morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-02-04
To: Maine
Miles today: 0.0

So I was thinking today of how I am starting this whole hike, knowing exactly where I'm starting from and that the direction is North in which I am to hike. BUT, I can't tell you exactly the name of the mountain that I end on in Maine, or what are all the states I travel through are. This is very much the analogy that is my walk with God right now. Right now I know God wants me to do this trail, that I will grow tremendously through it, I know that my walk with him will go up, but I have no clue how many twists and turns or bumps and bruises I will endure along the way. I have no idea how I'm going to get from point A to point B. I have nothing planned for after the trail and not very much planned during the trail. The whole thing is a fog in which I can't see in, yet it looks very lovely and interesting. The next six months is an open book for my life. All I've done is by the book and pen. I even got the book with just plain pages, no organized time blocks or anything like that.
Date: 2006-02-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Today is my last internship day. It is starting to feel so real with the trail just around the corner. Oh, and I am learning to hate the weather man. He seems to bring the worst weather right when I am about to go hiking for a long period of time. The words "Worst Febuary in a long time" never ring well when someone leaves soon to go hiking during that time. I think the weather man doesn't like me.
Date: 2006-02-10
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

So we just got in to GA. It's 5am, and I'm tired. Keri, my wonderful girlfriend met me here so I think I'm going to stay up all night hanging out with her. My pack weighs a little over 60 lbs right now, so we'll try to get it down to 55 by the morning. Rica, Taylor, - Thank you for the wonderful letters, almost made me cry, you punks. Kaeli, I love you, you are the best. Lindsay, MA, Keri, I can't wait to read your letters!
Date: 2006-02-10
From: Amocoma Falls - Approach Trail to the AT

To: Fosty Mt.
Miles today: 4.5

After a drive all night, a hotel stay at the Best Western, another long drive, a stop to get some gloves - only to get hiking poles, then another long drive - we finally made it to Amacola Falls, the starting point to the approach trail to the Appalachian Trail. So we went in, signed our names, took some pictures, we got a nice one of Andrew AKA "Braveheart" and I AKA Freight Train, holding two stuffed animals. We weighed our packs next. Andrew's was 52 lbs and mine was 62 lbs - not good. So we then said our last goodbyes, it was rather sad saying goodbye to Keri and I'm sure it was hard for her too, but she was so strong. So off we went on the approach trail. So the first bit felt like I was hiking up to Lookout, it was a bit sereal. Met a few people along the way up. One couple wanted a picture of us, made me fell like a famous person. We went on for a while and it was so tough! We came across a sign that said "Trail - Strenuous" - not a good sign. We breaked a lot but soon were back on our way. Later we came across two fellows that were already camped. Bretts was from Sarasota and an older man was named "Wayfarer". So we decided to camp there for the night. I opened keri's letter - loved it.------tuna melt, PBJ
Date: 2006-02-11
From: Fosty Mt.

To: Springer Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 4.5

It's intereting to get up in the middle of the night thinking you need a headlamp to go pee only to find out that old man winter dropped 4 inches of snow everwhere. My tent held up so well. Today, Brett decided to head back because he forgot his food. It was kind of fun leaving our camp site, which was on top of Frosty Mt., to Black Gap shelter where we had lunch. Soon after we ate we headed out for Spring Mt. We reached the summit, which you wouldn't know due to the never ending fog. We signed the ledger and then went to the Springer Mt. shelter to camp. It's a two level shelter, the second story being a loft at which Andrew and I slept. "The Polar Bears", AKA loud roaring snorers joined us there. Today I decided to go by "Messenger" as my trail name. Joshua means messanger of light so Andrew gave me the idea of using Messenger as my trail name. So I'm trying to read here and everyone keeps talking. Wayfayer sounds like he's constipated when he gets his foot craps. Its funny sounding but he is a very nice man. The polar bears are nice people, we all just like poking fun at each other. The trip wouldn't be the same without them.
Date: 2006-02-12
From: Springer Mt. Shelter

