morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-02-18
To: Logistics and Stuff....
Miles today: 0.0

Hey,Since I haven't really gone over logistics yet, I guess now would be a decent time to do so since there is absolutely nothing going on with me lately as my leg is still broke and there is ABSOLUTLEY nothing to do.My last day at work is going to be on Friday, March 25. I am going to head for Georgia on Wednesday, March 30. My aunt lives in Georgia so things are working out pretty nicely. My mom is going to drive me down on Wednesday night. We'll probably just hang out on Thursday and then on Friday morning I am going to start the Approach trail sometime before 11:00 to do the eight miles to get to the southern terminus.The approach trail is not neccesary really to get to the start of the AT, but for the most part, it is a tradition to do it and everyone does. So on Friday April 1, 2005 I will be spending the first night of my thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail...I haven't made any plans as to how I am going to get home, and I don't plan on doing that until I get there...I might bike home, fly home, take a plane, who knows...I just don't really want to figure that out until I am done... I haven't even started yet and I don't want to think of the end!....BY THE WAY!LANCE IS RIDING IN THE TOUR IN 2005!I don't how I'm going to watch the big stages of the tour as I'll probably be somewhere in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, but I'll find a way to locate a TV with the OLN network for the Mountain Stages of the race at least...Last summer I watched the Tour every day and then I had to go to New York to be in my friends wedding at the end of July, but thank God the hotel I was in had OLN so I didn't have to miss any of the Tour! I did get the whole tour on video though so in case I might have missed anything I would have it on tape forever...I might just have to get it taped for me again this year...Go T-Mobile and Discovery Channell Cycling 2005!
Date: 2005-03-21
To: Cars Hurt More People Than Bears.
Miles today: 0.0

¢Are you going to bring a gun?¢A question people frequently ask me upon learning about my ambition to hike in mountains for six months is if I am going to bring a gun on my journey. Most of you already know that I am most definitely not going to ¢pack heat¢, but I was asked again this morning while at work and I got to thinking about why the thought bringing a gun on the trail makes me feel violated. What is it about a defense weapon on the Appalachian Trail that absolutely repulses me? Why do I feel like a father who is being questioned about the innocence of his children when I hear about a weapon on the trail? I am not hiking the trail to prove myself against nature and mankind. I am hiking the trail to connect with nature and mankind. The trail is an opportunity to co-exist with nature and other people. If I bring a weapon, I would be focusing on fighting mankind and nature. When I want to be opening up to my surroundings, I would be closing myself off, to defend myself. If I wanted to go out there with thoughts of endangerment and opposing forces, I would be putting my attention on those thoughts. I could not view the brightness around me if I was trying to find the darkness. The same is true anywhere in life. What we focus on, regardless of our reasoning, is how we interpret our surroundings. We cannot see the good in things if we are looking for the bad. True, we play games with ourselves, and make excuses of why it is required to try to find certain aspects of negativity in our surroundings, whether they exist in nature or in individuals, but in reality it isn¢t necessary most of the time.I know that I do this as well. I tend to try and justify my own negativity with the justification that I am doing it for some means or for some end that is positive, ¢in the long run¢.I am really glad that one more person asked me if I going to be carrying a gun again, because I usually just respond, ¢No.¢, and I never really thought about why not before. Take it easy everyone!
Date: 2005-03-24
To: Chaotic Rush!
Miles today: 0.0

Hey!Today is the first day I really feel like I am getting ready to leave any second now. I am finaly done with work! Yesterday was my last day! I don't know if my excitement stems mainly from my last day of work or from the excitement of only having seven days left, but I definitely know that I am happier to be done with this job finaly than most realize! (Of course I am happy that school is finaly over for good as well.)Today I am squaring away my health insurance and my truck insurance while I am gone and I am also starting to move my stuff out of the apartment.Last night I bought the last items I have been trying to purchase for months now; my hiking shorts. I have been trying to locate shorts with liners in them to save weight for quite some time now, but I have had the hardest time trying to find some that fit my long list of requirements as far as weight and style and material goes. Well, last night I finally found some that I really like. It is about time!Also,I went to my knee doctor on Monday and I got the go ahead that I am ready to hike! My bone is pretty much healed up and I should experience only superficial pain and swelling, nothing that can injure my leg more! That was great to hear.OK-Time to go! I gotta ride today since it is not raining and I also have an ommlette cooking right now since I just got back from the athletic club!Take it easy Everyone!My entire life is about to change drastically!Thank God!
Date: 2005-03-25
To: Getting My Maildrops Ready!
Miles today: 0.0

