morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-12-25
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

On December 12, my employer announced a Voluntary Separation Program to reduce headcount. Interested employees were requested to apply for the VSP and Management would determine, based on whatever arcane formulae they used to determine headcount reduction needs versus employee skillset needs, what employees qualified for the VSP. On December 21, my wife (who works for the same employer) and I found out that we qualified for the VSP. Woo hoo! Our last day of employment is January 11; however, we will continue to receive pay and health benefits for several more months. So, in effect, my employer will pay me to hike the AT! Merry Christmas to me! And a Happy New Year!I had previously planned to start my thru hike on March 25 because I planned to continue working until our company's annual bonus payout in mid-March. Now, with the VSP, I can start the hike in late February (on or about the 25th) from Amicalola Falls and get out ahead of the Bubble. I am currently re-evaluating my equipment choices to determine what changes I need to make to account for the earlier start date (I hope to post my gear list soon). Having previously been caught in an early April blizzard in the Smokies on a section hike several years ago, I know that Winter is not done with this area for several weeks to come. One thing that will need some adjusting is my shelter. I plan to carry a Jacks R Better Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock. With the earlier start date, I will need to add an underquilt and underquilt protector for added warmth. This, of course, adds to the weight of my pack. What can I remove from the the pack to help compensate for the added weight? Hmm, decisions...decisions... I suspect I'm going to be busy in the New Year reworking my pack! Beaker
Date: 2017-01-10
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

There are a ton of books out there that can teach you the mechanics of preparing for and completing a thru hike. I only know of one book, called Appalachian Trials, that addresses the psychology of thru hiking. In it, author Zack Davis states that one of the things you need to do is publicly state your intention. That way, in those low times when thoughts of quitting cross your mind, you will think of everyone who is following your hike and, rather than disappoint them, or maybe just to save face, you keep on hiking. Pretty soon things turn around, the rain stops, the sun comes out, and you wonder why you ever thought about quitting in the first place. Well, let me tell you, even though I hadn't really planned it, I have definitely publicly stated my intentions! When word of my Voluntary Separation from my employer got out, people started asking me what I planned to do. My thru hike seems to have struck a chord with everyone! I think everyone who is not taking the package sees this as a romantic adventure and an escape from the hum drum life of a laboratory. Tomorrow is my last day - all that's left now is the exit interview and turning in my company ID. After some traveling to visit kids and grandsons and some long overdue painting around the house, I will be hitting the approach trail at Amicalola Falls on February 26 (my 53rd birthday!). I have been doing preparation hikes with full pack in nearby Cooper's Rock State Forest. Last week, it was 16 deg F and 6 inches of snow. I am pretty happy with my chosen gear and feel pretty good about my readiness for winter in the southern Appalachians. Not ultralight by any means, but not too bad weightwise. Definitely better than what I carried in the 80s and 90s! Just a few more tweaks...
Date: 2017-02-02
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I worked my last event yesterday at Monongalia EMS. So, now I am no longer working as either a scientist or a medic and I am now officially completely unemployed (at least for the next six months or so). Of course, I have been able to fill my days with LOTS of painting. My wife, Marguerite, is completely on-board with me taking the next 5-6 months to hike on the AT; however, she did have two stipulations: (1) I would carry and use my shiny new SPOT Tracker she got me for Christmas and (2) I would help her paint all of the rooms in the house that I have been meaning to paint for the last 8 years or so before I left. Eight years of painting compressed into about 3 weeks is a lot of painting. At least it has kept me from obsessing about trail planning.Although not obsessing, I have continued to make changes to my gear, even as my start date creeps under the one month mark. I just wasn't happy with my winter pack weight. Total pack weight with water and food was still over 30 lbs. So, after much soul searching and internal debate, I have decided to start the hike with a Zpacks Altaplex tent rather than my Jacks R Better Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock, allowing me to shed the additional weight of a suspension system, full tarp, underquilt, UQ cover, and spreader bars. Although I much prefer my hammock to sleeping on the cold, hard ground, dropping the extra weight will take some of the stress off of the titanium plate on my right clavicle (the result of sailing over the handlebars of my mountain bike several years ago). Once I shed the winter gear, I plan to return the hammock to my pack until I reach the Whites in NH, at which time I plan to switch back to the Altaplex.
Date: 2017-02-25
To: On your mark...get set...
Miles today: 0.0

