morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-05-11
From: Gravel Spring Hut

To: US522
Miles today: 13.0

Swiftcreek here finishing up our last "official" journal entry of our attempted thru-hike of 2006. We got up this morning to what promised to be a nice day. I got up and did my normal routine of getting the food bags down and packing up for the day. Small Wonder, however, did not look like her normal self. She was walking slowly and limping a little bit. As we took off to start our day, I knew that something was wrong. She admitted that her foot was swollen and that she felt that she could not do the days ahead to get to Boiling Springs. We had really easy terrain, thank goodness, because she was hurting pretty bad. She toughed it out though and made it up and over the last two big climbs of our trip. It was then that it really hit home that this might be our last day on the trail. We were crushed because of all the time and effort that we had spent on preparing and then hiking this trail and this might be it. Our hearts were not close to being finished, but her foot was saying that we probably were. As we got near the Terrapin Hostel, we decided to finish out the National Park together instead of her looking for a ride to US522. We walked out of the park together and then down to the side trail where there was a 4-H Center only .3 miles away. She walked down to a phone and called her dad to come pick us up. We sucked it up and completed the journey together walking down to US522 2 miles away. We were overcome with sadness, realizing that her foot probably had a stress fracture. We sat and waited for her dad. We did have a beautiful day as our last day, and we knew that we would be back to finish this thing off some day. So even though we had heavy hearts, we really loved being out here. Never take a day for granted, because no matter who you think you are, anything can happen! Just live everyday as if it was your last and always be positive. Even wonderful things can come out of the darkest of days. Thank you to everyone who supported us on our journey and we promise to come back one day and finish it off. Who knows. We might even come back and thru-hike it again! To all of our family - we love you and look forward to spending time with you. To our trail family - good luck to you and we hope that you achieve your goal. Keep heading north and place a rock on Mt. Katahdin for us!
Date: 2006-05-16
To: Carlisle, PA
Miles today: 0.0

Thought we better put an update on here. We'll go back and add the journals we skipped in a few days (we actually got here before they did). We made it all the way through the Shenendoah's to a gap near Front Royal (about 950 miles) and had to get off the trail. After struggling 13 miles, we thought we better go somewhere to get my swollen foot checked out. Found out yesterday that it's a stress fracture - not what I wanted to hear. So I have a soft cast, a boot, a follow-up appointment in 2 weeks and instructions to stay off of it for at least a month. I think my heart hurts worse than my foot. No plans as of yet about getting back out there. After I see the doctor again in 2 weeks we'll figure out what we're going to do. There's been talk of possibly hiking another month from where we left off, or maybe skipping up to New England somewhere to complete a section. No matter what, we will finish the trail eventually. Looks like we'll just have to be section hikers this time. Maybe someday we'll try the whole thing again, but for now, we're taking it easy and enjoying the unexpected time with family (love you guys!). Also remembering that everything happens for a reason - there may be new opportunities coming our way. We may post a few updates here and there.Best of luck to those still out there! Hope you don't float away in all this rain - wish we were out there sloshing through the mud puddles, too. Maybe we'll do a little trail magic this week.
Date: 2006-05-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

ReluctanceOut through the fields and the woodsAnd over the walls I have wended;I have climbed the hills of viewAnd looked at the world, and descended;I have come by the highway home, And lo, it is ended.The leaves are all dead on the ground,Save those that the oak is keepingTo ravel them one by oneAnd let them go scraping and creeping Out over the crusted snow,When others are sleeping.And the dead leaves lie huddled and still,No longer blown hither and thither;The last lone aster is gone;The flowers of the witch hazel wither;The heart is still aching to seek,But the feet question "Whither?"Ah, when to the heart of manWas it ever less than a treasonTo go with the drift of things,To yield with a grace to reason,And bow and accept the endOf a love or a season?-Robert Frost
Date: 2005-05-04
To: Here goes nothing...
Miles today: 0.0

