morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-27
From: Niday Shelter

To: Trout Creek
Miles today: 8.9

Thursday, 27 July, Niday Shelter to Trout Creek (8.9 miles)When I went for water down a blue-blazed trail the evening before the knees were a problem. I returned for water in the morning and they didn¢t feel much better. Knees were to be the theme for the day. I descended to Craig Creek, noting the stream¢s clarity, and began the hard climb up Brush Mountain in the sun. It was 79 degrees by 10 a.m., so the coolness of the days before was going. There was a bench at the ridge level, which I took advantage of, and a forest road ran along the top of the mountain. I failed to blue-blaze up to the Audie Murphy monument, or to backtrack when I realized my mistake. Descending Brush Mountain I was experiencing pain in the right knee. There were lizards everywhere. I began looking for a view of Cove Mountain and the Dragon¢s Tooth. A squall came up and I covered my pack, but it was gone after a quick splatter. I continued hobbling and, by the time I reached the road below, I knew the game was up. I went over to look at Trout Creek and all of its ¢No Trespassing¢ signs and then started up the ¢light use¢ road to the secondary road which would take me to 311 and Catawba. I was apparently entering her farm when Judy Hopkins stopped and offered to drive me to the top of McAfee Knob. I told her I had a bad knee and was trying to walk out to Catawba. She told me it would be three miles along the secondary road before I reached 311. I set out this way, noting an Israeli flag flying from a small house and wondering what new trouble I had made for myself. Walking a hard road on a summer¢s afternoon poses new problems. But Judy came back and picked me up and took me all the way into Salem to the Holiday Inn. She was going to town anyway, and, because her daughter is a hiker, has a soft spot for such as me. I will always be grateful for that strong dose of Trail Magic. I washed my clothes in the Holiday Inn¢s laundry room and wore my clean trail clothes down to the empty restaurant for a burger and Guinness. In between I spoke with Lee and with my mother. I had booked the room for two nights. Except in the morning my mother called to say it silly for me to sit there when she could get me. We had lunch on the Radcliffe campus and then drove on out to Smith Mountain Lake, where she lives. The next day she dropped me off at the airport, where I picked up Lee and together we picked up a rental car. And with that our four-day visit commenced.
Date: 2008-07-14
From: Rte. 311

To: Catawba Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 2.0
Weather: clear sky

Having achieved my original reasonable goal of walking from Trout Creek to Rte. 311, I was glad to have already persuaded Lee and my mother to attempt an assault on McAfee Knob. They were as enthusiastic as I could hope them to be and we set out for the Rte. 311 parking lot early on this Monday morning. All three of us had our hats and poles, and Lee was wearing her Dunham Wafflestompers which she had bought two years before and never used. The ascent would be reasonably gentle for the first two miles and then require a 1000-foot gain in a mile and a half. But we knew going into it that it would be easy to avoid this climb if necessary. I think we thoroughly enjoyed this hike, although we walked out the fire road that crossed just beyond Catawba Mountain shelter. My mother, Mary Appler, is in her mid-seventies and while she as been doing very strenuous things with a wheelbarrow at home, she was having trouble catching her breath on inclines. So we didn¢t see McAfee Knob, but the two of them had a beautiful place to walk in and did get more of taste of trail culture. Both already had the experience of supporting AT hikes, both my 2004 and 2006 walks and my niece¢s (¢60¢s¢) 2005 hike from Springer to the James River. But they had not been on the trail itself. They had never been in a shelter, or talked to thru-hikers like ¢Lonestar¢ and ¢Grizzly,¢ who were pushing off from the John Spring Shelter when we arrived. They also got to talk to an aging trail maintainer, and they had the experience of dealing with AT privies. We had a nice lunch at Catawba Mountain Shelter in great weather, and the walk back along the fire road was interesting, both because of its proximity to the Catawba Mountain cliffs and because of other rocks, flora, and fauna which we could investigate. I thought we were going to lose my mother to on-coming traffic crossing Rte. 311, but we were soon back at her house on Smith Mountain Lake recuperating.Next year I don¢t know whether Lee and I will re-do this walk and push on for Rte. 220, or whether I will skip this section for now and spend seven to eight days (including a zero day for fishing Jennings and North creeks) getting from Rte. 220 to the James River.
Date: 2004-01-10
To: Getting Anxious
Miles today: 0.0