Hey Everybody,For so long now, I have been reading other peoples trail journals, and I have been jealous and HAPPY to see them posting entries about getting their maildrops ready and doing all of their last minute activities, and now I am one of those people! I am one of the people that gets to post pics of their maildrops getting sorted! The time is truly upon me! This is it! I woke up this morning and I haven't been this excited or happy in such a long time!Amongst the massive confusion of running around trying to get everything done, I have finaly got around to sorting out my maildrops!I have 17 boxes total to supply myself certain food items that will be hard or expensive to buy on the trail.In each box there is; pasta, oatmeal, powerbars, etc.In occasional boxes there are also; maps, cameras, vitamins, summer gear, etc.I am going to have to update certain boxes also in the future while I am actually on the trail, because in some of my maildrops, I will be calling home to get new shoes sent out to me, and so I will need extra room occasionally in the boxes.I barely fit all of my stuff in the boxes I had previously purchased, but new boxes are on the way, to fit more stuff into!I should have gotten bigger boxes!Take it easy everyone!The time is upon us!
Date: 2005-03-28
To: Anxious and Waiting
Miles today: 0.0

After the Easter Sunday break yesterday, today is once again a day for doing last minute errands and taking care of business before I leave.I had an appointment this morning with my LASIK doctor and everything went excellent, and from there I went to the credit union and deposited my last check for a LONG time. Next stop for the day is at the grocery store because I have to purchase my food for the first five days on the trail. After the first five days, I will be stopping at a hiker hostel called the Blueberry Patch which is an organic blueberry farm, and I will be resupplying in a town called Hiawassee in Georgia after the hostel gives me a much needed showering opportunity. (I am weening myself into trail life, taking it slow at first, getting off of the trail early and refreshing and resupplying, and from there on out I will gradually build up more and more trail miles in between resupply points and hostel stops...Also,Once again I want to say thanks to my friends and family! Everyone has been so kind and generous in so many aspects. I really apprecaite everyones genuine interest in this hike and all of the forms of support and encouragement that you all have given to me. It means a lot to me, and I will remember it during the hard times on the trail.I think everyone should hike the trail, just to feel the support and kindness that I've felt since I began planning to do this. I wasn't expecting it, and it is really appreciated. So I want to say thanks to my family and friends.Now it is time to go, and finally do this thing! I can't believe how time is just dragging on and on, yet at the same time, I can't believe it is finally here. I leave in two days for Springer Mountain and Amicalola Falls State Park!I will be staying at the lodge on Thursday in the state park and I'll be starting the approach trail on friday morning for the first night of my thru-hike!   Take it easy everyone!
Date: 2005-03-30
To: Less Than 24 Hours.
Miles today: 0.0

I am leaving for Springer Mountain in less than 24 hours.My possessions have been packed away. I have said my goodbyes.I am going to start a trail that will require me to take nearly five-million steps towards Maine, a journey of approximately 2175 miles.Take It Easy Everyone!PS-It'll be raining the day I start, so this should be an interesting kick off to the hike.PPS-I also got to say goodbye to my beloved UofL Cardinals basketball team yesterday before their departure to St.Louis to play in the Final Four-GO CARDS! After the Rally, I got to eat dinner at my favorite restaraunt, The Irish Rover, with my brother, my nephew, and Stephanie. It was cool.
Date: 2005-04-03
From: AT Approach Trail

