morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-09-26
From: Arlington/Stratton Rd

To: Home Sweet Home
Miles today: 0.0

I quit the hike in Manchester Center, VT. It has taken me a LONG time to get in the mood to write this post and affirm that the hike is over even tho it's been 43 days since I was last on the trail. Mary Lynn and I spent 5 fantastic days touring southern VT. I rested. She shopped outlet sales which happened while we were in town. We toured a VT dairy farm/cheese making operation. We hit farmers markets. I watched Little League World Series games. We visited Racoon and Lipstick over a great Italian dinner in between Manchester Center and Rutland. We drove to Williamsport, PA and watched 3 Little League World Series games live. We boated up and down the Susquehanna River, an old friend from the AT in July. During this time I just came to know that spending my time on the trail would yield me far less than the time I spend w/ Mary Lynn. So does that mean the whole trail experience was misspent time? I don't know. I treasure the feeling I was given hiking in Deep Forest in the south. I LOVE the people I came to know out there, both hiker trash, trail angels and folks you meet along the way.   I have the utmost respect for those guys who hike the whole thing. Some of them even hiked the whole thing. Some insist on carrying the pack every step, some on never hiking backwards. There are as many hikes as there are hikers. I treasure my hike. I don't know if I am totally through. The fall of the year will offer me amazing opportunity to go hike the 249.1 trail miles I skipped in SW VA. We'll see. The guys I hiked w/ are now very close to finishing. It's weird that some small part of me feels like I failed in spite of having hiked 1389 miles and the fact that I never had a firm idea in my mind that I'd hike the whole trail at once. I always felt that the present moment and day where the best focus. I've known that if it turned out to be 2176 miles or 200 it would be an experience I'd never forget.I also want to thank every one of you who lent support thru kind word or deed. The kindness of people is SO profound. I don't know why one has to do something weird to "get" that. You wouldn't believe the goodness out there. Makes one wonder how much time and effort is put into creating the image that it's not really like that in our culture. Alec
Date: 2008-11-17
From: Home Sweet Home

To: Nivrana
Miles today: 0.0

I've gotten a bit of ATing recently because of a lucky meetup w/ thru hikers Mooch and Buffet. I had met these guys on my second day of hiking back in March. They are some of the brighest lights from my hike.Their hike took a detour in April or May when Mooch had an injury that required a trip home in Michigan for about a month. They returned to the trail in Harper's Ferry and continued north all the way to Katadin. Then they rented a car and drove down to TN and began hiking the piece of trail they had skipped. I had followed their journal and when they posted from Daleville, VA I knew I could maybe intercept them around home and hook them in for some trail magic. (Thanks Bound!!!---if you hadn't spotted the guys and picked 'em up they prolly wouldn't have posted and I'd never have been able to get a fix on their position) And a little help from SOBO's Duster and Honey who found M&B south of the James River for me. Buffet called me late in the day Nov 5 as I was hiking south from Punchbowl shelter up Bluff Mtn looking for them!!!(I'd actually given up and was just hiking on up the peak to watch the sunset) We had a great 4 days visiting. Mooch and Buffet are machines....they pulled 2 25 mile days slacking from Rt 60 near Buena Vista, VA to Humpback Rocks on the Blue Ridge Parkway only 5 parkway miles from Rt 250 east of Waynesboro, VA. Then they took 2 zeros here w/ us to do electrical contracting work and milk cows. It was a blast seeing you guys and reconnecting w/ the trail. I got to hear of the experience in VT/NH/ME plus learn news of mutual friends I'd not heard from. I suppose you are finished as I write this guys. The best of luck for you in the future and THANKS again for stopping off to visit. Your presence in our home was a blessing. Alec
Date: 2007-12-27
To: Heading North!
Miles today: 0.0

Well, in a split second decision it has been decided that I will be heading north for this summer's big hike as I bought plane tickets a couple of hours ago for Portland, Maine. That's right folks, I will be starting on the Big K as of June 10th. My plan is if all goes well to finish my summer hike atop Mt. Washington, of course, for those of you who have followed my journals to date you know that my plan never goes exactly how I want it to, but I guess I should make it to Gorham at the very least. Do I know how I am getting back to the airport yet....Nope! But I figure it will work itself out as there is plenty of time to get someone to feel bad enough for me that they'll take me back to Portland. As for gear...I supposed I'll get around to posting it this year. To date I have about 420 miles of the AT completed since 2005. I have finished Georgia, and hiked a good portion of NC/TN, and about half of Virginia, but I had the itch to head north and see what all the fuss is about. This is the earliest I have ever settled on a location for summer, but I am most definitely looking forward to it. I plan on getting out and hiking some next week in Georgia, and then take my wife out to hike in Virginia come April. We'll see how it goes. I'll talk more about my thoughts on other pages, but for now it's 2am here and I need to get to bed.
Date: 2007-12-28
To: Musings and Thoughts
Miles today: 0.0