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off your bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. -Mark TwainHello Everyone. My name is Brad Johnson and my trailname is Pickle.   My girlfriend Holli is hiking with me and we are super stoked about getting out there. Her trailname is Peanut and so we'll be Pickle & Peanut. She's pictured on the next page. We're going to try to keep an online journal throughout our hike.We would love for you guys to sign our guestbook so that we know people are thinking about us during our hike. The way this journal is going to work is that I am going to mail journal entries and film to my parents. What will happen is that nothing will be written in the journal until my parents receive my postage and they type the entries in. The film will get to my parents later than the entries, unless we take a lot of pictures. So make sure you check back from time to time and look at the pictures that get put on the journal entries afterwards. Right now we aren't doing much preparation other than getting a few things here and there, but doing more fundraising. I'm coming up short of my goal so I am trying to find work whereever I can. I am working 3 jobs to try to come up with some money.We are still deciding when we are going to start, but I think we are both sort of pushing for Feb. 7, 2004. We are so anxious to get out there that the thought of waiting another week is killing us. I am a little worried that we are going to be miserable, but I think once we get out there, we'll learn how to adapt. The AT is one of those things that you have to just get out there and do it and learn from your mistakes. OK, So my next page is dedicated to all the questions that I tend to get from people in my hometown of Statesville, NC. They don't really understand why anyone wants to hike from Georgia to Maine. I just graduated from Appalachian State University and people from Statesville don't understand why I'm not starting the "real world" just yet. I'm trying to figure out how to never start the real world, but that's probably not a good plan. My purpose for life right now is to travel and see the world. I think there's a way to do that while being in the real world. OK, I'm going to start the next page so you guys can see Peanut. I think that's such a funny name.
Date: 2004-01-10
To: Q & A
Miles today: 0.0

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. --Helen KellerQ: Are you going to bring a gun?A: This question makes me laugh. The first thing I think when I hear this is who am I going to shoot? I couldn't imagine carrying an extra 10lbs so I can shoot stuff.Q: Are you going to send maildrops of food?A: I don't know about you, but I couldn't imagine preparing for meals for 5-6 months. I think we are just going to wing it and find food along the way at gas stations and campgrounds. We are going to be eating crap for 6 months, but we won't have to figure out where we're going to be all the time.Q: Aren't you going to get tired of being with somebody for that long?A: I hope not, I think it is absolutely wonderful to experience all the things that we're about to experience with someone else. Peanut is amazing and I think we can work things out. We just got to learn how to travel at each other's paces. Q: Are you bringing a cellphone?A: I don't know if bringing a cellphone is a bad idea, but I hate thinking about having a phone out in the middle of the wilderness. Also, I don't know where you would recharge if you did bring one. Q: Why are you leaving so early, isn't it going to be cold?A: Yes, it is going to be very cold. I'm leaving early because I am a high school mathematics teacher and I have to be back by the end of July. If we leave on Feb. 7th, then we can average 13 miles a day. So when you figure 0-mile days, we'll have to hike about 16-17 miles each day we hike.Q: Why do you want to be out in the woods that long, who you going to hang out with, the squirrels?A: Ummm...
Date: 2004-01-10
To: North Carolina
Miles today: 0.0

There are only two ways to live your life. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is. -Albert EinsteinI'm born and bred in NC and I really like living here. I think NC has great opportunities here. One thing that is really cool is that we got mountains, foothills, and the beach. And one more thing, the Outer Banks. And with all the great colleges around, I consider this a superb state!
Date: 2004-01-14
To: Pre-Hiking
Miles today: 0.0

It is not the length of life, but the depth of life.Peanut and I are a little worried about hiking in the winter time. I hope that we will be an encouragement to other thru-hikers who are starting in March. February 7th is going to be very cold and we are a little worried about it. Thankfully, we went to school in Boone, NC and we sort of know what we're up against. But then again, it is going to be much colder on top of mountains running along the AT than on Boone.We've been doing little hikes here and there to try to prepare, but I don't think that there's a whole lot you can do other than just get out there and go. One of the hikes we did in December was on top Stone Mountain, NC. It's only a 4 mile hike, but it's probably my favorite hiking trail. Last weekend we went up on the parkway near Grandfather Mountain to do a little hiking with our friend Andy. The parkway was closed, but we could get to a parking area where we hiked about 2 miles to the Viaduct. The Viaduct is an amazing overpass that curves around the mountains. Many pictures displaying the parkway use the viaduct. We had a great little adventure hiking through the snow and passing by many icicles and iced-up waterfalls. We also climbed up on the this big rock to get a good view of all the scenery around us. Peanut got to work on her rock-climbing skills (we kind of think that we're going to be rock climbers one day). The trip was a blast and we got to get a taste of hiking on snow and ice.
Date: 2004-01-20
To: Departure from Great Friends
Miles today: 0.0

