morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-08-16
From: Long Pond Stream Lean To

To: Chairback Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.7

Day 153Tonight I am staying in the Chairback Gap Shelter. I wanted to walk further today, but the rain made walking slow. It makes everything slippery and swells the streams so crossing them is much harder. I got a nice early start this morning, 5:45, but the rain started around 7 and lasted all morning and early afternoon. I was able to get a few pictures but the phone was put away most of the day. I was glad to see the 2100 mile marker. I am really getting close now. Today seemed like I was walking up all day. I know that is not true but the ups seemed to hurt a lot more and last so much longer. There should be only one more day of mountains in the wilderness then it will be all flat.  I did see a beaver today, see pictures. It hung around a while then I left. I still have not seen Mount Katahdin yet. I probably could have seen it today, but I couldn't see more than 50 feet with the rain and fog.  I have been walking north and the nights are getting much colder. Glad for the 10 degree sleeping bag. I really think I need to pick up the pace here and get there as soon as I can.  All for today.
Date: 2019-08-17
From: Chairback Gap Shelter

To: Sidney Tappan Campsite
Miles today: 11.8

Day 153I woke up this morning to the sound of cracking lightning and booming thunder with the pitter patter of rain drops on the shelter roof. Actually it was a lot more than pitter patter, it was a torrential downpour! I was going to get an early start but just rolled over and stayed in my sleeping bag. It finally let up a little at 6, so I ate breakfast and packed. Started walking at 6:30 in on and off hard rain. It rained pretty much the whole day either hard rain or the drizzle kind but still wet. You know how much I like rain. Wet rocks, roots, leaves and now really swollen rivers. What use to be a dry crossing was mid calf, what was mid calf wads knee deep over very slippery rocks.  I am staying tonight at the Sidney Tappan Campsite in my tent.  I have not been making very good distances with the rain. I hope that ends soon. Tomorrow I will be over all of the big mountains then it will be flat walking right to Katahdin. I could really use some easy walking. No pictures today.  It was really mostly wet all day. That will be all for today. Hope for better weather tomorrow.
Date: 2019-08-18
From: Sidney Tappan Campsite

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean To
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

Day 154I woke up this morning to rain pounding on my tent. It rained all night. I got up at 5 this morning, had breakfast and started packing. The rain stopped when I had everything packed and just started walking. I am staying tonight at the Cooper Brook Falls Lean To. Walking today was not too bad  The first 4 to 5 miles was mountains then just a long flat down hill walk, which would have been nice except for the roots and rocks. It was really nice to see the sun today. I was in a cloud all morning so there are not many pictures. There were three view points where you could get a nice picture of Katahdin, but there were clouds all around. I am going to get up early tomorrow and really put some miles in. It is all flat level walking. I really do want to get this over with. I have like 50 miles to go and I want to do it as as I can. Walking is easy now with no more mountains so it shouldn't take too long.  That is all for tonight.
Date: 2019-08-19
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean To

To: Nahmakanta Stream Lean To
Miles today: 16.8

Day 155Tonight I am staying in my tent at the Nahmakanta Stream Lean To. It is a brand new shelter and the wood smells so good.  I probably should have stayed in the shelter. Today's walking was easy which accounts for me doing the 16.8 miles and getting to the shelter by one. it was a rainy cloudy day today so not many pictures.  there was the aluminum stair with hand rails that I got a picture of. There were lades and streams all along today's hike.  it will probably be the same tomorrow.  Several of the lakes were really beautiful, but I couldn't take any pictures. Lets hope for a better weather day tomorrow. I am 28 miles from Abol Bridge and the Ranger station to get a campsite at the Birches Campsite.  I am still trying to decide if I should go to Millinocket. Well I have two days to think about it. It is a 18 mile hike to the campsite and it costs $10 per night so the soonest I cold summit would be 4 days from now, which would be Friday.  We will see how it goes. That is all for tonight.
Date: 2019-08-20
From: Nahmakanta Stream Lean To