I love backpacking and it's not because I believe in some magical journey or some such rubish, but because I can leave the worries of "normal" life behind, at least for a little while and enjoy the simplicity of life on the trail, of completely immersing my self in the "now". So how is it that I find myself heading from Georgia to Maine in June? Simply put, I have a wonderful wife who as I was looking at possibilities told me to just go and get the tickets knowing I would talk myself out of spending the money if I waited and thought more about it. I have all of my gear and could be ready to hike right now, but I guess that comes with the experience of not being a complete newb to the trail. That being said, I would like to switch out a couple of things, I would like to switch out my filter for a steripen and possibly get a new sleeping pad. I also need to get a bug net for my head as I will be out in blackfly season, although I have this feeling that I won't use it that much and I'll just rely on a variation of Sawyer's Broad Spectrum(good against flies) and 100% Deet. Hopefully it will keep the little bloodsuckers at bay. Of course, as people keep pointing out, I should just hike a little later, but I am a teacher and this is when I have time to hike, so this is when I will hike.
Date: 2007-12-29
To: More Thoughts to get this puppy Up!
Miles today: 0.0

So I was thinking, and yes, I broke this up so that I could get a third entry in, we all like to see our names up in lights. Anyways, on the issue of filtering water, I haven't done it much in the last two years, other than from a mudpuddle or two, and so I am sick of carrying around a filter, just in case. The steripen removes the need to do this, as it is much smaller and should last me as I don't do it much. I won't say others should make this decision not to filter, but really, if you own a dog and it ever licks your face you have just as much a chance of getting sick as you do drinking water unfiltered, the key is to not share your food with others. A little over six months before I hike and already I am excited at the prospect of starting on the Big K with the early wave of Sobo's heading for Georgia. It should be fun and being a social hiker I am looking forward to the new people I will meet and the experience of being out for a month which is longer than I have ever been out on the trail. The best part is due to my flight dates, I have no reason to bail early as I don't have the money to do so. This brings me to another point, if you are heading out and are married or have a significant other, it is so important, soooo important that they not dump problems on you while you are on the trail, this will contribute like nothing else to your getting off the trail. I speak from experience on this one. My wife is now on the same page with me for this and will not discuss certain things with me while I am gone. Will I miss here? Will she miss me? Absolutely! But if doing certain things brings joy or happiness to either of us than we encourage the other to chase their dreams and we deal with it, that to us is what marriage is all about. Lastly, on the issue of my picture theme to date of posting with friends from the trail is my committment to get more photos of folks from and around the trail. Scenic views are awesome and make great pictures on my walls, but the people are pretty awesome too, and so I want to start getting more pictures of them as well. Anyways, I guess that's it for now.
Date: 2007-12-31
To: Out of Shape Hike
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I am back from my fat and happy weekend of wedding partying! I'm out of hiking shape but my back is finally better. So what should I do? Hike!!! That's right, I am off to hike starting on the 1st from Woody Gap to Unicoi Gap. Gonna take it easy and take three days to do it. My buddy Phil is gonna join me and we will hike to Neel's on the first day, Low gap on day two, and Unicoi Gap on day 3. Should be doable and I may just leave my tent at home figuring that Phil is bringing his three person Mutha Hubba just in case. I was planning on staying at Mountain Crossings on the first night, in the shelter on day two, and be home sometime Thursday night. It should be a nice leisurely hike as ten miles a day is about the least amount of mileage I have ever done in a day and that is the plan for each day. Forcast for rain is almost nonexistent, but it is supposed to be cold. Regardles, we should have a great time. I am gonna try to play a game with carrying mostly fresh foods for this hike, we'll see how that works, but winter is the perfect time to try such things and hey, if we're going slow, might as well eat like kings. Anyways, I'll post some pictures of the hike and a couple of entries, but I have hiked this section several times in the past, so it doesn't count towards any specific goal, just two buddies getting out for a couple of nights of fun on the trail. What could be better?
Date: 2008-01-10
To: 6 Months!!!
Miles today: 0.0

