morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-08-04
From: Dalton, MA

To: N. Adams, MA
Miles today: 23.3

Tues. Aug. 1We checked out of the Redwood and walked across the street to catch the bus. It didn't show up so L&F called and found out that the bus had broken down. We needed to return to Dalton to continue our hike, so we started thumbing for a ride. A very nice, 84 yr old trail angel appeared and gave us a ride to North Adams just in time to flag down the bus to Pittsfield, there we transferred to another bus and arrived in Dalton. You never know when a trail angel will appear!! We went into a coffee shop and had a very good lunch and then hiked the 4.8 miles out of town to the Crystal Mountain Campsite. Another hiker named Glenn joined us and we had a nice evening.Wed. Aug. 2After breakfast we broke camp and were on the trail fairly early after saying goodbye to Glenn (he was going South). After a pretty good climb and descent we started climbing up Mt. Greylock. The Mark Nopel Lean-to sat 1700 feet up the Mountain. We got there around 3pm and Lightning Bolt was already there. We had met him earlier in the day. We were going to set the tent up on a platform, but a storm broke out, so we sat in the shelter. We were very grateful for the roof, because the rain was very heavy and the lightning was very close. The storm subsided but the clouds hung on, so we decided to sleep in the shelter. Another hiker arrived, his name is Old Drum, set up his tent. We had mostly finished dinner when "Xenon" appeared. It was a lot of fun conversing with this group of hikers. Thur. Aug. 3We slept quite well in the shelter. After completing our morning routine we finished the climb to the peak of Mt. Greylock. It looked like rain, so we put our pack covers on. The trail was wet from Wed.'s rain. Sunshine slipped and fell, but got only minor bruises. After arriving at the summit we had a hiker treat from the Bascom Lodge snack bar, cheeseburgers and french fries (including the slightly burned ones that we shared). It was very windy and cloudy at the top. After getting more water and using the indoor plumbing in the lodge, we started down the mountain towards North Adams. Our car was waiting for us at the Redwood Motel. Old Drum and Xenon were already there. After we showered we all went to the Chinese Buffet for an 'all you can eat' dinner and had a very nice time.
Date: 2006-08-13
To: Danby, VT
Miles today: 17.8

Sat. Aug. 12Our friend Jig met up with us on Friday at the Carriage House Motel. We went to the Sirloin Saloon and had a very tasty dinner. Then Saturday morning, after checking out of the motel, we had breakfast and Jig shuttled our car to Danby-Landgrove Rd. She drove us back to Vt. 11/30. After goodbye hugs we started back on the trail. The weather was much nicer (lower sweat factor). We climbed up to the Bromley Mtn. ski slopes. The trail went right up a ski run. There was a group of Boy Scouts and several other people on top. We climbed the observation tower. It was a bit windy, but nice up there. Later, we were delighted to cross paths with Fiddlehead and Lone Wolf at an overlook. We hiked on to Griffith Lake and set our tent up at the platformed tenting area. As we were finishing our supper, two other hikers set up there tents on the platform next to us. What a nice surprise to see Model T again. We met him in Damascus at Trail Days in 2005. He wrote a book called "Walking On The Happy Side Of Misery". His hiking partner is Ranger Dawg. They invited us over for conversation. It was a very special way to spend our last night on the trail.Sun. Aug. 13After breakfast we were back on the trail. It followed the lake for a little ways and then we started our climb to Baker Peak. The rock face was friendly and dry. There were lots of places to put our feet. It was a nice climb and we could look back and see the horse show site from the top. A little later the trail followed a really pretty creek, the Big Branch, for quite some time. The boulders in the creek were really big. The suspension bridge over the creek had a sign that said 'one person at a time'. It was a fairly gentle walk the rest of the way to the car to end our hike for the year. Thank you to the man who took our end of the trail picture. We completed 555 miles this year and plan on finishing the last 520 miles next year. God has been good to us.
Date: 2006-11-27
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We have some very serious news about Sunshine. She is going to have a heart cath procedure to check & hopefully fix a blocked artery to her heart. The procedure will be done this Friday the 1st of December. Please keep Patsy in your prayers as we go through this tough time.While hiking in MA this summer, we slept in the loft at one of the shelters instead of our usual tent. During the night Sunshine got real stuffy feeling in her chest and sinuses. We thought it was allergies to the dust in the loft, but in reality it was probably the beginning of her heart symptons. Thanks to her Ear, Nose, & Throat doctor, an appointment was made with a cardiologist. Several tests later and the doctor determined that there was probably a blockage that needed to be looked at.Sunshine feels pretty good, gets tired a little quicker than she used to, and is in pretty good spirits. Hopefully we will get things fixed so we can finish the last 520 miles next summer.
Date: 2006-12-05
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Sunshine has had the heart cath procedure and there is good news and bad news. She doesn't have any blocked arteries so she won't need open heart surgery, but the reason for her weakened heart muscle is unknown. The plan is to treat her with several different drugs. This is going to be a long drawn out affair. Hopefully she will be able to hike some this coming summer. We still want to finish the trail in 2007.
Date: 2006-03-02
To: Two days out, not really
Miles today: 0.0