It's May 4, 2005 and I have 11 months until I begin my 2006 Northbound thru-hike of the AT. This has been a long time coming and as I sit here, I'm overwhelmed by what I have before me. When I was very, very young, I made a list of the things I wanted to do before I died. They were 1) Go to Alaska, 2) Drive to Florida, 3) Ride my bike from my family's home in VT to ME, and 4) Thru-hike the AT. I think I was 7 or 8 when I wrote that the first time and by the time I hit college, three out of the four were accomplished. Fast forward to the present. I'm 32, single, and looking for a change. My career has flatlined and for months I've been asking "what now?". I've spent a lot of weekend backpacking since December, most recently on the Quehanna Trail in Pennsylvania. Among the group of hikers was a guy that completed his AT thru-hike in 2004, BroodX. His storis, his pictures, his love of the AT made me jealous, in a good way, of course. Last weekend, I happened to hike with him again in Altoona, PA. As I was driving home Sunday night, I had the radio off and was thinking about my life and where I am going. As I came around a bend on the PA turnpike, I saw the tunnel I was about to go through and the words "Blue Ridge Mountain" on the entrance. As I literally passed directly under the AT, it clicked so fast. It's time. It is time for me to realize this dream. I could not believe that it hadn't dawned on me earlier that all of my "what now?" and "I don't know what I want to do" should have led me to this. I firmly believe that timing is everything and this is what I'm meant to do right now. I waited a day before telling anyone and then I told everyone. Perhaps because saying it outloud forces it into reality and will keep me honest. I have received such mixed emotions from people. My mom, who supports me constantly, but nervous about me being on the trail alone (like that will ever happen). My friends in the backpacking world who riddled me with "Woo hoo!" and "You go girl!" and "I'm so jealous!". One who said "It's about time you figured it out!!!" Of course there are the blank stares and the "why the **** would you want to do that?". All of it excites me and encourages me and lifts me up. I am on an emotional roller coaster right now ~ a whirlwind of excitement ~ not to mention impatience! (ARE WE THERE YET?) This will be the longest 11 months of my life, and certainly they will fly by! I can't wait to meet others that are starting in 2006 and begin our friendships and experiences.Without risk, there is no reward. Georgia to Maine. What a reward.
Date: 2005-05-24
To: Trail Fever is getting to me...
Miles today: 0.0

Now that I've made this decision, my life has already begun to change. I have Trail Fever like I've never had it before. I am continually preoccupied with reading others Trail Journals, daydreaming about my own trip and talking with everyone and anyone I can about the AT. I've become consumed by it all. I was able to go to Trail Days in Damascus with BroodX a couple of weeks ago. It was an amazing experience that overwhelmed me to an extent. It fueled the fire that was already burning inside and provided me with an opportunity to meet some great people. BroodX hiked last year, and as I watched him meeting and greeting his fellow Class of 2004 friends, I was jealous, in a good way. The friendships and the connection that these folks share is something that can not be put into words. Everyone is so kind and so giving, and always willing to help each other out in any way they can. This became even more evident on Sunday when we left, as BroodX was bringing one of his friends to his house for a week before taking him to MD where he was to finish the 20 miles he hadn't completed in 2004. I was a bit taken by how amazing everyone is. Though I knew the bonds were close, I wasn't expecting what I witnessed. I have yet to begin any real planning, as far as itinerary, mail drops and gear lists go. I think I'm still trying to get over the fact that I am truly going to do this. My mom is still cautious, though she is slowly understanding my commitment and being supportive of my decision. Others still look at me blankly and just blink a few times with a questionable look on their face. People either get it or they don't, and that's okay. I've been out every weekend since the beginning of April, the only time I wasn't on a trail was during Trail Days (go figure). I have filled my weekends and summer with local trips here in PA/NJ, one in VT, a week in the Whites and a week in Banff in Canada. I'm consumed with getting out there and living. I take solace in the fact that I'm not alone and I have a great network of friends in the backpacking community (yeah...MadAtlantic Yackpackers...I mean you). Constant encouragement and offers to help me have been overwhelming and exciting. 10 months and counting...
Date: 2005-06-22
To: Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Miles today: 0.0

Man, oh man...am I there yet??? Lately I've been immersed in planning. I've been roughing out my itinerary and as of tonight, I'm in Bake Oven Knob Shelter outside of Port Clinton, PA. Woo hoo! I'm past the halfway mark. Of course, the entire "itinerary" will probably be shot to hell by the time I reach Neel's Gap but whatever...the planning is keeping me occupied and sane. If nothing else, I'm more familiar with the trail and trail towns than I thought I could be. I read A Journey North two weeks ago while I was backpacking on the Loyalsock Trail in PA. Needless to say, it did nothing to calm me ~ I just want to get out there ASAP. Adrienne Hall is a great read though. Of the entire book, what hit me the most was her talking about Day 32 and not being able to swallow another bite of oatmeal. As I think about trail food and maildrops and resupplies, I'm trying to figure out how I can plan 6 months worth of food without finding myself bored to death. I don't want to spend money on food only to leave 3/4 of my maildrops in the closest hiker box I can find. And somehow a diet of Snicker's bars and moonpies doesn't seem quite right...I'm hiking on the AT in VT for the 4th of July weekend and looking forward to it! One of the guys going, tinker, is planning a 2006 start as well so it will be great to meet him and talk about our planning together. I have also managed to pick a start date, I think. I want to do the Approach Trail on April 15th so that on the 16th, my birthday, I will be on Springer Mountain. What a great way to start my 33rd year! My friend Katie has offered her services as my shuttle to GA and will most likely be hiking to Neel's Gap with me. Allie has been kind enough to be my little webmistress so everyone can keep tabs on me. Finally, BroodX offered to help me with my maildrops. Things are starting to take shape for me and the support I'm getting from everyone has been sooooo great. And so it goes...I'm back to burying my nose in the thru-hiker Companion, the Data Book and Wingfoot's guide. Back to drooling over maps and guidebooks, deciding on the appropriate gear, and generally...being excited!
Date: 2005-07-06
To: Up on a hill was a lonely hiker...
Miles today: 0.0