To: Hawk Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 7.6

Worst night sleep ever. I woke up so many times. It was soooo friggin' cold. Every time the wind blew I felt it through my bag. We packed up, moved out. We yo-yoed with the Polar bears the whole day hiking. We are still moving through 4-6 inches of snow. The nights get down to about 12-18 degrees...not good.We passed up a guy named Gary carrying 110 lbs on his back. He looked like he was a bit loopy. We called him Charles Manson. He was a rugged man with camo items, cotton clothes, and just make-shift everything. We tried to stay very far ahead of him. Everyone stayed at Hawk Mt. shelther that night. A local outfitter put 3 storage bins worth of trail magic, or random gifts, in the shelter - talk about a moral boost. So we didn't loose "Mac Truck", the snorer from the Polar Bears, but maybe sometime...lol..just messin'. Andrew and I are going to sleep in my tent tonight in the shelter because the weather is suppose to be worse. It may be gay, but we'll be warm.pop tart---PBJ on bagel---Lasana -FD
Date: 2006-02-13
From: Hawk Mt. Shelter

To: Gooch Gap Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 4Andrew and I slept in what we are now calling "hells kitchen", which is both of us in my small one man tent. Everyone left before us today but since we were so tired we stayed in and didn't start until 12pm. We had 8 miles ahead of us - all up and down all day. On top of that we quickly realized that our perception on distance sucks. We thought we had 30 mins at one point till the end so we were looking for the shelter to be just around the corner - two hours later we hear that lovely siren "Roseann Bar", a woman from the polar bears that sounds like roseanne, yelling, "We've got the fire ready" - what a beautiful sound that was piercing the dark woods. Her voice made us so good because we thought we were so far from the shelter but in reality we were quite close. We also had boxer day today as we were hiking. That lasted about an hour until it got so ridiculously cold. We stayed at Gooch Gap Mt. Shelter tonight. Wayfarer gave me a ton of the mash potatoes that I brought from the last shelter where he left them. Looks like caring for others pays off sometimes, or all the time. Met a guy named Reuban today, he hiked 20 miles...on accident. Today's hike was 8 miles and we did it in 5 hours - not bad.strawberry oatmeal, poptart---PBJ on bagel---Chicken a la king with noodles - FDWayfarer's mashed potatoes
Date: 2006-02-14
From: Gooch Gap Mt. Shelter

To: Josh and Leigh's hostel
Miles today: 5.0

So those last few journal entries were right out of my journal that I have with me. We've been hiking through snow all day, every day and the temperature never seems to get about 32 degrees, which makes for drinking water difficult. God is watching over me. My gloves that were missing showed up in my pack, but if we didn't go to that outfitter before I started hiking then I never would have gotten my hiking poles, and if I never had my poles I never would have made it. They make it so much better! Thanks mom and Denis for that.Keri - Your letter was wonderful and you really encourage me to be a man. I appreciate that and I hope that I am becoming what you deserve.Lindsay - Your letter too was so powerful and I love our friendship. You are an inspiration to me because all that it took for you to start the process of becoming a christian was someone to walk up to you and say hey. Keep up the good work at college.Rica - Wow...never nice letter, I didn't know any of that! I'm glad you got things together now and keep going, you all have an awesome youth group.FSCC youth - Love you all and I'm praying for you guys constantly. Pray for me that my body holds up and heals quickly as it can wear down fast out here.Kaeli - love you lots and I'm praying for you all the time.Carissa - Same too you, I love you tons my twisted sister.If I forgot something...tough, I'm tired. I have a long trail ahead of me. I'm posting my first mail drop for those that are interested. This is how you need to address your things;Joseph Riccardic/o General Deliverythen put the city, state , zip codeI will be at this mail drop the 19th, so if you can't send whatever you have and get it to the address by the 19th, don't send it. Get it there earlier if you can, who knows if we get there earlier.
Date: 2006-02-15
From: Josh and Leigh's hostel