These are my last few hours of prep time and i am still not ready to be on the trail. I am not sure if I am not ready because i am really not ready or if i am not ready because people think i am not ready. I understand that people are worried, very terribly worried, but our lack of communication is not helping anything. Alas, Roesch and I are stoked about going. we have recieved a lot of advice in the past few days about things to take and what to do. It has been quite overwhelming and exciting at the same time. I have all of my gear except rope, which we still need to get. That and food. we have yet to get our food, but really what else would we do tomorrow.I am unsure as to how this will all work out. Whether we will make it to maine with all of our limbs, whether we will make it to Harper's Ferry, or even whether we will make it to Hot Springs without losing our desire to continue. People seem to have a lot of confidence in my determination and stubborness to stay on the trail but i am unsure and right now quite nervous myself. Six months is a long time and a long time to be in the woods fending for myself. I am sure the support network on the Trail will give me the strides i need to overcome my own misgivings. It all looks up from here, just a bit of the hitters before i begin. Take care and good night.
Date: 2006-03-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Thankfully i have gotten everything together, i think. We leave for the trail tomorrow morning at ten with my step father. THings should go over fairly well.   I want to have a commemorative send off at the actual beginning of the trail sunday morning before Don and Roesch's dad drive away, leaving us to fend for ourselves for the next six months. I think this trip will be very beneficial for me to discover myself and my needs, getting away from home and its troubles and tensions. I know i have said i am a person who likes tension, but everyone has their limit. I really wish that communication between my family and I were a bit better. Maybe the trail will teach me how. Not necessarily how to communicate, because i have hear social communication is a bit difficult upon reintegration, but rather how to acknowledge and realize the value of certain feelings and reactions. Only time will tell.I still do not believe that we are leaving tomorrow or that we are actually hiking the whole trail or that we are even doing it. WHOA! deep breaths. Take Care all and i'll see you on the flip side.
Date: 2006-03-05
From: Backcountry Amicalola Falls

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: clear sky

Today was awesome. Last night the boys, our dads, made a fire and we chilled out around it after the day's long car ride and a huge hike down and up Amicalola Falls, some 700 stairs. My legs were feeling it today. We decided to be purists, and i am glad of it. We started at the very bottom, Amicalola visitor's center and the approach approach trail of aprox. 1.5 mile sup to the lodge where there was a b-fast buffet (food driven? maybe...). Don was on the same page as i was and he was all about the meal stop in the middle of the hike. I was hoping the first trail was a bit longer and thus the second half would be easier, NOPE. After AYCE buffet we hike the real approach trail, the 8.8 miles to Mount Springer. Don and Bill, Elizabeth's dad, were bounding up the trail on front of us. Roesch and I with our 45 pound packs were having a bit more trouble. At the top of Springer we met Many Sleeps, a old thru-hiker taking a log of the beginners. we were 11 and 12 for the day. We had lunch at the top and then Don and Bill needed to get back. I pulled my quote book out of Don's pack to read a few quotes as inspiration for the journey. I got really choked up and could not do it. I showed Don what to read and he took over. (Maybe he will respond to this entry with those two quotes for my own future reference, wink wink, nudge nudge). THe goodbyes were hard. I am not a fan of good byes but rather I'll see you later and take care. After a few tears were shed every one was on their way down opposite sides of the mountain. A fresh start, the encouraging knowledge that the ones i love support me and know within themselves that i can do this and will do this, the power to succeed and succeed in a big way is that knowledge to me. It is comforting and tugs at my heart strings when i recall that memory on top of Springer. Thank you, Don,for giving me the send off i needed and for listening to me a few nights before as my fears and worries came out to you. I can't wait to see you all down trail, as a new/renewed person.
Date: 2006-03-06
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Gooch Shelter
Miles today: 12.4

