morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-01-23
To: snowy
Miles today: 0.0

Hey kids,   Today on my way up to visit my parents i passed a car with an AT sticker on the back. The first one in 5 years i've seen in central wisconsin. Quite exciting! I should of bumped them off the road and had a chat. Well we got lots of snow, not crazy snow like new england area, but snow just the same. Up here this makes the people snowmobile happy. I don't hate snowmobiles, they kinda look fun. Besides with the hunting season it keep the population in wisconsin under control. If there not being mistaken for deer or wrecking there snow machines they like to be hit by trains. The snow for me means more XC skiing & maybe even put on the ol'snowshoes. This will be the extent of my pre-AT training. I'm under the belief that the only way to train is to actually hike up & down hills all day with a pack. Although, not training at all and just fattening up for the trail my prefered method, is probably not the answer either. Other exciting news the new backpacker gear guide is out! My subscription of course ran out last month and will have to wait a day or two till i find it in the stores. I then can drool over all the new gear. I will try not to replace all my perfectly good gear, which is a bad habit of mine. This is why i have 3 backpacks in my closet. I had thought about what it would be like to hike in february. I then decided it would be wet & cold with a touch of miserable. I have since extended my lease to the end of february. I'm still looking at mid march for a start, as my brother is flying in for canoecopia down in Madison. It's a big canoe/kayak expo thing the 2nd weekend of march. My friend that was getting married at the end of March is now waiting for fall and i am free to hike Thanks to the steelers, it looks like instead of recieving a twelve pack of guinness, i now have to buy a 30 pack of coors My only gear news is that my pack weighs 30lbs without food & water. Thats too heavy right? Its a work in progress.   Hike Happy!
Date: 2005-02-01
To: Are we there yet?
Miles today: 0.0

hey boys & girls,      Got the new backpacker gear guide finally. Now the age old battle between fancy & new vs old & reliable. Everything is so bright & shinny. Gear changes? i make them daily. I did order a marmot dri clime wind shirt. Heard it's absolutely an indispensable piece of gear. Haven't decided whether it will replace the warm & fuzzy fleece yet. Also edging away from the down sleeping bag for the synthetic. Something about being able to plop it in a front loading washer and clean halfway through the trip. Also a little curious about the jet boil stove? Nothing new here in wisconsin. It's now entirely too warm here. There is no pleasing me this winter, i swear. Snow is sticking to my ski's & snowshoes, melting, not happy Haven't had work at my second job in the last three weeks. That job completely funds this trip. Not panicing yet, though if there is going to be no more work, i'd might as well leave now. So if i don't get all crazy and leave, i'm still plan a start somewhere between the second & the third weekend of march.
Date: 2005-02-16
To: Waiting
Miles today: 0.0

i do hate waiting. Much of this may be a repeat for you march company kids. Flying out on the 17th and may even hike that day. More likely i'll be starting on the 18th. While i had hoped to sneak out in early march, my dentist put an end too that. I don't know how i'll sleep at night on the trail without that soothing drill sound. maybe i can get my dentist to come with me? Better yet his little helpers. I had a lengthy conversation with professor who i believe is section hiking until he has time to do a thru-hike. he has a trail journal that encourage all of you to read. I have long said section hiking is way tougher than thru-hiking. By the time you find your hiking legs you have to quit and wait to the next time. Just think of your first 3 weeks over & over again, yikes! He and his wife have been kind enough to offer my a ride to the trailhead as well as a place to stay. He also wants to hike the fist 3 days with me. This is all new too me, as i usually don't hike with people i don't know. After talking to him it should be fun. Besides he may even bring gifts of guinness At the very least after hiking with me for three days he'll know what not to do on his section hike. So we plan to skip the approach trail, which is no big deal as i've already done it. i do recommend it to those of you who haven't done it. With any luck we can reach neels gap in three days. i know it took me 5 or 6 days in '99, but that was with the approach trail. we can also bail at suches to get him pick up. I am looking foward to it, something new, something different.   I gave my 2 week notice to the market. They should be used to it as i've already worked there 3 different times. day people will say what happened to that old guy that won't go away? while the the kids at night will be happy there is no one swearing and throwing shit at them. Then they'll cry as they will realize they now actually have to work, hee-hee. My brother continues to have a hard time with hiking the same trail, the same way again. I'd love to go south, but will never be able to wait to july to start. Having enough trouble waiting to mid-march. i told him i need a financial backer and perhaps i could just yo-yo when i hit big K and head south. In the spring there are only so many places one can go. Besides, who says this isn't just getting me in shape to make a run at the PCT in 2006. Oop's did i say that? i still have to quit my other job one of these days. i'm completely stoked that James Kinney a fellow mid-marcher might bring chutes & ladders the game, yeah baby! Well thats enough babbling for me today. i may even post my mail drops later today. hike happy!"Some people walk in the rain...others just get wet" -miller
Date: 2005-02-28
To: probably the last prep?
Miles today: 0.0