To: Walasi-Yi Hostel
Miles today: 17.0

OH MY GOSH!I ACTUALLY STARTED!I have to make this quick! I am sitting at the Walasi-Yi hostel on sunday evening after a killer day!Here are my past three days since the start;Friday: I started at the visitor center around noon after waiting out severe thunderstorms and it paid off because I didn't hit the rain until saturday and it wasn't rain then, it was snow. I had a great nights sleep that night and my spirits were SO HIGH!Saturday: I got some trail magic after a great nights rest, from a guy in a truck waiting by a road giving out donuts and sunny delight OJ in the morning, it was great. The snow started coming down right after that and it was crazy, I think I almost froze to death, but I was fine after I got into my tent, since the shelter was full. I learned some important lessons yesterday that I talk about later!Sunday: More trail magic from three ladies who gave me a big bag of trail mix that was delicious and homemade in the morning, and then I found a bag of apples waiting for me later! I did the blood mountain hike today and it kicked my butt, well, actually it kicked my feet...the only part of my body that really hurts right now are my feet and they are killing me...they are like tenderized meat,gross. OH YEAH! I AM SO SUN BURNT! Looks like its time to get some sun screen!I'll update more later! I got to go and let someone use the phone since I am on a dial-up connection! I am having a blast, and I am learning the ways of the trail...Even with all of the foot pain, and freezing rain, I am learning how to cope with the trail and be happy amidst crappy weather and pulverized feet. All will be well after some rest! I will write more later!
Date: 2005-04-18
From: Gatlinburg

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 200.0

Wow!Already in Gatlinburg! I made it into this town really quickly, and i'll write more about the past few days tomorrow or later tonight! Whoa! day 18 already!I am in a big hurry to hit up the pancake/fudge/donut/ice cream places! I have been hiking with so many awesome people!Since i'll be writing tomorrow about my activities lately, I'll use today as an op to say hi to;"Machine Gun" Kelly"Saxy Lady""Mr.Fusion""Brewmeister""Sunflower""FunnelCake""Inspector Gadget""Tinkerbell""S.W.I.F.T.""Okie""Grump"ok, I got to go, so hi to everyone!I'll see you guys on the trail!Take it easy everyone and I'll update you all on my past week or so tomorrow or tonight sometime when the restaurants close! I love this town!Bottle-Rocket Ga->Me '05PS- I hit the 200 hundred mile mark while going to see the sunrise at clingmans dome, it was awesome.PPS.- just a little tidbit of info, more than any thing else while I am hiking, I count my steps. I thought i would get songs stuck in my head a lot more than I do, but I always catch myself counting and I dont even realize it, and sometimes I do it auctioneer style, to go in the rythem of my steps, I don't realize I am counting sometimes until I get to the number, 110, and I'll say, one-OH-Ten, instead of one hundred ten, and I realize I've been counting for a while...Its kind of strange, I have also developed a new of counting that goes into rythems instead of numbers and created a new mathematical system I use to count that makes it more entertaining. i try to sing, but I always end up counting accidentally, and I don't even know it until I have been doing it a while.
Date: 2005-04-24
From: cherokee national forrest