The first injury has arisen. The front of my hips hurt, alot. I think it is my hip flexers. Awesome. There is nothing i can do my rest and "You can rest when you are dead" just kidding. But we are not stopping unless it gets bad and it is not bad, yet. I am just being sure to take my vitamine I three times a day. We have not seen many hikers, well any until we camped. Gooch was packed with campers. The shelter was full and it is a double decker shelter. all tent sites but one were taken, so we took the last one surrounded by Belmont University students on spring break. Roesch and I kept to ourselves mostly, well, really the whole time. we were tired and hungry so we cooked at our site and waited to make friends another day.
Date: 2006-03-07
From: Gooch Shelter

To: Neel's Gap
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: clear sky

So, i nearly killed Roesch tonight. We were planning on stopping at the Blood Mountain Shelter making our daily miles around twelve something. But once we got there we found the shelter to be quite open to the elements (ful of wind) and a crowd of college age guys without gear, which worried me. The topper was that every hiker that came through said they were going on to Neel's Gap. Well, i spooked myself out and after dinner while the sun was setting I convinced Roesch that it would be a good idea to go on to the Gap, in the dark. Yep. we night hiked the two miles down Blood Mountain, a hike that has claimed many a hiker's ankles and knees. All the while I was thinking, if roesch twists an ankle or hurts herself, i will never forgive myself and we will go home only 30 miles into the trip.The Hiker Hostel was amazing. they were watching American History X, but there were beds and a shower, which presently was not working so our rate ws reduced $10 to $5. and we still got showers the next day. Tomorrow will be laundry and resupply then back on the trail.
Date: 2006-03-08
From: Neel's Gap

To: One Mile out
Miles today: 1.0

Wow, so this Hostel was great. we shared Laundry with Grey Fox and Balou, down to 50 cent to wash and dry a piece. and we hitched a ride to Blairsville to resupply from some dude and his son. This guy liked to talk and talk a lot about scary things too, like bad things that have happened on the trail. Things you should not tell your mom if you ever want to hike the AT. He picked us up in Blairsville and gave us a ride back to Neel's Gap, what a nice man.Now, the hostel is connected to an Outfitter which we fully utilized. Roesch and i had a 2.5+ hour shake down to cut our pack weight. We sent at least nine pounds home. Roesch had to get a new sleeping bag or else she would ahve frozen in the Smokeys. Um, yeah, Alpine scared us about freezing in the Smokeys, but we found out that we can zip our bags together to stay warm. Hurray for left and right zip bags!!I had a bit of Trail Magic today. I walked into the Outfitter and asked them for advice on my gaitors (the things you wear on your shins that go from your mid boot laces to nearly your knee that protect you from the elements and rough trail). I wanted to know if they were too small. Well.....what size were they? Mediums. and what size boot do you wear? 12. Oh yeah, those are too small. What are they? Mountain Hardwear. Did you buy those here? No, my brother gave them to me for Christmas. the guy handed me a Largepair of gaitors, just like mine, Mountain Hardwear, and said "Let the magic live on." Wow, people here are so cool and just wanting to help out. My first Trail mgic, my first trail angel.
Date: 2006-03-09
From: One Mile out

