-02-24
To: Last day at work tonight
Miles today: 0.0

I had a rough day at work the last two days, it seems like everything that could go wrong went wrong. I am glad tonight is my last night at work. I wonder what will go wrong tonight. The excitement of the hike is getting closer kept me from getting a good night¢s sleep last night did not help with the issues at work either.   Tomorrow will be somewhere close to the 20 day mark for me to catch my Amtrak to Georgia. My excitement is only going to escalate the closer I get. I don¢t know how bad it will get.   Now to all those that thought I was talking shit for the last seven years when I told them I was going to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in March 2010. We¢ll now you can all see I am really going through with it. I laugh at you all now.   I am starting to rethink my mail drops some more. I don¢t really have any per say but my hiking partner does. Since I may be hiking with this person and they will be hitting these towns, I am thinking I might as well use it to my advantage also.
Date: 2010-02-26
To: Buddy
Miles today: 0.0

The days are winding down. I spent last night working on a couple mail drop boxes. I still have quite a few to go. I have been working on a mail drop listing with my hiking partner. We should have the listing done by the end of next week.   I have a buddy of mine that wants to tag along with me on my thru hike for a free ride on my pack. He has persuaded me to let him. He has been with me since 1990. He has been over seeing me at my computer desk for many years and told me he is sick of being stuck in the computer room. I can see where is he is coming from. I will let him tag along until he gets tired of it or he gets lost.   I am going to be hooking up with three other 2010 thru hiking this coming Monday in Portland Maine for lunch. One is the couple of Brian and Ham Glass. I am really looking forward to meeting them and sharing the excitement with someone other than my hiking partner.
Date: 2010-03-01
To: Meeting other 2010 thru hikers
Miles today: 0.0

What a great day I had today. I got to hook up with five other people starting from Springer this month. Three of whom will be thru hikers. Brian & Ham Glass and Rachel, these three are thru hiking together. What a hoot it was sitting a chatting with them. I wish we were starting together. I am sure our paths will cross again. It was really nice to sit around and talk to people sharing the same excitement that I am going through right now. I could have sat there all day just talking but Rachel had to be back at 5 pm in MA. We¢ll blame Rachel for being the party pooper.   I got two parking tickets for being illegally parked while I was a lunch with everyone. I will pay the tickets because it was well worth it.   We talked about trail name and I am the only thru hiker in the bunch that already has a trail name. We came up with some good ones for Brian and Ham. I will not mention them here because I really don¢t think that want to be known by those trail names.   I am down to 16 Days before I leave the state of Maine. Tomorrow I start working on the list of things that need to get done around the house before I leave.
Date: 2010-03-05
To: Snow on the trail
Miles today: 0.0

I got off the phone with the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega, GA last tonight. I was told that there is one foot of snow on the trail right now. They also told me that there were drifts in the Smokey¢s that were shoulder high. That does not sound very exciting to me. They also stated that the temps for the upcoming week were supposed to be in the 50¢s and 60¢s. That was good to hear. I have 11 days left before my Amtrak appointment on Amtrak. I hope that that snow is gone before I get down there. If I did not already have my Amtrak ticket I would postpone the start date by one or two more weks.   My gear is all packed and ready to go. I have five mail drop boxes all pack and ready to be send. All I have to do is address them. I am waiting to coordinate what town stops I will be hitting with my hiking partner before I address them. These five should get me as far as Delaware Water Gap. I have a bounce box already put together and all I need to do is figure out where my first bounce will be and I am pretty sure I know where that will be.   I have most of my list of ¢To Do¢s¢ done around the house now. Next week I will be going to visit family and friends and saying my goodbyes to them.
Date: 2010-03-09
To: Mail drops
Miles today: 0.0