So I spent the 4th of July weekend doing a 37 mile section of the AT between West Hartford, VT and Inn at the Long Trail...going SOBO! I never do that! It was a great weekend with amazing weather which made it even more enjoyable. I now remember what hiking in VT is like. Up. Down. Repeat. We met a lot of NOBO hikers on the way that were hightailing it to Hanover for a 4th of July celebration. Back on Memorial Day weekend, I was on my way to the Mid State Trail in PA and met BroodX at the Doyle in Duncannon, PA. We spent Friday evening hanging out with several NOBO's. As I took a quick break on Saturday afternoon at South Pomfret Road, one of them came popping out of the forest. It took a minute for me to process why I knew this hiker, but then said "Bodhi?" It was so funny to see him on the trail and I asked about the rest of the group he'd been with in Duncannon. Apparently they were behind him somewhere. As it was, throughout the weekend, I ran into 2 more of them. I will be up in the Whites in a couple of weeks so I plan on packing up some goodies to leave for them at one of the shelters. I itch more and more to get out on the trail. I become more and more accustomed to being in the woods and being on the trail in general. I have learned that backpackers are indeed a family. They are the kindest bunch of people that you could ever hope to meet and everyone has a way of helping everyone else out. Saturday evening, our group of six had dwindled to 4 due to knee problems of two in our group. At 7pm, we still had 3.9 miles of uphill to climb if we were going to make our Winturri Shelter destination. As the last 4 sat at Rt 12, two started to cook dinner and decided they were going to stealth camp just a little ways up. Katie and I wanted to get it over with and just be there. In the meantime, a SOBO thru-hiker from Wisconsin, named Mark, was taking a breather with us. After some indecision on his part, he decided to head to the shelter as well. Thank God for him...we were slow going and tired but he kept us laughing and talking so the misery of the climb was muted. I'm still planning and trying to organize. I'll be bringing my tentative schedule and maildrop list to my mom and grandmother in a few weeks so they can see what I've mapped out thus far. I'm also hoping to bring both of them to the ALDHA Gathering in October. Ahhh...headed out tomorrow for the Daks! Time for a butt-kicking trip. 14 high peaks in 3 days over 30 miles. Elevation gain: +15k, elevation loss: +14k. Hope I can still walk on Monday...
Date: 2005-08-24
To: Nothin' but waiting now...
Miles today: 0.0

No more job. I'm done. Yeah...that's right ~ I've officially finished my career as it has been for the last 9 years. Refreshing and exhilirating and completely stress free at the moment. All of a sudden I have nothing but time...yet I have to wait until APRIL before starting my thru-hike. Oy. The wait is going to be the death of me! I've spent the entire summer out on the trail. Everywhere from the AT in VT, the Presidentials, High Peaks of the ADK's, various PA trails and most recently, an unbelievable dream trip to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. I've never seen anything quite like the Canadian Rockies. The glacial lakes, the immense peaks, the pristine white glaciers and ice fields ~ all of it was breathtaking. It would be very easy for me to pack up and move out to Montana to be closer to all of that splendor. I haven't even begun the AT and I'm already fantasizing about the CDT. How warped is that...I've been slacking lately on my planning, mostly because I've been out hiking so much. The more I backpack, the more I hit the trail, the more great people I meet, the more I realize that I am most comfortable with my life on my back and the trail under my feet. I no longer am happy to see my car at the trailhead when I finish. I used to say that reaching the trailhead meant "back to reality" but it's not true. The trail and the wilderness has become my reality. Everything else is just what I need to do in order to live in my reality. Silly, I know...but true nonetheless. I continue to meet and hike with some amazing people. I'm pretty convinced at this point that it will take me 2 months to get through PA with all of the people I know through the state. It will be great to meet up with everyone for a weekend or a day, as well as spending some time off the trail and just relaxing with the MadAtlantic YP'ing Crew. My mom and grandmother have been great and nothing but supportive. They are reading books, looking at maps and learning as they go. That has been a huge help for me because I know it is not easy for them to watch me leave an established career to...well...to walk. So I am off again this weekend to the Catskills with some friends. Just another weekend in the wilderness. My legs are strong right now and I almost wish I could start the AT tomorrow...I think my body is as acclimated to the trail and my gear as I could get pre-hike. I'm nervous about the colder months and not being able to spend as much time in the backcountry. Though something tells me I will find a way to stay out there... "Tell everybody I'm on my way..."
Date: 2005-10-12
To: The waiting game...
Miles today: 0.0