To: Rainbow Lake campground
Miles today: 17.6

Day 156Tonight I am staying at Rainbow Lake Campground. here is a spring near camp which is very cold and clear.  one more day of walking and I will be at Abol Bridge and the anger Station. I couldn't find a flat spot to pitch my tent so I am sleeping at an angle.  Just a few more nights of sleeping outside so I can put up with it.  I got some rain last night, but today was a beautiful day for walking. First time in a long time some nice weather.  i should be summiting Katahdi in three days. One more day of walking will get me to Abol then the 10 mile walk to the Birches Campground which is the takeoff point for the climb. I am really getting excited.  There is a restaurant at Abol which I am going to take advantage of when I get there.  Walking today was a little hilly and plenty of roots and rocks.  There are no hills tomorrow but I am sure there will be roots and rocks.  I finally got a picture of Katahdin. All of the other views were clouded in and no can see. That is all for today.
Date: 2019-08-21
From: Rainbow Lake campground

To: Abol Bridge Campground
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 157Tonight I am staying at the Abol Bridge Campground is a nice brand new cabin. It was a little more expensive then I wanted but they are calling for rain tonight and I will be nice and dry and on the trail. I can not believe it, but I am on the last page page of my trail guide.  It has been almost 2200 miles and I am almost finished with it.  Tomorrow I have a 9.5 mile walk to the Birches Campsite and then Friday I summit Katahdin. The Birches is the starting point for all who intend to summit.  only two more days of walking. The gang should be here tomorrow evening and ready to go first think on Friday.  I haven't talked to them since I entered the 100 mile wilderness and there is no phone reception here so I hope they know the plan (I guess he doesn't know how closely I have been tracking him). Well I think I am going to walk over tot he restaurant and get myself a burger.  That will be all for today.
Date: 2019-09-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It has been a almost a month since I have completed the Appalachian Trail and one of the questions I get asked most frequently is what was my favorite place on the trail. Well that's a tough question to answer since there were so many beautiful places and things I saw while walking. I did narrow my list down to my seven favorite places I saw and would like to go back to at some time. The list is from north to south since it was too hard to list them in order.1. Mt. Katahdin - Northern Maine2. Baldplate Mt. - Southern Maine3. Mahoosuc Notch - Southern Maine4. Mts. Lincoln and Lafayette - White Mts. New Hampshire5. Tinker Cliffs, McAfee Knob, and Dragons Tooth - Southern Virginia6. Grayson Highlands - Southern Virginia7. Smoky Mountains - Tennessee/North Carolina borderIf anyone has other locations that they think should be on this list please let me know.
Date: 2009-01-22
To: Gettin Started
Miles today: 0.0

After doing 5 section hikes in the past 5 years, and recently being laid off from work, I have come to the conclusion that this might be my best/only chance to hike the trail. I'm still looking for work, but given the state of the local economy, the opportunity to find local work right now seems pretty slim. I have 95% of the equipment I need (need a water filter, food, and maybe some cold weather clothes), the go-ahead from my wife, and lots of encouragement from my many brothers and sisters (who don't really think I'm going to do it). I have until early April to get things in order - planning to start April 15th to try and avoid the worst of the winter weather in the NC/Tenn mountains, so I'll probably fly down to Charlotte sometime around April 10th and have my brother 'Cotton' drive me to Springer Mountain. I plan on re-reading "White Blaze Fever" written by a 50 something year old guy (I'm 55) as a memory jogger to ensure I don't forget anything. Main thing I remember from all my other reading is that most drop off the trail due to injuries from going "too far, too fast, too soon".
Date: 2009-01-27
To:  EMS
Miles today: 0.0