Turns out that no amount of guinness or for that matter physics could help me stuff my apartment into my closet like storage area. i was pretty tired when i rented it a few days before and thought sure plenty of room. so i still sit in my apartment. The bigger storage area will cost twice as much. It's like i'm looking for ways to throw my money away.      Sadly, i'm going to miss Rusty's annual canoe & brew. It's always the last weekend of april, which in wisconsin can be entertaining. You pay $20 and that buys you a highly collectable t-shirt and all the beer you can carry with you. With a little imagination, this can be quite a bit. You meet at the bar in the morning and fill what ever you can find with beer that won't sink your kayak or canoe. Milk jugs seem to be the norm, though last year one of our friends had one of those big orange mcdonalds coolers. The year before 2 of my friends which will remain nameless showed up without and jugs. So they dig through the dumster and rinse out one of those mayonasise jars. i think i got salmonella just listening to the story. Anyway, to get to the drop site you sit on picnic table atop trailers being towed by a tractor. There's a keg on board so you don't have to waste the beer for your trip. You crawl up the highway, which must be quite the sight at 10am. One of those only in wisconsin moments. When you arrive all thats left is getting in the water without tipping. This is no sandy beach. It's a drop off that even when sober can be tricky. Last year the temperature was a balmy 35 degrees. one of our friends zeek (that's really his nickname) was completely hammered and promptly fell in not once , but twice before we even got going. I was cold just watching. Some of more responsible folk are thinking: is it such a good idea to mix liquor with river rapids? i'm thinkin' probably not, but surprisingly that never comes up. The whole trip on a normal day takes 2 to 3 hours. On canoe & brew it takes all day. There are hundreds of drunk people in canoes & kayaks (a significant portion can't operate them sober) jamming into rapids all at once. The half way point there are yet more kegs, brats, & fires to warm up. It's then back into the river and on to the bar for yet more drinking. There is a good mix of coed's & nudity. Just about everyone gets wet. good times all around i will miss it terribly. This of course has absolutely nothing to do with the trail.       Still planning to leave on St Patties Day. One other thing i guess i have to clear up. This will be an attempted thru-hike. I had been saying it wasn't and that if i got bored i run off and do something else. I've come full circle and plan to finish the trail. I'm still holding onto the option of hiking halfway and switching to the colorado trail. Well only 17 more days. " HOW OLD WOULD YOU BE? IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW OLD YOU ARE?"
Date: 2005-03-07
To: 10 more days
Miles today: 0.0

10 more days to go! this will be my last entry before i jump onto the trail. Not enough time left, never leave everything to the last minute. My brother decided at the last minute that he would indeed show up for canoecopia (a big canoe/kayak expo) so off to Madison for 3 days. i'll get some last minute shopping done anyway. The only thing i have yet to do is find a way down to georgia. Thinkin' flying is the way to go, but may drive. Either way i'll be in alanta early morning on the 17th. The professor & his wife have taken the day off. hoping to get to three forks the first night. The only change i have made is that i may push past hiawassie and resupply in franklin, NC. I part ways with professor at neels gap where his wife will meet us. i'll just resupply there.      My last day at the market was yesterday. Went to the bar at 7am for a few beers with friends. Is that to early? Tried to quit my other job, but my boss/owner has moved to Milwaukee without telling me. Guess i won't feel too bad about running into the woods.    Have to thank wyatt for the happy little map in which you can follow several of us up the trail. i'm orange and won't start moving until march 17th. i think that's about it?
Date: 2005-03-14
To: ready to go i think?
Miles today: 0.0