I am spending the night at my stepson's house in Knoxville, TN. Then tomorrow Chris is taking me to Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia to start my thru hike. I plan to do the Approach Trail tomorrow and actually reach Springer Mountain Monday morning for the official start of my thru hike. This has been a dream whose realization has been a long time coming. This never would have happened if my wife, Marguerite, had not been so understanding and supportive and actually encouraged me to give this hike a try. On my way here, I passed where the AT crosses under I-81 in SW Virginia. I couldn't resist stopping to take a photo of the iconic white blazes.
Date: 2017-02-26
From: Amicalola Falls

To: Springer Mt shelter
Miles today: 0.2
Weather: clear sky

Today was a really great start to my AT adventure. Chris and l arrived at Amicalola Falls State Park around noon and I registered as AT thru hiker #230 for the 2017 season. The weather was spectacular! Blue skies and   temps in the high 50s. Chris and I then passed through the arch behind the visitor's center and started up the 8.8 mile approach trail to Springer Mt and the start of the AT. The first thing you hit is a set of 650 steps that parallels Amicalola Falls. Ugh! At the top of the steps, Chris and I parted ways and I continued along the approach trail. The previously busy trail got very quiet after I got away from the tourist attractions. I took this opportunity to put on my hiking kilt since I was no longer in danger of mooning all of north Georgia as would have happened if I climbed the steps in my kilt. Over the next 7 miles I did see a lot of day hikers. I also passed a few thru hikers as we struggled our way up to the long climb to Springer. It's kind of funny, we are all kind of tentative. We don't want to sound overly boastful and proclaim loudly the we are going all the way to Maine! We also surreptitiously check out each other's packs trying to determine if they know more about what they are doing than we do. After climbing and climbing and climbing for 7.4 miles I finally reached Black Gap shelter. I had planned to stop there for the night rather than push on to Springer Mt; however, when I got there I was the only person there and I still had over two hours of daylight. So, I decided to push on to Springer. What a great decision! When I reached Springer there were 8 other people enjoying the setting sun. Everyone was sort of keeping to themselves and almost shy. I decided that would never do and started introductions. It turns out we had people from FL, NH, NY, Philly, Paris, and South Africa! We all then proceeded to the shelter together and had a nice evening filtering water, fixing dinner, and figuring out the bear cables (cables that suspend your food in the air out of reach of bears). It is now 8 pm (hiker midnight) and we are all tucked in our sleeping bags in the shelter or our tents and ready for bed. All in all, a great day!
Date: 2017-02-27
From: Springer Mt shelter

To: Hawk Mt Tent Site
Miles today: 7.2

Hawk Mt Tent Site 2 /27/17Today was another good day on the trail. I awoke to overcast skies and the feel of rain in the air. It was a pretty cold night and I discovered that my 20 degree rated down quilt wasn't quite as warm as I'd hoped. Tonight, more layers of clothes. Once again, I kept the mileage low as I build up my hiker legs. As a result I had a leisurely morning and didn't leave camp until almost 10 AM. I saw several more hikers starting from Springer Mt this morning, having decided to forego the Approach Trail. The range of hikers is fairly amazing. I had three twenty-somethings blow by me like I was standing still. Come to think of it, I was standing still taking a water break when they passed; but you know what I mean. Not five minutes later, I met a woman heading southbound. The first thing she said to me was "I'm going home. I've hiked five miles and my feet hurt, my toes are tingling, and I'm hallucinating that the creek is talking to me." I'm not making this up! Of course, she had a pack as big as she was. I'm amazed by the number of people who have an overly romantic view of hiking the AT and come out here with no idea what they are getting into only to quit a few miles into the hike. After a nice lunch near a waterfall, the rain arrived. Rain. Lifebringer to a parched land crying for water... The tears of the Angels come down from Heaven to water the little flowers... I hate rain. Luckily, I was able to ride out the worst of the high winds and lashing rain at a pavilion that the Bethel Baptist Church generously makes available for thru hikers. After the rain passed, I hiked on to the Hawk Mt Tent Site. This site just opened this season in an attempt to relieve the overcrowding at the Hawk Mt Shelter that occurs every year when the crush of hikers known as the Bubble arrives. Luckily, my plan to get out ahead of the Bubble has been successful. There are quite a few hikers out here; but, it isn't overwhelming yet.
Date: 2017-02-28
From: Hawk Mt Tent Site