To: hot springs NC
Miles today: 53.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Sunday April 24:I woke in the crowded shelter to commotion and worry from other hikers about the amount of snow that had fallen. My original plan the day before was to stay at the shelter until 11:00am and hike out for a short day and get to hot springs early on Monday morning, but in this weather I knew I wasn¢t safe and I needed to get to town, so In the morning I quickly packed up, ate a quick breakfast, and headed out to make fresh tracks on the nearly invisible trail in up to two foot snow drifts in harsh winds. Funnell cake and I were the first ones out, and another hiker from davenport gap named snake follwed us up the mountain because there is safety in numbers. We were tired but knew we needed to push on. Once we pounded up the snow covered slope, sliding in the snow, and I was using my trekking poles to stab in the ground to keep me from falling down the side, (which happened once, but my poles stopped me when I jabbed them into the ground), we made it to less depth and somewhat separated as we began to hike our own paces. I was elated to get out of the harsh mountains and into hot springs north Carolina but I was worried about there being no rooms at hostels and hotels because there was a big trail fest that was ending on Sunday that hikers wouldn¢t want to leave from since the weather was bad. The town was crowded but not too bad, as I got the last room at Elmers sunnybank hostel which is a historic house in the town which offers a music room full of guitars for me to play which is cool. The room I got wasn¢t to nice, and it was above his historic garage, but it was private which was really nice after sleeping in shelters for nearly a month now. I went to the diner after showering which was totally small town and awesome portions of my turkey and gravy and mashed tatos and peas. Then I chilled and drank coffee and talked to people as I read the Ashville paper. Then I went to jam in the music room at the hostel and I played some guitar with another hiker and then I headed to the pub for a well earned pint of Guinness and a pint of Red Highland Lager. Kelley and Funnell Cake and I and Inspector Gadget talked about Saxy and Mr. Fusion and we hoped they were ok still in the mountains. I heard of a lot of people dropping out due to weather today. I left this cool eclectic pub after hearing my favorite bill Monroe album which completely made the day, as I was warm, drinking good beer, and was dry. I fell asleep after reading some of my book ,1812, and it was a good day to be out the psycho mountains.   So now I am sitting at the hot springs library and I am taking today off. Tomorrow I will fill you all in on what I did today so everyone take it easy!
Date: 2005-04-29
From: hogback ridge shelter

To: bald mt shelter
Miles today: 10.5

Friday April 29:I woke up once again to rain, and this morning I woke up because my buddy, "Funnel Cake" was asking If I was going to a certain shelter that day. I stayed in my tent a long time that morning reading my book and hoping the rain would stop long enough to take my tent down, and it finally did around 10:00. Everyone had cleared out of the shelter and so I dragged my tent inside to take it down and dry to keep it as dry as possible which was nearly impossible. Today was the first day I really the crap knocked out of me by the rain and it fought like hell to bring me down. My knucles froze as it beat into all day. The pants I was wearing were finaly wet on the inside and so they would freeze my calves and rub me the wrong way with each step I took. My pack was finally starting to get wet and heavy as well, and even though my gear is all waterproof, once stuff is outside so long in teh rain, water starts to find its way into everything. My whole body was getting muddy. My steps were getting harder to take, and today was nearly impossible to hike beacuse hiking uphill, I continuously slid down to even further lows. One step up and two steps back, literally. It was nuts. Everyone at the shelter had told me they weren't going to attempt that days climb and I thought I would once again beat the weather and feel accomplished like I have everyday before, but today I was wrong. I ate luch under a viaduct at Sams gap where they all hitched into town and I kept going, because I knew that when they got back on the trail it would still be raining anyways. the mud was miserable and it finally beat me. I fought like hell to get up the mountains and they were winning. I had planned on doing fifteen miles that day so I could hit Erwin Tn on the morning following and only have to 12 miles to get into town so I could reserve a space at the hostel I really wanted to stay at called Miss janets becuase of her outstanding reputation for doing anything for hikers and being a true angel.I had to stop to stop short of goal for the first time ever and I knew the weather had beaten me. I was cold, hungry and disappointed I couldn't win this time- Especially after yesterdays realizations. And so I climbed into my sleepiong bag at the shelter only ten miles into the days hike and fealt beaten. I could not oversome this obstical. I am glad that I did it, but I was sad to be beaten, and not find some kind of joy or lesson in this day. I read my book, and went to sleep. I had climbed a fantastic bald today that would have been incredible, had I not been stuck in the clouds again, called big bald. It wouuld have been nuts, but I had to hurry off because of the insane winds and rains. At least I was finally warm and dry in my bag at the shelter. I went to sleep, knowing I had to fly like in the morning to get into Erwin quickly and hopefully I could maintain a decent pace, becasue I desperately wanted a spot at miss janets hostel.Take it easy everyone!(PS there is always a lesson, sometimes I realize it later!)
Date: 2005-04-30
From: Bald Mt Shelter