To: Outfitter that AT passes through
Miles today: 11.3

What a great night sleep in such a wonderful bed. I went downstairs ans had a very nice breakfast served by Josh. Josh and Leigh both are great hosts. Supposedly this is the best hostel on the entire trail. So I got my things together and had been praying that we would be able to get a free night stay and low and behond when I go to pay for my nights stay Josh says he isn't going to charge us! Praise God! He blesses us yet again. We totally don't deserve it and it really humbles us seeing the love people have for each other while out on this trail. It seems everyone becomes one big family, ignoring the things that would probably produce enemies in the "everyday world" and just focusing on the fun and excitement of it all. I was able to IM Keri one more time as we watied for the second shuttle to Woody Gap where we would start the day's hike. We stopped by the post office to mail a few things and also Keri said she mailed a letter to me there so I got that - very cool. Then Josh drove us to Woody Gap and he took a picture of us and we thanked him again. We had hoped to catch up to Wayfarer and the Polar Bears but that seemed doubtful because a couple of them were slack packing, sending their packs ahead, and we weren't and also the others were just fast hikers, unlike us. Josh said today's hike wasn't bad at all - he was dead wrong! Jagged rocks, slipper surfaces, snow - again, slush - you name it, we hiked through it. Blood Mt. was so hard. Hardest hike yet, but God got us through it. We arrived at the outfitter where our packages are but it was like 8pm and they were closed so we camped in tents out back. We cooked dinner in the bathroom because it was so windy outside. Oh! There was trail magic today! Someone left a six pack of Bud Lite. Interesting. Very interesting place for beer.pancakes, OJ - hostel---cheese and pepperoni burrito---butter pasta packet
Date: 2006-02-16
From: Outfitter that AT passes through

To: Baggs Creek Gap
Miles today: 4.2

So last night's sleep camped out behind the outfitter was probably the best camping sleep yet. I was able to sleep in till about 10am. While we were in our tents we heard the Polar Bears walk by minus two of them. We didn't get to see but it seems that Jon and Kathy didn't go today, most likely because Blood Mt. finshed off Jon's knee. We poured a bit of our drink for him. A great guy that did quite a bit just for his wife, a true man. We went in to the outfitter and got our packages of supplies and forwarded the rest. I also bought some socks, a P42 can opener, and some Montrail insoles that are baked and then form fitted to your feet. The outfitter also gave us some coffee and donuts - yum. A guy named Cornbread helped with my insoles. He's a real nice guy and knows what he's talking about. Soon enough, we signed the ledger, took a piture at the outfitter and then took off. We hiked up most of the day apart because for some reason I was flying and felt really good. We ended up deciding to have a short day because yesterday was so hard and we were still feeling it. We decided to go 4.2 miles and camp at Baggs creek gap. We pulled in at 3:15pm and soon after had our tents up. It was nice to just relax some more. We went down to the spring via blue blaze trail and got some water from a rather poor flowing spring. Then we ate and then hit the hay. Today while hiking I spent most of the day praying. It'll be interesting to see God work when He does.coffee, donuts - outfitter------2x chicken noodle souptuna in oil on tortillabagel
Date: 2006-02-17
From: Baggs Creek Gap

To: Low Gap shelter
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night was...good and bad. I just finished reading Matthew 6 and its amazing how more powerful it becomes when you are in the midst of the passage. When Jesus talks about how the Father takes care of the birds and clothes the lillies, it just strikes a different tone when that kind of faith is escencial or required for survival. I did a lot of praying that night at Baggs Gap Creek because there was a tree that was learning pretty hard over my tent and a the wind was blowing so hard through the gap. All night long I listened to the wood creek, just waiting for the tree trunk to shatter and limbs come crashing into my head - but none of that happened due to the prayers. I woke up in the middle of the night on time thinking it was morning but when I crawled out of my tent I only found it was the moon shining bright, illuminating the grounds. So I took a piss then hit the hay. The moon had a halo around it which I believe means rain - and sure enough we got some. I also noticed throughout the night that the wind direction went from due N, to E, to S, to W - so I think that means a high pressure system? Today we passed up a few Pastors on our way to Low Gap shelter. There, we met a couple, about 19 years old, named Batman and Katie. Very nice people from Boston. They read our Chicken-Hawk entries along the way. I ate a lot tonight, trying to get rid of some weight in my pack. Bauman and I have plans to wake up in the middle of the night and hike to Blue Mt. shelter - rrrrrrrright. Oh! We also did some cool things today like get some water out of a rock that was pouring off the side of the road. My prayer right now is that we can find a free place to stay and eat in Unicoi.peanut butter granola---2x pepperoni and cheese on tortilla---2x tuna and cheese quasadilla2x PBJ on tortilla
Date: 2006-02-19
From: The Best Western - Unicoi