To: Woody Gap stealth site
Miles today: 13.2

2/28/17 Woody Gap,GAMiles hiked: 20.6 Miles left: 2169.7Rain. Again. Lots of rain. Everything is damp. Yuck. The day started out nice. I woke up at 6 AM just as it was getting light. A fog had settled in overnight and the woods had that really cool, mysterious look to them. It has been a bit of an issue adjusting my sleep schedule. I climb in my tent when it gets dark and I read or write my blog and generally fall asleep by 9 pm or so. Of course, being one of those people who only sleeps about 5 hrs a night, I am wide awake by about 3 am. So, by 6 am when it starts getting light I'm more than ready to get up. I am also one of those people who can't just hang out very well, so by 8 am I was ready to head out. I started out hiking this morning with a 20 Something named Alexa. We were hiking along at a good clip and having a pleasant conversation. Then we reached the first climb of the day. I told her to go ahead since she would probably be faster than me on the climb. Well, that took care of hiking with Alexa! She was gone! I had a couple of pretty steep climbs today. But the trail is so nice and well maintained it wasn't too bad. Volunteers from the GA AT Club maintain this section of the trail and they do an excellent job. I also met two Ridge Runners. They are people who patrol sections of the trail and answer hiker questions and help educate hikers about Leave No Trace and hiker etiquette. I truly appreciate the work these people do to make this trip possible. Of course, by leaving so early, I reached my planned stopping point at Gooch Mt shelter by 1 pm, which was way too early to stop for the day. So, on the third day of my hike I broke my rule of no 10+ miles in the first week and pushed on to Woody Gap. Alexa was also at Gooch Mt Shelter when I arrived and we discussed pushing on a little further. She headed out while I was packing up my lunch and I haven't seen her since. About 2 pm the rain arrived, heralded in by several rounds of thunder. I quickly donned my Goretex jacket and my rain kilt and covered my pack just before the skies opened up. The problem with hiking in a Goretex jacket is that it keeps the rain out; however, you get just as wet from sweating. I slogged on and finally arrived at Woody Gap in the pouring rain. There is a hiker hostel nearby that will pick up hikers and shuttle them to the hostel for the night. I decided it would be nice to get out of the rain, so I called them. Totally booked for the night! Bummer. I guess it's tenting in the rain for me. About that time, another hiker I had met, Ant Man, showed up. We found a suitable tent site and pitched our tents in the rain and have settled in for the night. Unfortunately, the Weather Channel is predicting severe thunderstorms tomorrow. Bummer.
Date: 2017-03-12
From: Stecoah Gap, NC