I had a job interview yesterday. I think it went well, but you never know about these things. I wonder if my age (55) will be held against me. Still planning on hiking the trail if I don't have a job (or a really good prospect in sight) by April 1st, and will head to Springer around April 12th or 13th (just after Easter). If I do get this or another engineering position before April 1st, that will push my trail hike off until probably 2014 when others in my family would be able to do the AT as well. So....I'm starting to gather stuff that I need for a hike this year (filter, food, warm clothes, trail guides, and maybe new hiking boots. On my section hikes, I've been able to keep my pack weight down to about 40#, but that didn't included a water filter because I was sharing one with others. I haven't decided whether or not to replace my Jetboil stove...it is heavy but sooo convenient. My goal is to keep my pack weight the same as before (40#). I hope to avoid the coldest weather and most of the snow by waiting until April 15th to start. I've been re-reading "White Blaze Fever" to pick up on his 'hiker hints', especially those that pertain to older hikers.
Date: 2014-10-16
To: Reset
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Jump ahead 5.5 years....The last entry was dated January of 2009 and I had just had a job interview. To summarize, I got the job, the thru-hike was put on hold, and I continued with my annual AT and PCT section hikes with brothers and sisters. But things are changing. I gave notice at work that as of March 31th 2015 I will be leaving my to 'pursue interests that will require my full time attention' i.e. thru-hike the AT. The job was/is great, I work with a great group of people, I am deeply appreciative that my employer was willing to take a chance on a 55 year old back in 2009 when the economy was tanking, but now I'm 61 and it's now or never. I choose 'now'. During my section hikes I've already covered about 800 miles of the AT, so I think I know what I'm getting into. I've hiked from Fontana Dam in N.C to I-81 north of Damascus, from Waynesboro to Front Royal in the Shenandoah National Park, and from Bear Mountain Bridge in NY to Woodstock in Vermont. I've also spent a week on the PCT in Washington State in 2013. These week long section hikes have been some of the best vacations I've had in the the past 11 years - eagerly awaited and long remembered.I've been getting the homestead prepared for my absence next year to minimize the chance that a domestic emergency will call me home (lawn mover repaired, septic system pumped, deck stained, driveway sealed, etc. I've gotten the flu and shingles immunizations and I'm working out at the gym 5 days a week after work alternating between cardio and weights. I don't really know what else to do to prepare. My sister 'Spyder' says that I will not finish because I am not certain I will be one of the 20% who do. I just think I'm a realist; only 20% finish so I know there's a good chance I won't make it. To think otherwise is self-delusion. I am also aware of the saying "If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you're right". I think I can! And as Yoda says ¢Do or do not. There is no try.¢. So I'm not 'trying' to thru-hike, I'm doing it!!
Date: 2014-10-22
To: 5 Months
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

While perusing the other 2015 planning journals, it has become clear to me that I'll be near the tail end of the northbound-from-Springer hiker pack in 2015. There are a couple of benefits to this, primarily that I should miss most of the snow , and secondarily that there is a greater chance that there will be room for me in the shelters. (A downside is that the shelter mice will be highly experienced in the art of stealing hiker food). I don't particularly like sleeping in freezing temperatures. Even if I manage to stay warm during the night, dragging myself out of a warm bag into cold and maybe windy weather is near the bottom of my "Things I Enjoy" list. Since I tend to deal with heat better than cold, delaying the start date until mid-April seems like a good idea, although I'm aware that it might put me in New Hampshire and Maine during the cold months of autumn. My modus operandi has throughout life typically been to delay dealing with problems (i.e cold weather) rather than tackling them head on. By delaying, who knows, the problem may take care of itself. (This trait, by the way, can be found in psychology books under ¢character defects¢, and doesn't always go over well with my wife with regard to fixing things around the house).On a different tangent - There's a number of different ways I've looked at a thru-hike on the AT. At first I just considered it a socially acceptable way to live the hobo life - the Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn carefree walkabout. That evolved into looking at it as a type of pilgrimage - similar to Muslims trekking to Mecca or the Christian version as written about in The Canterbury Tales. Now I tend to look at it as more of a transition/reset event similar to Marine Corps boot camp (yes, I was there) - a disruption of old habits/lifestyle/routines/attitudes out of which comes, presumably, a new appreciation of a simpler, less hectic, and less materialistic life. (This was NOT the goal of MCRD, Parris Island, however - they had a different sort of transformation in mind)."A ship is safe in the harbor, but that is not what ships are built for"William G.T. Shedd
Date: 2014-11-22
To: 4 Months
Miles today: 0.0