To: The Best Western - Unicoi
Miles today: 0.0

Ode to the Polar Bears...So, it seems there is a bit of miss understanding concerning the Polar Bears and maybe a few other mention in the journals. Let me say up front that the journals are only a snippit of what I'm thinking at 12am when I write them, don't take them at face value. Second, the Polar Bears make fun of us as we do them. It's fun! They make fun of us because we fart all the time and how we're so slow and we make fun of them because of how loud they, or someone one, snores. They are great people and have blessed us so much along the way. What most of you read were first impressions. Just relax. The Polar Bears are wonderful people that can out hike us anyday...
Date: 2006-02-20
From: Best Western - Unicoi

To: Craig and Suzy's House
Miles today: 0.0

Life...Seems that there are things in life one must learn and I believe that I will learn a ton of those things out on the trail. Through mess ups, to moutain top experiences, things will be experienced and things will be regretted.I will be the first to admit that I'm not perfect in any way. I never try to portray that in any light. I'm for the most part a failure. I've never been superb at anything, never won a championship, never been in the headlines of a paper...instead I've been quite the opposite.In high school I got depressed and found myself not carring about anything. I was points away from not graduating. Jobs I've had I've never had any passion for, people I've been around I've never been able to love or show them love as much as they show me, it's almost as if there is a wall that keeps me pressed in because every time I try to bust it down I either hurt my hand on its hard surface or I try to take a step outside the wall only to get hurt again by some other failure or disappointment. So it seems that I have come to love my little shelter I've created. Its safe in there, sure it can be cold and damp, but it's consistant.But...I know that there is some sort of something else out there that has to be better than where I've live most of my life and that's why I'm out on this trail. Yeah, I'll admit up front that I have no clue what I've gotten myself into. It is a whole different world, this A.T.So I continue on, in search of that thing that is greater, in search of myself and just how to be a man. If you know me, my childhood was very rough. I feel that this trail will be my rite of passage into manhood. Sure, I'm going to get my bumps and bruises along the way and do some things that I might not realize the consiquences for until later, but that is part of the learning process.So 11 days into this thing I just am praying that God would help. And yes, help in everything. It is so hard. Every bit of me wants to cut corners in things to make it easier, not realizing the ripple effect it might have. My goal at the end of this is to be confident as a man. I am in hopes that God will rip my heart up, break down the wall, grab me and force me from my cold dark corner where I've been living, and just make me whole, and make me the man that He wants me to be...Screw ups and all.
Date: 2006-02-20
From: Best Western - Unicoi