To: Fontana Village
Miles today: 14.0

3/12/17 Fontana Village, NCMiles hiked: 164.4, Miles to go: 2025.4The big snow event turned out to be about 2-3 inches of snow on the AT. I awoke at Lonnie's hostel around 7:30 AM. I had planned to get up earlier; but, with the time change, I ended up sleeping in longer than expected, as did Rooster and Hydrator. Lonnie showed up around 9:00 and by the time we got our stuff together and he drove us back to Stecoah Gap, it was about 10:00 AM when we started hiking. Immediately out of Stecoah Gap we started climbing Jacob's Ladder. I have learned that there are so many features on the trail that if a feature earns a name it's probably significant. Well, Jacob's Ladder was steep! And with 2-3 inches of snow on the trail over top of mud, it was slick. By the time we slogged our way to the top, we were all roasting. The sun broke out about 11:00 AM and the temperature quickly rose into the 40s. With the sun and warmer temperatures, the snow quickly began to melt. After Jacob's Ladder the trail quickly moderated and we had a pleasant hike along undulating ridge lines, with only a couple of steep hills to contend with. We quickly learned that, with the slick snow and mud, the downhills were the hardest part. I ended up on my butt twice and Hydrator went down three times. Rooster managed to keep his feet, but only after a couple fairly close and acrobatic saves. With the pleasant weather and pleasant company the day passed quickly. After hiking 8.5 miles, we stopped for lunch at Cable Gap Shelter. I was fairly chagrined to find that someone had left their trash at the shelter. So, Rooster and I split it up and carried out someone else's trash. It really irritates me when people are so inconsiderate. After lunch, we had one more big climb. Then we started the long descent into Fontana Gap. There is a large lake in Fontana Gap and, in fact, the AT crosses over the dam, which is the highest dam east of the Mississippi. The descent was a 1700 ft drop over three miles and seemed to take forever! We finally reached the bottom around 4:30 PM. We had made reservations at the Fontana Lodge (yes - our third night in a row sleeping inside!). When we reached the Fontana Marina we called the lodge and requested a ride to the lodge, which was about 1.7 miles away. They sent the maintenance guy in a beat up pickup truck to retrieve us. I sat in the front and the other two rode in the bed of the truck with our packs. Apparently, it was a chilly ride for them. My ride was quite pleasant. Now I am in my room at the Fontana Lodge, enjoying the amenities. Tomorrow, Rooster and I cross the Fontana Dam and enter the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Hydrator is taking a zero day tomorrow to meet up with his girlfriend. My current plan is to go off-trail at Newfound Gap on Wednesday for a couple of zero days in Knoxville to visit with Chris, Eleanor, and Marguerite. Woo hoo! Only, now they are calling for snow and extremely cold weather, which may lead to closure of the road to Newfound Gap. All the thru hikers are debating what to do next. We'll see what tomorrow brings, I guess.
Date: 2017-03-15
From: Knoxville, TN

To: Knoxville, TN
Miles today: 0.0

3/15/17 Knoxville, TNMiles hiked: 164.4, Miles to go: 2025.4 It's a cold day, clear day in Knoxville. I have talked to several of my thru hiker friends and everyone is itching to get back on the trail. The road to Newfound Gap is still closed and it's still bitterly cold at the top of GSMNP. Most people are planning on heading out tomorrow. Marguerite is on her way to Knoxville for our previously planned meet up, so I won't return to the trail until Saturday (it'll be definitely be worth the delay to see Marguerite). I'm just sort of bumming around town today checking out downtown Knoxville. It's now later in the evening and Marguerite made it to Knoxville. It was really great to see her. The past two and a half weeks are the longest we've been apart in 20 years. We went out for pizza and trivia night at Barley's. We're just planning to hang out until I return to the trail on Saturday morning.
Date: 2017-03-16
From: Knoxville, TN