6 months from today I will stand atop Katahdin as I begin my first hike in the north.   Yes I realize that this means when I finally finish my section hikes that there will be no awe-inspiring finish to them, but you know what, doesn't matter because that's not why I am out there. I am out there for me and the enjoyment "I" gain from the trail. Where will I end when I finally finish up? Who knows, I'll just let it transpire however it may come. After all, it may be another 10 years or longer if I end up with a little rugrat in the next couple of years.Anyways, brings me to another thought I am gonna try to come up with some sort of trademark for my journal, and I think I have settled on a song of the day that sort of sets my mood for the day, as I have been labeled a music snob in an effort to find great indie artists. That being said, it won't always be an indie artist or song, but it will just be a song that sets my mood or one I can't get out of my head on that particular day. Something I haven't mentioned is I am now on day 9 of my quitting smoking so we'll see how that goes, but so far so good. Song for the Day:   Places You'll Go-Jay Nash, Great song by a great west coast artist, for those that don't know Jay Nash wrote the soundtrack for the AT movie "Southbounders". I would put him in a folk/blues/rock category.
Date: 2008-01-11
To: Carpe Diem, Life is Too Short!!!
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I thought that this would be an appropriate time to say, "May She Rest in Peace, and I hope her family can find some comfort."   I was actually within an hour or two of when she was on the Freeman Trail on the 1st of January, so when I heard about it, it kind of wigged me out. The thought that if I had started earlier maybe Creamsicle and I might have met both of them and noticed something about him, but hindsight is just that and so we will never know. All the same it is a shame that young gal out there doing what she loved, lost her life to a creepy, crazy drifter.   I know we have to let the justice system take care of him, but sometimes I wish for a simpler time when good folk could do right by someone who had been wronged. In other words grab a short rope and find a tall, tall tree. Anyways, I got to thinking about her this morning and then perhaps one of the greatest outdoorsman of the twentieth century in the death of Sir Edmund Hillary who passed away yesterday at the age of 88. It makes you think about life and waiting to do the things you want to do. That is part of why I admire so many hiker trash, they do what they want to do with zero apologies, they may not be rich in a monetary sense, but they are rich in life experiences. I admit that sometimes I think I might roam more if I wasn't married or tied down by debt, but I don't believe in regret, we make our choices in life and we live with them. I wouldn't trade my wife for any other, she loves me for who I am and makes my life better just by being in it. That being said, if I find the chance to live out a dream I will do so without hesitation, whether it be going to school in Scotland(Environmental History Masters), or having the chance to thruhike because who knows how long I'm gonna be around on this rock.Anyways, in honor of Meredith, Sir Edmund, and all of those who "lived" their life regardless of how long or how short it was I have picked two songs of the day that keep bangin' around in my head.Songs of the Day: The Dance-Garth Brooks, look up the lyrics and read if you don't know it, it personifies living your life regardless of the possible consequences.Dust In The Wind-Kansas, the melody and lyrics, just make me think about how short life is.
Date: 2008-01-13
To: Talkin' Gear
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I have been waxing moronic for the past few journals and completely forgot that I just won a Steripen on Ebay. So the question is does it work? The answer: In a lab, YES. What that means is, I don't know, but I'll take the chance seeing as I don't usually filter anyways. I got it cheap and I needed a new filter element anyways, so I figured this will take up less room than the filter I had been carrying, after all I only treat at sketchy looking water sources, but I don't like the chemical treatments, can't stand the taste, so this is I hope a good compromise. Gear seems to be a "to each his own" proposition. I will never be Mr. Super Ultralight, but I do try to limit weight wherever possible. To that end I am thinking about getting carbon fiber poles for my Hubba tent, 6 oz. ain't a bad deal as it would get my tent down to three pounds. They are also coming out with a new ultralight version, but $350 for a new tent isn't in the books for this year. So that being said I figure use what you got, and slowly switch out a piece of gear every year or two. So this year it was my filter(had to), and my summer sleeping bag, which is ok because the wife can use the other summer bag.On another note, Erin and I joined a gym yesterday because it's time to get my white bloated butt back into shape. I never lost the belly last year but I was bench pressing over 300lbs when I started my hike last summer, so I figure there were benefits to my working out last year. This year I'm not looking for the bulk that often accompanies my weight lifting, but rather I want to tone up and lose about 20 to 30lbs. Can I do it? Sure, but dammit I love food, so we'll see how it goes, I haven't decided to go into always hungry diet mode yet, but if zero pounds have been shed by the end of February, well, then I guess I will have to. Finally, no, I don't intend to post everyday, but on weekends before I go to bed I'm bored, and it keeps me from smoking, so think of it as part of my therapy. Southern Ruck is next weekend so I am looking forward to it, should lead to some interesting posts, but enough of my rambling, I got nothing left to say, so it's time for the song of the day, and then I sign off!Song of the Day: Alright this isn't a song bopping around in my head, but it is an awesome song that every AT hiker should hear at least once. Lion King put it on his movie "Walking with Freedom". It is a song by folk singer Johnsmith, and yes, if you wan't to search him on Itunes, that is how it's spelled, all one word. I bought the entire album the song is on, and if you are looking to feel mellow and one with nature, then it is a great album for it. But without any further ado, the song:Appalachian Rain-Johnsmith, the song is about him leaving his lady to give her time to sort out her feelings, and so he goes off to hike the AT. Beautiful Song!
Date: 2008-01-27
To: A Certain Measure of Peace
Miles today: 0.0