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: overcast clouds

We met a guy named Chainsaw today. Named for what it sounds like to sleep near him. I hope i never have to experience it first hand. But he had a friend out with him for a few days and they had some great food. Bean and rice tacos with fresh tomatoes and Texas Pete's hot sauce. There was a rain storm this night, we had to dig trenches around our tent to keep from flooding. We survived and we were not wet in the morning. Crazy night though.
Date: 2006-03-10
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Cheese Factory Site
Miles today: 13.0

We wanted to make it to Tray Mountain Shelter but once we got to the Cheese Factory site we could not muster the energy to go on. thirteen miles is big when it comes to mountains and packs. I think my dry, blunt humor does not mesh well with others out here. I need to be careful of that.
Date: 2006-03-11
From: Cheese Factory Site

To: Blueberry Patch Hostel
Miles today: 12.5

We spent the morning walking in the clouds. Too muggy to wear the rain gear, but too wet not to. I was in my head all morning, trudging as roesch said. Deep in thought about relationships, family and friends. The scene Shop crew continuously come up in my dreams and waking thoughts. You guys are great and i miss you for it.The blueberry Patch, Uber Christian family with big hearts. We met Mountain Goat, Hobbit, Calumet, and Squirrel today. we stayed up late talking post shower number 2 for the trail. I got to call home again, it was wonderful hearing from people and reasuring that things are alright on the home front. Massively Small...is it an oxymoron or not? your thoughts are welcome.
Date: 2006-03-12
From: Blueberry Patch Hostel

To: Bly Gap, NC
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: scattered clouds

We hiked out of Hiawasee/ Blueberry Patch at two thirty, resupplied and ready. I was challenged by a young boy so i picked up the pace for a long bit. Darn youth and my stubborn pride. they camped at a site 5 miles out of the gap. I convinced roesch that we should press on, i really wanted to get to NC. and we did, kind of anticlimactic. it was a wooden sign on a tree that read "NC/GA" that was it. Roesch and i took pictures and then continued on in the dark to Bly gap and the party that was there. We met up with Squirrel, Mountain Goat, Hobbit, Calumet, and Jeremy "Smokey". We had a great time with a fire and a drum circle. Rock On!! Good bye GA, Hello North Carolina!!
Date: 2006-03-13
From: Bly Gap, NC

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

The day was cut short by weather. We reached Standing Indian Shelter for Lunch and then the rain and clouds moved in. the Shelter got cramped with more and more people. 11 at the height, 3 tent camped. we all got cabin fever with squirrel's constant chatter, love the guy, but a little silence is great. we slept eight deep in a seven man shelter, and stayed very warm sharing body heat. Tomorrow looms Standing Indian Mountan and then Albert.
Date: 2006-03-14
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Big Spring Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

Standing Indian was a lot of smoke. not nearly as rough as we thought it would be. easy grade up the mountain. very easy trail going. Roesch and i talked for a lot of it. Albert on the other hand was a bit harder, and by a bit i mean scrambling up the mountain. straight up!! it was rough going but at the top was an observation tower we tried to climb.but the trap door was locked, another anticlimactic event. on to the shelter for a very cold night.
Date: 2006-03-15
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: clear sky