To: Knoxville, TN
Miles today: 0.0

3/16/17 Knoxville, TNMiles hiked: 164.4, Miles to go: 2025.4 So, we bought a house in Knoxville yesterday. Before this whole AT adventure kicked off we had developed a timeline. The plan was that I would leave my job in March 2017 and hike the AT. Marguerite would stay at her job until September 2017 to provide us with insurance. I would return from the trail in late Summer or early Fall and work as a full time medic in WV until Spring 2018, when we would put our house on the market and move to Knoxville, TN. Then our employer (Marguerite and I worked at the same place) offered a Voluntary Separation Package (VSP) that we both chose to take. We decided that, rather than wait until 2018, it made more sense to go ahead and put the house on the market this year. We worked like dogs, painting and fixing up the house before I left for the trail. I started in the AT on Sunday, Feb 26, with residual paint on my arms and hands and the house went on the market Monday, Feb 27. The very first couple to look at it signed a contract for the asking price! Woo hoo!Before leaving for the AT, we switched from AT&T to Verizon because Verizon has the best cell phone coverage on the trail and AT&T has the worst ("No AT&T on the AT!"). I have had really good coverage on the trail pretty much every day - except Monday, Feb 27. On Monday, Feb 27, I needed phone signal to be able to electronically sign the contract for the sale of our house. I was at Hawk Mountain Tent Site and had intermittent signal, so I walked up and down the trail trying to find enough signal to complete these documents. Of course, this all happened in the evening - after dark. So, here I am walking up and down in the pitch black (and cold!) with just my headlamp to light the way. After several miles and hours, I finally completed the documents. When the bad weather arose in the Smokies earlier this week, I already had plans to come off the trail to look at a potential house in Knoxville. The weather just pushed me off the trail a little earlier than planned. So, anyway, we liked the house and when Marguerite arrived yesterday we signed the contract. I plan to return to the trail Saturday morning and continue my northbound journey until mid to late April, when I will have to take a couple weeks off-trail to help move the household (including three dogs and two cats) to Knoxville. Upon completion of the trail, it will be like the John Denver song Rocky Mountain High - "coming home to a place he'd never been before". I'll be trading in "Country Roads" for "Rocky Top". I have already acquired a TN paramedic license, so I will do the full time medic gig here instead of WV. In the meantime, Marguerite and I are enjoying a couple of days together exploring Knoxville and discovering important places like ice cream shops.
Date: 2017-03-17
From: Knoxville, TN

To: Knoxville, TN
Miles today: 0.0

3/17/17 Knoxville, TNMiles hiked: 164.4, Miles to go: 2025.4 I have mixed feelings as I prepare to return to the trail tomorrow. On the one hand, I am excited to continue my journey north - especially in the Smokies. On the other hand, it's very hard to leave Marguerite again.
Date: 2017-03-19
From: Russell Field Shelter, NC

To: Siler's Bald Shelter, NC
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: snow

3/19/17 Siler's Bald Shelter, NCMiles hiked: 194.7, Miles to go: 1995.1The AT kicked my butt today! I think I was still feeling the effects of a strenuous climb yesterday and my pack is still heavy from additional food - although I'm working on that. The real problem is that the trail threw everything at us today - snow, ice, mud, rocks, roots, steep ascents, and steep descents. It was much more difficult than what I and all the other hikers expected. We awoke in a cloud. And the cloud was full of ice crystals that coated everything. We hiked in the cloud all morning, until the sun finally broke through around 1 pm. It was in the low 20's when we awoke and it didn't warm up until the sun came out. It still never got out of the 40s. The kilt stayed in the pack today. I also found the crowd today. I saw a ton of hikers (actually, the weight of the hikers, plus all their gear probably weighed several tons). We were all being beat up by the trail. The ridge we are hiking through the Smokies runs roughly northeasterly. So, when you are on the south slope of the ridge the snow and ice have been melted due to full sun. On the northern slopes, where the sun has not hit, there is a lot of ice and snow. I even had to break out the micro spikes today. I have carried these things since GA in case I needed them. They were buried in the bottom of my pack, so I resisted digging them out. Finally, after a couple of slips, I berated myself enough about being lazy that I dug them out. They were incredible! It's like they were made for this! It made a huge difference on the icy sections. After hauling myself up and down (and up and down!) many mountains, I finally made it to Siler's Bald Shelter. I had considered going another 1.7 miles to the Double Springs Gap Shelter; however, by the time I reached Siler's Bald Shelter, I was done. There are about eight other hikers here and I am in the shelter for the first time on this hike. There is a roaring fire in the fireplace and it is actually quite comfortable. I think I'll sleep well tonight.