...is killing me! You have a date set, you have a decent plan sketched up, you have a shuttle to GA, all of your gear and now...you have to wait for 6...long...months! It's maddening, isn't it? To top it off, you spend a weekend at the ALDHA Gathering in Hanover, NH. It does nothing to alleviate the trail fever that you have. In fact, it seems to just enhance it. Talking to thru-hikers and sitting in on workshops. Great information, great people and still ~ just wait. ARGH!!! The Gathering was interesting and I met some really great people. Hairball & Snowbunny...if you are out there ~ thanks for the chat in TNF store! I probably got more out of that conversation than I got out of any of the workshops I attended. The questions you posed about my gear encouraged me, knowing I have made some good decisions on what I will be carrying. I attended one session on thru-hike planning that left me a little confused. Mostly because I didn't agree with a lot of what was being "taught". It was informative in it's own right, but I know that I won't be practicing this particular individuals way of hiking. One of my friends said it best. A person giving a talk on thru-hiking should just walk in, say "HYOH" and walk out. End of story. The rest of the info can be figured out and found out through other sources, methinks. It still amazes me how many people comment on Croc's. Everyone seems to be wearing them nowadays, yet wherever I go...there are the whispers. "Look at those shoes" and the comments "what does she have on her feet" as well as "Those are really popular...I don't know why...they are sooooo ugly." HA! That was my personal favorite overheard as I passed an elderly woman this weekend. My spring/summer of nothing but hiking is coming to a close as I am forced to start working again (yuck). I won't have the weekends free so it looks like I will be putting in some solo time on the trail during the week...which is kind of a nice thought, actually. It's been awhile since I have been solo. It has been a great few months and I am truly sorry to see it end. One of my friends suggest I pack up and drive out West so I could "train" out there for the AT. I have evil, enabling friends. Such a tempting thought ~ but all in all, it's easier for me to stay put for the time being. AFTER I hike, however...well...the West coast may see me soon enough. After all...the PCT will be waiting. I've been reading a lot of trail journals lately...checking on other 2006 hopefuls and looking forward to seeing them on the trail. I have yet to find another who will be starting at the same time as me...seems I'm taking the last bus out of Dodge. Everyone else will be weeks ahead of me. That's ok...I don't plan on a lot of zero days or a lot of time spent in trail towns. I'll be on your heels before you know it. If only I didn't have to wait...
Date: 2005-10-18
To: Gearing up...
Miles today: 0.0

So I've been thinking about my gear list a lot lately...what to bring, what to leave, what I will start with and probably get sick of carrying and send home. You know the drill. So here's what I have decided so far:Tent: Starting with my SD Mach 1 but may trade it out for my Hennessy Hammock once the weather warmsSleeping Bag: Start with my Marmot Trinity 20* and trade out with my SD Fastbag for the warmer monthsSleeping Pad: Z-Lite 3/4 length. I would like to use my BA Insulated Air Core but the problems I've had (and have heard others griping about) will probably deter me.Cooking: Jetboil, baby!!! With my funky little blue Orikaso cupTrekking Poles: my trusty Leki Makula's (though I may invest in a new pair pre-hike ~ mine are about 10 years old)Pack: Osprey Aether 45, if I can get away with it!Water Purification: Aqua MiraHeadlamp: Petzl Tikka PlusCamp Shoes: hellloooo Croc's. If I could hike in them, I would!Misc: Pocketmail, Canon ELPH SD500 digital camera, Platypus 1L (2 of them) and possibly a waterbag for camp use.I don't plan on carrying my AT Maps ~ just the thru-hikers handbook.I'm probably forgetting some things right now...clothing list I'm still thinking about and working on, as well as deciding what I want to do for footwear (boots vs trail runners...the saga continues...) I've packed and repacked a thousand times in my head (and my bedroom). I'm happy with the gear that I have and don't see a need to run out and purchase anything new & improved, other than the trekking poles. Oh...and gaitors! So that's what is in my head tonight.