The goal was to get up at six and make the hike into town rather quickly. But, it was dark at six when my alarm went off and i had not slept well, so i ignored it and tried to fall back asleep. My guilt got the best of me around 6:40 am and i woke Roesch, thus the entire shelter got up. Somehow, the first to wake up and the last to leave just kind of works out for us. During my stroll down the gap that morning I came across my first wildlife. DEER! Ok, so it was not too terribly exciting but to see them not from my car window terrified they will take the front end of the Jeep off as i drive by in the fog of Franklin back roads...It was cool to me to be so open to deer.At the first Shelter where Roesch and i were to take a break and have a snack I ran into a Trail Angel "Crutch", a thru-hiker from last year. He had sandwhiches, pop, fruit....just one tenth of a mile up from us at the gap. Awesome, fresh food!! While hanging out with Crutch we went down a side trail to see the second oldest poplar tree in the world, it was pretty huge, but unfortuately it had died due to too much love. The visits people had made to see it and walk around it had suffocated its roots and thus killed it. Tragic. Crutch called Ron, a dude from Franklin, to pick us up at the WInding Stair and give us a free shuttle ride into town. Nice, after food we would have a two hour hike to digest then on to town to eat again, pick up food and get back on trail, or so the plan was.DUring that short bit of trail we ran into Uber-Dude who gave us a PBR from his stay in town. I let 4-Today drink it, and she had a great hike. At the gap some random guy who takes care of the Gap gave us a candy bar, random. Well, the town consumed us, we spent the better half of our day in the internet cafe fixing our journals and answering e-mails. too late to leave and get our errands done we bunked in for the night at the Budget Inn with Ron. We ate at an AYCE behind the Inn, did our laundry, took showers, wlaked to the grocery store, and sorted our food for the next two food drops (Fontana Dam and Gatlinburg). Bed was awesome but i still snuggled with my sleeping bag and my fleece liner. Tomorrow hopefully would be a quick morning with a stop at the post office, breakfast and then on trail.
Date: 2006-03-16
From: Franklin, NC

To: Wayah Bald CS
Miles today: 10.5

Well, the morning as a bit longer than we had planned. We hitched out to the post office to get our errand done and then hitched again to the city Diner to grab some breakfast and meet up with Ron's Shuttle to hopefully get directly back on trail. Not quite. we spent the rest of the morning running various errands, to the post office to the grocery store to the outfitter, to the post office, to Taco Bell, finally to the trail.THe hike was up hill all day long nearly. I caught Calumet on trail and we chatted and kept a good rythm for hiking. it was nice to hike at a good pace, a little challenging but a good pace. the first shelter was quite close and Today and i wanted to get further so we kept on. My hip Flexors were feeling alright until about mile eight on the never ending up hill. then my left ankle started to go and ache. Gimpy trudging up the hill.... on top of that we could not really figure out where we were, some things were not in the data book and thus confused us greatly.we eventually settled on a campsite on the far side of Wayah Bald. at the bald Today and i took pictures of our packs and the scenery, tired of pictures of ourselves, why do we want pictures of ourselves doing this.... Back at the site we had Zatteran's rice with some meat we had been carrying. The bear bagging though....sometimes the food bags are just too heavy for the limbs....
Date: 2006-03-17
From: Wayah Bald CS

To: A. Rufus Morgan 
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was Noah's Birthday, we gave him a chocolate bar and he was happy for it. Today and I stayed together for the majority of the morning dicussing how i can figure out my future and get ontrack. I might design a set around the trail. Using shelter life as the main scene, but small trollies that came out for the different people's niche or off trail life. At Burningtown gap we ran into another trail angel, "Apple". Not a thru hiker but loves them. He was from Texas but comes to the trail every year for a few weeks to do magic. Hot Dogs, hot chocolate, cider, snikers, everything. it was great. Not a bad hike, kind of uneventful, we climbed a tower at Tellico and observed after lunch by a road. We took a never ending down hill trail from wesser bald. We stopped in the middle fo the trail for some GORP. when we stood up we were covered in worms. ROesch Screamed!!Sortly afterward we found our shelter, a bit trashed but not bad and a good night's rest.
Date: 2006-03-18
From: A. Rufus Morgan 

To: Locust Cove Gap
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We skipped breakfast at the shelter for the possibility of a great breakfast at the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center, a big outfitter and rafting venue on the river). Our morning chat was full of stupid things we did as kids, playing hookie in second grade, and what not. Huge breakfast: Scrambled eggs with cheese, link sausage, two griddle cakes, and an endless cup of coffee. Who knew real half and half, meaning with the fat, was soooo goooood!!!Out of the NOC the trail went straight up for quite a while. We wanted to push 16 miles but when we reached Locust cove gap we were tired and could not push on. Had a good night with Matt and Ky and a thur hiker named Glenn. Good company and conversation makes or breaks a group.