3 days left. Bullfoon, who i met on the approach trail in '99 and hiked most of the AT with has volunteered to do my transcribing. He'll even upload my photos, quite exciting. I'll let him introduce himself and he will no doubt add his own thoughts in here & there (that whole artistic freedom thing). I will however deny whatever he says Canoecopia was a blast! davey just cannot be trusted to go to these places. Now not only do i need to figure out how to support my hiking habit, i've added kayaking to the list. I have a kayak i toy around on the lakes with, but thinkin' of raisin' the bar. My brother mike has been doing it since my '99 hike and has been to alaska twice, newfoundland, and is now debating siberia. Canoecopia which is put on by rutabaga's is just a big canoe/kayak convention. It last 3 days and has a wide variety of speakers & a whole mess of vendors. Anyway, there were a fair number of backpacking vendors there. Big angnes, granite gear, msr, kelty, brunton, patagonia, smartwool etc... i almost went light weight. Soooo..... close! i would have dropped to a 3lb tent & 3lb pack. In the end i decided i wanted my money for the trail, but it was tempting. My pack with food & water came to 45lbs: still need to add the guinness. Sadly food and water are roughly 16lbs & the pack & tent are 12lbs, which leaves 17lbs for every thing else sleeping pad, stove, clothes, ditty bags. The bright side is it's 20lbs less than my last thru hike. How can one have so much light stuff yet be so heavy? Well, rome wasn't built in a day..though did it fall in one? hmmm.... I'm sure i would of disappointed too many if i switched to lighter gear. Think of it as one last stand. Parents can point at me and say: "look kids that's how they used hike in the old days" Then they'll poke me with sticks and call me names Where the hell was i? I fly out thursday morning and start hiking with the professor by early afternoon. Plan to be at neels gap sometime sunday, though death could slow me down. From there i'm going to franklin, nc. which will be my first mail drop. I plan to resupply when professor gets picked up at neels. He sounds quite excited, just hope the weather clears up. I have almost completely bailed on my idea of hopping over to the colorado trail in late june, almost. Oh my god, i almost forgot, there is a quaker steak & lube in wisconsin! We used to drink at the one sharon pennsylvania when there was only one. I knew there were 2 in erie pa, but had no idea they were popping up all over. Huge beers & hot wings and crazy busy. good times, hike happy!
Date: 2005-03-17
From: Springer Mtn

To: Three Forks Campsite
Miles today: 4.1

Day 1Happy St. Patty¢s Day! Where to start. The flight was ho-hum. Woke at 4am flew on a puddle jumper at 6am. I didn¢t know they built planes that small. I had a one way ticket which entitled me to special treatment. They go through everything you own. I don't mind all the security, but i'm pretty sure the terrorist had round trip tickets. My Milwaukee to Atlanta flight was delayed due to weather. When I finally did land it was bloody cold out. Went to REI via the train, bought another Patagonia midweight and met up with Professor. Piled my gear in to his suv and stopped by his house. i quickly threw all my gear into my pack. Just once i'd like to start the AT without scrambling around, maybe next year. Picked up his wife and we were off. No Approach Trail this year. Up US42 into a cloud, ice everywhere. We actually drove right by the trailhead cause we couldn¢t see it.After backtracking the professor and I were off straight up Springer Mtn. Up top a balmy 33°. My pack is bloody heavy. I¢m sure it has nothing to do with the Guinness or bag of Oreo¢s. As we head for Three Forks I realize that this is right where I left off in ¢99. It was cold, wet, & dark. Yep, night hiking on the first day. We had to go sans headlamps. Everytime we turned them on they reflected off the cloud we were walking through. We set up camp at Three Forks in the dark and in the rain/snow. Despite the snow, cold, & rain it¢s good to be back. It seems like just yesterday I was out here. The Professor would make a fine addition to F-Troop. Too cold to write anymore
Date: 2005-03-18
From: Three Forks Campsite