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: moderate rain

Saturday April 30:I woke up early and hiked out of the shelter with hopes to make it in to miss janets and the weather was camler. I made great speeds and the winds from that night had dried out some of the crazy deep mud and so I could swiftly walk. I made great time at over 3 MPH which is great hiker speed, and I busted it all the way into erwin in only six hours and it was 17 miles. I took one break at a road crossing where most of the hikers hitched into town, but I still beat some of them by walking into town. I am glad that I walked because the trail wasn't that bad, it was finally a bit warmer, and now that stretch is behind me. I stopped for a small break to grab some food at No Buisness Know shelter which is reknowned for a terrible mouse problem where they not only steal food but will eat sleeping bags and anything in sight once the sun sets.I rolled into town and stopped at Uncle Johnnys Hostel to call Miss Janets because I wanted to reserve a spot asap and she had an opening!~ She said she would come pick me up to, but I had to walk out of sight of uncle Johnnys because of some bad blood between them! She was great! She picked and another woman named spirit up and instantly we were talking like we'd known eachother for a while. She is so nice and then i heard some fantastic knews that made my day! It is amazing how this trail always provides such awesome surprises like I am being guided by god or something on this odysey! There was a free bluegrass festival and I got to go! It was so great!We drive around and picked up some other hikers off the trail and then i got to shower and borrow some clean clothes while mine where in the wash. We all went to this festival and had a blast and got to drinnk a lot of free sweet tea that this girl gave us starving hikers to be nice instead of charging us! It was awesome. I joked with another hiker about how we all felt like anywhere there is food, we just start eating it and we forget that people actually have to pay for food and stuff. then we left and found out some terrible news. Four hikers had flipped their jeep off of a cliff and landed in a river and they were in the ER at the hospital. Thank god they were OK. I went to miss janets and watched a little bit of a movie called joe dirt and then I ate some crackers and hopped on the PC. It was a great night, and I was excited to see what great surprise was in store us for breakfast that was being prepared that evening in the top secret kitchen. Miss janet wouldn't let anyone in and we all wondered what she was doing that had NEVER been done before, I dozed off in my comfy bed and no one in my room snored so it was great that night. I did learn that night that a WHOLE BUNCH of hikers were dropping out which was saddening to see, and as the trip progresses, the number of hikers dropping out will continue to rise.Take it easy everyone!
Date: 2005-05-03
From: Iron Mt

To: Miss janets again!
Miles today: 19.1

OK-I decided that I was going to stay here again tonight after last night while I was completely renovated and rejuvinated after watching a great movie about the AT I used to watch before I started this journey called 'Trek'... I was so happy to completely be so psched up about getting back on the trail after remembering what an outstandingly amazing experience this is. God this really is outstanding. So this morning I called Miss Janet to see If I could start the eggs for breakfast and then I was to find out where I going that day and we were finding out where everyone was going to. there was quite a few people slackpacking from Iron Mountain back to miss janets tonight, and so I decided that if I did, I could do mileage , and still stay here, so I did it and today was the greatest. and oh yeah, we did it in costumes. It was fantastic.All day long today I was dancing, happy, sappy, singing because my life is so insanely perfect right now. this thing is so awesome and I can't explain my joy. earlier I was a schoolkid laughing and dancing and excited to be alive, talking to everyone I passed on the trail, and it was incredible. I am so lucky. the weatther was perfect on the balds and everything was just nuts. I am living in a dream. I am euphoric. I am like a mixture of postive emotions. right now I am just content and elated at the superb thoughts of this awesome day. I am starving so I am going to eat~! God I am so happy. this life is amazing.thanks everyone who helped me get here. take it easy everyone.   OK- I am back and it is later now.Miss Janet picked us up after the slack pack ,and tonight is a special occasion and so there is a cookout tonight at the house. there is a singer in the back yard and everyone is chatting and this place is packed. I "won" the costume contest by painting a huge black mask on my face and hiking in a dracula cape over my pack which created a hump, and so started calling me Count humpula today instead of Bottle-rocket. today was full of friends and community and good times. A load of new guests are here at the hostel, and its neat when people are like, dude, we never thought we'd see you again, and I'm like, well, I've been at miss janets forever...I saw some people from Springer mountain shelter today which was cool. but for now, I am going to go socialize by the tiki torches! Have a great day/night everyone!