There is way too much going on right now. My head is spinning. I only have seven days left now and there is so much running through my head, of things that I need to get done. There is also some inner turmoil going on. It is nothing that will affect my hike but will affect other things in my life. Life is full of trials and tribulations. We are always being tested. Sometimes the outcome is good and sometimes it is bad. It all works out in the long run though.   I am tired and want to move on with my life. I want to enjoy the world. I want to travel the United States. I want to hike more trails. I want to bike across the US. I don¢t want to come back home and settle down. I want to keep moving and experience the many other trails in this country and the views, nature, and to be at peace with it. That cannot be done by settling back down and living the day to day mundane life.   Oh, the choices that lay ahead for me. Decisions, decisions, what I am to do. I am sure the trail will help me to decide what to do.   It looks like I am going to have a couple hiking partners lined up for me throughout my thru hike. I will be starting out with a good friend, ¢Mad Mike¢. Mike will be hiking for two months, starting at Springer to wherever he ends after 60 days. We are guessing that he should be in the Pearisburg, VA area at this time. I will be picking up another hiking partner in Atkins, VA, that may end up going all the way to Katahdin with me. Her trail name is ¢Hopper¢. Time will only tell if we are compatible and can stay together as hiking partners.   I am planning on taking a couple zero days in Gettysburg to site see and just relax. I am also hoping to take a trip into Washington, DC to visit the Smithsonian and some of its sister buildings. I have been there twice already in the past, and it never seems to get old. It would be nice if I could persuade another thru hiker to take some zero days with me to do this. It is always nice to have company.   Tomorrow I need to head to Wal-Mart to get some food for at least two more mail drops. I am currently planning on five mail drops to get to Harpers Ferry. I am working with Hopper on other mail drops after Harpers Ferry. I will hopefully get feedback from her by Wednesday so that I can move on with my last minute preparations.
Date: 2010-03-13
To: Mail drops complete
Miles today: 0.0

We finally did it. I got my hiking partner off their ass and we got our itinerary done and all out mail drop listings. I am relieved. I only have four more days until I hop on the Amtrak. I mailed my first mail drop to myself yesterday. I brought all my mail drop boxes over to my parent¢s house. They are going to do the only six mail drops that I will have sent to me. I am hoping this will get them involved in my hike.   I purchased a different type of knee brace at the recommendation of someone named Moss. It is a Cho-Pat knee brace and I like it a lot better than the ones I have been using. I will bring this on the hike with me.   I called the Hiker Hostel tonight to double check on the road condition going to Big Stump Gap. I was told that Josh is still driving into Big Stump Gap. The road is getting really bad but he is able to get in there. They told me by the time I get there next week the road will be fine again.   I have just about everything done on my ¢to do¢ list now. The major thing I have left is visiting family and relatives now, then a trip to the supermarket to get my first batch of food for my pack. It is getting scary now. I am worried I am going to forget to get something done before I leave.   Now it is time to try and get some sleep, which has been a hard task lately with the excitement that is building up.
Date: 2010-03-15
To: One day out
Miles today: 0.0

Holy Cow! For some reason I thought I was leaving to catch the Amtrak to Georgia on Wednesday. I just realized today that it was not Wednesday. I am leaving Tuesday. I only have one full day left here at this house. Damn, I have a lot to get done tomorrow. I will start panicking tonight. I started a new list of all the things I need to get done before I leave. Wow, I am getting really nervous now. I thought I was nervous in the past but now reality is really setting in. Crap, I wish I had one more week. I still have some things to get done.   Tonight I need to head out to Wal-Mart and get my first ration of food that I will carry for my trip along with some other things. My drop boxes are done and ready to go.   To top this all off, I started feeling the comings of a sore throat last night. I started drinking plenty of orange juice and took some Nyquil before bed last night. It does not feel any better today but I continue to stick with the orange juice. I will keep my fingers crossed. I do not want to start the trail with a cold.   I spent last night packing my pack. Tonight I have repacked it for the last time and I can say that now I am ready to go. Wow, I cannot believe the time is here, Wow.   I will probably be off the web sometime tomorrow shortly after lunch and don¢t if I will be able to get back on before I leave. The chances are that this may be my last journal entry from the house. My next one will be in transit or on the trail. What and exciting thought.