To: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 2What a difference a day or in this case a night can make. Sunshine everywhere, but where we camped of course. My tent was frozen solid or at least the fly was. It was still 33° out the same temp as when I went to sleep, though last night inside my tent was 56°. Anyway an absolutely beautiful day with high in the 50¢s.My 50lb pack felt good this morning as we headed over Hawk Mtn to the shelter. The one mountain that I do remember from 1999 was Sassafrass and it didn¢t disappoint. It didn¢t break me, but I don¢t bend like I used to. To borrow a Bullfoon term brutal!When we got to the gap we were running low on water and had 2 miles to go. Funny, I remember doing the same thing in ¢99, slow learning curve I guess. So we practiced our yogi techniques on a Boy Scout troop unloading at the gap. We got water and fruit. It was a slow crawl to gooch. Professor has now been dubbed ¢Almost There¢ as his new trail name. This comes from him always saying we are almost there. Another hiker question what almost there meant in his world. When we got to gooch there was only one tent site left and the shelter looked full. This was odd, because we only saw four people on the trail today. Yep, mid March and the A.T. to ourselves. So we jam our two tents on to one site.We set up camp and joined everyone at the fire. A colorful group of people. I forgot some names let¢s see there was Capt. Chaos the name speaks for itself. Bullfoon, think of a younger version of Orion, not as bad, almost comical. Also there was Dave, Art, Doc, Stovepipe, her sister Willa, Grey Walrus & Pathfinder, and some people out for the weekend. I think Maddog was camped at Justus Creek and Bottoms Up moved on to the gap. Both were carrying packs smaller than my food bag. I think Professor (Almost There) is having a good time. His pack is heavier then mine, this makes me happy together we make the perfect hiker. I motor up hills and crawl down he crawls up and motors down. It been great hiking with him. You never know what to expect when meeting on-line. Perhaps I¢ll give on-line dating a whirl when I¢m done? I¢d like to thank my parents for being so understanding or at least pretending to understand. I couldn¢t do this without their help. After my ¢99 hike I knew exactly what I wanted from life. When it didn¢t work out I was a bit lost, being there was no back up plan. Can¢t cry over things you can¢t control, life is to short. All is good now I like to think. I wish I could remember the llama, llama, duck song no matter happy to be out here.
Date: 2005-03-19
From: Gooch Gap Shelter

To: Goose Creek Cabins 
Miles today: 15.6

Day 3 Wow! Mileage is not a misprint. It didn¢t start out as a crazy long day. We left Gooch Shelter a little after 8am. We had a 12-mile day planned as ¢Almost There¢ had to get to Neels Gap Sunday afternoon. Also the closest shelter was 12 miles away. The 1st 5 miles went quickly to Wood Gap where a major hwy passed. There were a ton of people, cars, bikes it was crazy. In 1999 it was raining and I think there was one truck with a broken window here. After an 12 hour break we hoofed over Big Cedar Mtn & Granny Top to a spring in a gap below about 3 miles where we had lunch. Still feeling great we start off the reaming 4 miles to the shelterLast night Willa I think Stovepipes sister had a bear hanging song and we¢ve been kicking ourselves all day long for not remembering it or to write it down. All we remember is ¢Grrrr.. and to put our paws in the air¢ Willa was flying back to New Mexico to school so were hoping she¢ll read one of our journals and right down the song for us On our way to the shelter shortly after lunch Almost There¢s knee started to hurt. It got worse the further we went. We reached the shelter trail at 4pm. It was a 12 mile off the AT so we elect to push on a 12 mile to Slaughter Creek tent sites. It was off coursed bloody cold out. Almost There wasn¢t sure he could walk in the morning if we stayed. So up and over Blood Mtn into Neels Gap before dark, a whopping 15.6 miles. Up Blood Mtn was easy, but down was a bxtch. Upon arrival we called Goose Creeks Cabins and had some of Maddogs pizza while we waited. Soon we were whisked away to our cabin, then quickly to restaurant before it closed. The food was great and we had a sweet southern talking waitress, I may never leave. Almost There seemed to be hurtin¢, sore knee & a huge blister.PS. - this is for Timmy MEP!
Date: 2005-03-20
From: Goose Creek Cabins 