To: Craig and Suzy's House
Miles today: 0.0

Today I woke up early to say goodbye to Keri. It was really good seeing her. I was in some sort of funk though. I don't know what is wrong with me. I feel like nothing has been going right and I feel like my emotions and heart are just building up the "wall" again. Maybe "male PMS"? Haha. I've felt myself getting distant from Bauman and even more from Keri. Seems like the more peole love me the more I go numb. I hate it. Anyways, so Keri and I had breakfast and then she had to leave to go to class. We said goodbye and then I went back to bed. I woke up a bit later and got packed up. Bauman was doing his trailjournal so I went to tell him it was almost time to check-out. He was a bit bummed out due to outside circumstances. It got both of us down. It's so hard in life to correct mistakes and even when you try it seems like life just keeps coming down on you harder and harder, almost like it enjoys keeping you down. It makes ya just want to quit sometimes. But then there is the encouragement, those that just keep pushing you on, loving you nomater what. They are the ones that I try to keep my thoughts on, they are the ones that keep me going, thank you...whoever you all are.So after we checked out we went down to Wendy's to eat. You can tell that both of us are hurting from just random comments we are receiving. So we ate and then walked around Helen for a bit, waiting on Craig from the church to pick us up. Finally he came, we loaded up the truck and then went to his house. We talked with Suzy, his wife, and him for a bit nd then we took a much need nap.When we woke up we went to dinner at this Mexican Restaurant. The conversation was great and encouraging. These people are so very wonderful. They even treated us to dinner! They are so loving and just adore loving others. They say we are an blessing to them - I don't know how, they've done so much for us. We went back to their house and checked our trailjournals again - more discouragement. It is really getting to us. One can only appologize so much, hopefully the tone will change as people see we are out to screw up anything, we are just learning and hopefully people will be patient with us...heck, I love learning the ins and outs of the trail.Before we turned in for the night, Craig showed us the alchohol stove - really cool! So we said boodnight then headed to our rooms. Bauman and I talked a bit about some of the things that have been getting us done and we just think that it is a challenge that we will have to get through. In life there are challenges and you have to keep loving God all the same, no matter what. Also, you get to see the truth of the person when they are in those difficult times.On top of getting hit so hard spiritually, I almost have this guilt feeling from how much love people have been showing us - I am never that loving but I need to be.waffles, coffer, OJ - hotel---triple hamburger - Wendy's---Amigos super rachieras - Mexican restarant
Date: 2006-02-21
From: Craig and Suzy's House

To: Addis Gap
Miles today: 10.8

I slept well last night at Craig and Suzy's apartment. So we got up, loaded up our things, then took off for the post office. to forward our mail. I got a letter from Taylor Peak telling me about ow she is trying to get her brother back. She sent him a cd of when she talked at church and a letter just telling him some things. I really think she made some head way. So we got to the trail and Craig took a picture of us before we all said goodbye. We both have been really down about the negative responses we have been getting from out trailjournals, but hopefully our appologies and our new appreciation and understanding of the trail will get us in right standing with the internet hiking community again. All I can do now is pray. But the whole thing is affecting my attitude and mental well being.We hiked separate most of the day and I think we both prayed a ton. It's really hard - mentally. I'm definitely feeling some sort of spiritual warfare going on. Something more than just internet comments.I arrived at Addis Gap somehow before Bauman, he was in front of me most of the day. Today was very nice weather waise, too bad we were so messed up in the head to enjoy it. We made a fire, ate, then hit the sack.peanut butter granolar bar---pepperoni and cheese on tortilla---chicken teriaki with rice - FDbeef strogonof - packet
Date: 2006-02-22
From: Addis Gap

To: The Blueberry Patch
Miles today: 5.5

Rain. We woke up in rain - so we went back to sleep. It was probably the best night's sleep yet. Man I was so tired. I feel a tad better about the internet thingy knowing that I'm trying and learning. So we packed up our crap, got some water which was down a road that was about 1,000 meters long. Then we finished off our packs, getting everything situated. Right before I left camp, Bauman had already left and was about 5 minutes ahead of me, Wayfarer came out of nowhere. It was really good seeing him again. We talked a bit, he was happy to see me. He said he was taking it slow. We started off hiking together but soon he took a break and we separated. I didn't see him the rest of the day. Today was a bit miserable. Thich, thich fog and plent of rain. We got to the raod and started trying to hitch hike into town - only problem is we didn't know which direction town was - so we just tried every car from every direction. Finally a very nice lady in a packed-out mini van picked us up. She said she was just swinging by on a whim. Her son Gary, or Sunset, was staying at the Christian Ministry shelter "The Blueberry Patch." So Mary, or what I'm learning to call her, "Hiker Mom", kinda like soccer mom but for hikers, took us to the grocery store and then to a chineese buffet. We told her thanks but she insisted that she would pick us up and take us wherever we wanted. Dinner was sooooo good. But it started raining again and after must talk about "lets just keep going", the rain got rid of all that nonsense talk and we caved in to the idea of staying at "The Blueberry Patch." So I checked their ledger and Batman and Robin's Nest left us a message about how it was nice meeting us, and they also wanted to let us know that they hoped that we found our way. Batman also mentioned that he officially got checken-hawked - we laughed so hard.2x apple cinnamon oatmeal------chineese buffet