I've been kind of wishy-washy on the start date: On the one hand, I don't particularly want to be hiking and setting up camp in the snow; on the other hand, I want to give myself enough time to finish the hike without worrying if I have enough time. Originally I was planning on quitting work on March 31st and starting the AT on April 15th. Now I am leaning towards quitting on or around March 22th and heading south the Monday after Easter (April 6th). 9 or 10 days isn't a big deal in the over all scope of things, I guess, but it will probably put me 150 miles further down the trail at any given time. Probably lots of people starting early April, so there will be less room in shelters.My conditioning has been going well - getting lots of uphill miles on the treadmill at Planet Fitness (maybe they'll sponsor me!). It provides double service since I am doing the treadmill (6 miles MWF, 3 miles plus weight machines on TT) in my hiking boots, breaking them in. I'm the only one there wearing hiking boots (Merrell) with medium weight wool socks - everyone else has the latest in color-coordinated light-weight training shoes. I've often wondered about that - if you go to the gym to get a good workout, why be concerned about having lightweight shoes - kind of like searching for the closest parking spot so you don't have to walk as far to get into the gym. On an equipment note, I had been thinking about replacing my 30F sleeping bag with a 20F bag, but decided instead to get a sleeping bag liner (Sea to Summit Reactor Extreme) to provide some extra warmth. I'll use the money saved to get some better clothes.
Date: 2014-12-21
To: Wild
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Went to see Wild yesterday - been looking forward to seeing it ever since I read the book and saw a preview. I was watching it trying to decide if it would entice more people to hike the PCT. I think it will - it didn't show the strenuous work it takes to climb the hills/mountains. I've done a lot of section hiking on the AT and there are times when climbing that you take 80 steps, stop to catch your breath, take another 80 steps, stop again to get your breath, another 80 steps, etc. In the movie Wild, none of this work is shown - in one scene Reese is in town for a re-supply - in the next she's traipsing around the tops of the Sierra Nevadas. There are about 6 different things that motivate people to do long distance hiking - adventure, the challenge, emotional therapy, to think out life transitions, personal growth, and to live the trail culture (OK - I'm sure there are more than these 6). Wild was very heavy on the 'emotion therapy' motivation.   All that being said, I did enjoy the movie.My planning has been progressing, although slower than it should be. I've put all my monthly payments on 'auto-pay' - all I need to do is keep enough money in the checking account. I've acquired all my 'stuff' except for perhaps another 1 or 2 pieces of clothing. I need to start planning my 4 or 5 mail drops - where they will be and what will be in them. I also need to get the maps and data books.As a note of interest, one of my sisters is also hiking the AT this year - starting before me. One thing I've learned from my section hiking is that I prefer to hike alone. When section hiking with my brothers and sisters, I have found it is very hard to HYOH. I don't want that limitation on my thru-hike. I guess that might be a bit selfish of me, but a thru-hike is a selfish endeavor in any event. It's something that one does for oneself, and is, for most of us, just tolerated by spouses left at home.Only 100 more days of work!!!!!!
Date: 2015-01-03
To: 3 Months
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Planning is beginning in earnest now. I finally figured out how to get to Amicalola Falls State Park from my home in Western NY. I'll fly into Atlanta airport on April 6th with a mostly empty backpack containing only my trekking poles and sleeping pad (things that won't fit into the 16"x16"x16" box that I will be shipping ahead with everything else). I'll carry the backpack as carry-on luggage so no chance it will get lost - I've done this before and it works well - fits into the overhead compartments. At the Atlanta airport I can pick up the MARTA Rail Transit system and take the Red Line all the way north to the end of the line at North Springs. There the fine folks from the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega will pick me up and shuttle me to the hostel, reunite me with my hiking gear, put me up for the night, feed me in the morning, then shuttle me to Amicalola Falls on April 7th. So this nails down my start date - it was floating around a bit till now. I'll be purchasing my ticket in the next couple of days - looks like the lowest Southwest fare is about $172. I just need to find out what time I need to be at North Springs before I get my ticket.I'm tentatively thinking of 8 mail drops (Hot Springs NC, Damascus VA, Waynesboro VA, Harpers Ferry WV, Duncannon PA, Salisbury CT, Hanover NH, and Caratuck, Me). I haven't nailed down what will be in them yet other than fresh socks, vitamins, some food, fresh boots (but already broken in), and other stuff. I could probably get by without the boxes, but I want to plan them ahead since I know there are things I will need that I haven't anticipated and I want to have a way for my wife to get them to me. So the contents won't be nailed down until about 2 weeks before I get the boxes.
Date: 2015-01-18
To: 2 1/2 Months
Miles today: 0.0