To: Goose Creek Cabins 
Miles today: 0.0

Day 4 For fear that I may be kicked out of F-Troop due to my high mileage days I took a zero already. I know, I know, but it was a productive one. I showed up at Mountain Crossing around 11am. (Outfitter at Walasi-Yi Center in Neels Gap). My intentions were to buy a lighter tent and look at packs. I¢m way to heavy this trip. The tent was easy I went with the Seedhouse one by Big Agnes 3lbs my old tent was 5 lbs. I then went with a new pack by mystery Ranch called ¢deep trance¢ (the works) 4lbs send my old Dana pack that I used in ¢99 back home 7lbs +. I also bought a pair of Croc¢s 8oz; send home my 2lb Chaco sandals. All in all I think I save 10lbs Almost bought Marmot Pounder plus a synthetic/down bag that weigh 2lb. I have a Mountain Smith down that weigh 2 lbs now and I am hoping I don¢t get it wet. Anyway I went to lunch with Almost There and his wife Erin. Absolutely great people glad I meet them. Hope to see them again. Now it will be lonely all by myself I am here at Goose Creek with Grey Walrus, Dave, Art and Pathfinder. Doc and Maddog kept moving. I think Capt Choas is chillin¢ at the hostel with Shin Splints? Crazy kid has been hiking way to fast. I also met some great past thru-hikers at the outfitters and have unfortunately forgot their names, my bad.
Date: 2005-03-21
From: Goose Creek Cabins 

To: Low Gap Shelter (tent)
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 5 Left Neels Gap with a new pack in tow. I sent 21lbs home and gained 7 or 8lbs of new equipment. So at 10am I started off toward Low Gap Shelter a little over 10 miles away. What a difference 13 lbs makes. I left with 3 days food and water weighing in at just less than 37lbs. The back of my right calf hurt, but my theory is walk on it until it falls off or I have to cut it off which isn¢t likely.Sprinkled here and there and was overcast the whole day. Pretty easy trail up until Tesnatee Gap someone renamed it testicile gap. Wow what a climb. Had an interesting talk with a day hiker who told me about the gap to gap bike race. It was a little hard to believe this guy biked much less raced. He was a short, older, not so in shape fellow. Never the less he made for interesting conversation, especially since he didn't chop me up into little pieces and put me in his trunk. The scenery for the most part is bare trees, but pretty just the same. Those of you that think the A.T. is too crowded I spent the whole day by myself only running into 2-day hikers. At the shelter I forgot most peoples names. Capt Chaos was there always entertaining. He knows the guy who named the color Fuchsia. A brother and sister from Louisiana were at Gooch Gap too. Grey Walrus, Pathfinder, Blazer (Art) & Dave were all tented up from the shelter where I was. There is also a father and son section hiker here.Tomorrow we have crazy severe storms heading this way with hail and tornados predicted. I¢m thinking I¢ll be in Helen Georgia tomorrow; the section hikers are heading out I¢ll hitch with them. I think everyone is going to hunker down at Blue Mountain Shelter. In ¢99 we went threw some crazy stuff so if I can get in town I will.
Date: 2005-03-22
From: Low Gap Shelter 

To: Helendorf Inn, Helen Gap 
Miles today: 9.4

Day 6 Well I broke my tent already. I pulled off one of the tent stake loops, an important one at that. So into Helen I must go! We stopped by Blue Mountain Shelter and the wind was brutal. The storms weren¢t even here yet. For reasons only known to the local trail crew, blue mountain shelter is facing directly into the wind. Turns out everyone would head down to the gap. The trail today was pretty easy I dare say. Still i manage to slip on my way down. Capt. Chaos caught me, something i may not ever live down. Just above my ankle has been killing me and I don¢t know why?We all got to the gap Grey Walrus, Pathfinder, and Matt Hitched in via dump truck. The rest of us crossed over and chatted with Buzzsaw who is giving out Trail Magic. He has soda, chips, candy, moleskin, & most important a ride 10 miles into town. So 9 hikers, packs and 2 dogs cram into the back of a pick-up. It was a harrowing ride down a curvy road. The wheels made a sound as though they were about to give up and you could smell the brakes the whole way. I was in the unfortunate position that allowed me too see the up coming curves. Blazer could tell by the faces i was making what was coming next. The last one was, "that can't be good". Happily we rolled into Helen alive with legs soundly asleep. We shacked up at the Helendorf Inn. Blazer, Dave, Capt. Chaos, Dave & Lisa, & me. Those of you future Thru-hikers may I recommend stopping at Helen and skipping Hiawassee or maybe skipping neels gap. Perhaps stop at all three. Cheap hotels, bars and restaurants, & full service grocery. It is only 2 days out of Neels though. Went to Wendy¢s, library, grocery and the bar. Oh I called the outfitter at Neels Gap and now have to hoof to Hiawassee for my new tent. They gave me a choice between another big agnes or an MSR hubba. I stuck with the Agnes and i don't know why. It¢s been pouring rain since we got here.