Well in an attempt to finally get the vicious little Camel Monkey off of my back I have enlisted the aid of friends on White Blaze for encouragement and to push for me to quit smoking once and for all. So will it work? I think so, not only because I don't want to admit to some of them that I am still smoking, but also because I keep getting sinus colds every weekend and I think that smoking has something to do with it, and I am sick of getting sick.   Other than that working out is going well for me, and slowly everything is still coming together. I am meeting more people out there in the hiking community that are just great people. All this does give me a little peace as it lets you know that the world is not lost and there are still quality people out there in the world. Since last time I wrote I have ordered two things for the trail. The first is a pair of gore-tex trail runners, figured if there is a chance that the trail might be running with water then I want something other than mesh. The other is a copy of Appalachian Pages. It is a new book for the trail in the vein of Wingfoots book or the Appalachian Companion from ALDHA. From what I have seen of it so far I am impressed, I'll give my impressions of it once I get it. I still need to get the maps for NH, but I got time. Anyways, not much else to report on this side, I am just feeling mellow today and so the song for the day reflects my mellow mood.Song of the Day is by an artist named Joshua Radin. He appears a favorite of Zach Braff as his songs have appeared on Scrubs and two of his movies. He also had a song in a Kevin Smith movie. He is mellow and usually acoustic. Sort of a Simon and Garfunkel sound to him. Great "Just Chillin'" music. Song of the Day: Everything'll Be Alright(Will's Lullaby)-Joshua RadinWay down, in New York town Thinking about the way she loved me There's a hole in my pocket That's about her size But I think everything Is gonna be alright Yes I hope everything Is gonna be alright The smiling face, straight in LA The gifts are found at the bar But I wish my car Could drive to her tonight Then I'd know everything Is gonna be alright Yes then I'd know It'll be alright The rain in New Orleans, forgot to end But the mouths of the people are dry And we watch and wait And do nothing but sigh And hope everything Is gonna turn alright But I don't know If it'll be alright But I look at you, warm in your dream While your mobile dances above And I think to myself It's a beautiful night And I know everything Is gonna be alright Yes now I know It'll be alright
Date: 2008-01-28
To: Fighting the Urge to Smoke
Miles today: 0.0

Well this journal is something to keep me occupied before going to bed so I don't have a cigarette. That Monkey is going DOWN!!! I've been fighting this sinus thing for the past month and can't seem to kick it, I've decided that smoking has been the root of it, and as such it is time to completely quit, so I have gone 24 hours to date and still have a long way...oh who am I kidding I have years till it will no longer be hard not to smoke. That's OK we make our beds and lie in them. Nothing really new about the trail, but I keep these journals as a look back at what was not only going on on the trail, but also my life...as both are intertwined.   I'm thinking about going up for day hike this weekend, but we'll see, I"ll probably just stick around the house and eat fattening foods!!! Hey right now I'm vulnerable, and it's better than smoking, at least in the short term. Seeing as this has almost nothing to do with the trail I figured I would use a nontrail picture of Erin and I. I don't clean up too bad do I? Anyways, I thought about using this entry to talk about the wife and what an extraordinary gal she is, but I think I'll do that in another entry.   She is on my mind but only because she's going out of town for a few days to help out someone and it was a sudden thing.   Anyways, I guess that leaves the song for the day and so we'll go with one of her favorite songs and my ring tone for her on my cell phone. Makes me think of her dancing every time I hear it.Sugar Magnolia by the Grateful DeadSugar magnolia, blossoms blooming, heads all empty and I don't care,Saw my baby down by the river, knew she'd have to come up soon for air.Sweet blossom come on, under the willow, we can have high times if you'll abideWe can discover the wonders of nature, rolling in the rushes down by the riverside.Shes got everything delightful, she's got everything I need,Takes the wheel when Im seeing double, pays my ticket when I speedShe comes skimmin through rays of violet, she can wade in a drop of dew,She don't come and I don't follow, waits backstage while I sing to you.Well, she can dance a cajun rhythm, jump like a willys in four wheel drive.Shes a summer love for spring, fall and winter. she can make happy any man alive.Sugar magnolia, ringing that bluebell, caught up in sunlight, come on out singingIll walk you in the sunshine, come on honey, come along with me.Shes got everything delightful, she's got everything I need,A breeze in the pines and the sun and bright moonlight, lazing in the sunshine yesIndeed.Sometimes when the cuckoos crying, when the moon is half way down,Sometimes when the night is dying, I take me out and I wander around, I wanderRound.Sunshine, daydream, walking in the tall trees, going where the wind goesBlooming like a red rose, breathing more freely,Ride our singin, I'll walk you in the morning sunshineSunshine, daydream. sunshine, daydream. walking in the sunshine.