I've added up the weights of all the stuff I will be starting with down at Springer - it's about 41 pounds including 2 quarts of water (4 pounds) and 8 pounds of food (2 pounds per day for 4 days to get to Neels Gap). This is about 3 pounds more than I was hoping for - so I started looking for things to cut. So why do I carry two sleeping pads - a long Thermarest Ridgerest (19oz) and the Big Agnes large AirCore mattress (31 oz). Well, I found out last night when I tried to sleep outside in the tent (on snow with temps about 32 deg) without the Ridgerest. I was warm except where I was laying on the Big Agnes. The ground was sucking heat from me like the Big Agnes wasn't even there. After 3 hours I retreated to the house - no point in losing any more sleep when I had already learned what I needed to learn. The Big Agnes has an R value of 1. The Thermarest has an R value of 2.6, so if they are used together (R value of 3.6), I would lose only about 1/4 of the heat that I was losing with just the Big Agnes alone. On some of my section hikes I've tried sleeping using the Ridgerest by itself - that's not an option. I'll try the combo in the cold next weekend to verify that is good enough. I can't think of anything else to cut - so at this point it looks like I'll be starting with a 41 pound pack.The gear we select is always a compromise between weight and comfort/convenience. If someone were to analyze my pack, they would come to the rightful conclusion that I have generally veered in the direction of comfort/convenience (Jetfoil, the large Big Agnes pad, MSR Miniworks filter, etc). There are lighter choices for all of these (alcohol stove, small closed foam pad, AquaMira drops, etc) but I've come to the realization that I am more likely to complete this hike if I can sleep well at night, drink lots of clean water, and not burn myself by spilling burning alcohol on myself. Others will find a different route to success. "There are two kinds of adventurers: those who go truly hoping to find adventure and those who go secretly hoping they won't." ¢ Heat Moon
Date: 2015-02-13
To: About 1 1/2 Months
Miles today: 0.0

Does everyone have doubts about the wisdom of their thru hike attempt? I wonder if my 62 year old knees, bones, feet, and tendons can take the abuse, and I wonder if I realize what a 5-6 month long hike really means. My sibs who are betting my sister "No Spring Chicken" will get further than me [friendly family rivalry] will see these as confirmation that they are backing the right horse. The only way to answer these questions is to head to Springer in early April. I like the bets¢¦I hate to lose, so it¢s just another incentive, however small, encouraging me to persevere when the going gets tough.I've started looking at the hike differently yet again. I had, perhaps, subconsciously, looked at it as just a longer version of the section hikes I've been doing for 11 years. But that's not how I see it now as it draws closer. A section hike is a vacation from work for a week or so.   I'm always sorry to see the section hike coming to an end while I'm doing it, but at the end of the week I'm back at work and life returns to normal. This upcoming thru-hike is not a vacation ¢ it¢s an expedition, and life won¢t return to normal after a week or so. Like the expeditions of old, where you packed your steamer trunks, caught a boat to Africa, hired guides and porters, etc, an AT thru-hike requires a lot of planning, which I'm not particularly good at. Youthful hikers have a lot of resiliency which gets them through rough spots. Planners have their plans (A and B) and contingency plans (C, D, and E) which do the same. I'm somewhere in between. The solution is to get the final planning completed as best I can, I think, and then just let things flow from there. I always think of myself as a realist (who doesn't?), so I know that the odds of being one of the 80% who don't make it to Katahdin are pretty good, but I'm also pretty sure that the only things that will get me off the trail will be a serious injury, illness, or family emergency. My sister Spyder (one of them betting against me) says that my lack of certainty that I'll be one of the 20-25% who make it dooms me to failure, but then again she believes in psychics and mediums so.....Thanks to all who leave notes in my guest book. I'll probably meet some of you in the coming months, the others will help me keep focused on the journey.¢Always remember, it¢s simply not an adventure worth telling if there aren¢t any dragons.¢