The only normal people are the ones you don't know real well.-Alfred AdlerThis weekend was kind of a sad weekend for me. Over the past five years, I've been hanging out with a special group of friends that have shared many adventures with me. We've done everything from canoeing to islands, backpacking in the Smokies, climbing fire towers in the middle of winter, to just hanging out and enjoying one another's company. This weekend we went to an annual (MLK) mountain house stay in West Jefferson, NC. This weekend will be the last time I am going to see some of my best friends for many years. We have all just graduated college and going on our separate travels. By the time I am going to get back from the A.T., Adam will have joined the peace corps and JD will begin teaching English in China. I know that the older you get, the more you get used to leaving your friends, but I still find it sad. I think we are all going to live adventurous lives and I'm very thankful that I have friends like these. These guys have taught me how to make every moment of my life special and I am going to miss them. I can't wait to see them in a few years and discuss all the things that we've learned and places we've seen. I don't say this with everybody, but I truly think that we'll remain friends through old age and I wish them the best of luck.
Date: 2004-01-26
To: Fun in the Snow
Miles today: 0.0

In the end, it's not the years of your life that count, it's the life of your years. -Abraham LincolnIt has been snowing and sleeting here in NC over the past couple of days. It was sort of a reality check to what it will probably be like up on the mountain.Peanut and I both tried out our new traction slip-ons and they work well. It is so icy here that I skiied down my driveway in my boots. I started to spin backwards and landed in the yard without any catastrophies. I put on my traction slip-ons and I could walk down the driveway comfortably without the fear of sliding. I just hope that the device doesn't fall apart.I have been doing things here and there to prepare for my hike. I've made a list of things to do, while doing other things such as waterproofing my boots, packing up my things, making a pile for my mail-drops, etc. I've also been reading up on my Wilderness First Responder books about hypothermia, bug bites, lightning strikes, frost bite, snake bites, and some other things. The book is entitled "Medicine for the Backcountry" by Tilton and Hubbell and has a lot of useful knowledge about medicine, especially Wilderness Med. I packed my backpack without food and water and it is going to weigh around 30lbs. I think that is reasonable because up to now, I had no idea. It will be nice when it gets warmer and I'll be able to mail home some of the excess weight. I am so ready to get out there. I'm glad I'm one of the first people to start because I am so anxious. I remember the first time I was introduced to the AT. I was a junior in high school and I was going on a Young Life trip to Frontier Ranch in Colorado. The two hosts at the camp had hiked the AT right after college and I remember thinking how crazy it was for someone to do that. Now here I am, 5 1/2 years later, fresh out of college, following the same path as others. I am very thankful for all the support everyone has given us. I am pretty sure it is against our moms' best wills for us to hike, but they have both found it in their hearts to be excited about our hike. And our dads have pretty much let us know that they will help out in any way they can to make our hike possible. This has really touched us and we're more than thankful for their generosity. I'm thrilled that we have proud parents that support us. We love you!
Date: 2004-02-03
To: Less Than A Week
Miles today: 0.0

The fact that we are getting ready to begin our journey is becoming very real to me now. Yesterday was my last day at the YMCA and it was sad to say goodbye to all the special people I've met in the 5 or so months that I have worked there. I also had my last day on Friday at my other job as a salesgirl at a local department store. Both of my jobs have given me the opportunity to meet some exceptional people with amazing stories of their own. I hope this will be one of the great stories of my life that I can share with others. Everyone seems to have an opinion about our trip. I know most of the comments come from genuine love and concern. We are very lucky to have people who care so much for us--especially our wonderful families! Everyone wants us to 'be safe' which I can assure them that we will do. I've heard several times that we are starting too early, and we'll be too cold. Yes, we will definitely be cold. I'm sure we will find ways to deal with this as we go along. I've also had several people question my own ability to hike and I simply try to ignore this and use it as a motivational tool for the hike. I don't think they are trying to tear me down, but it probably just surprises them that I am going for this. I definitely have started to feel the nervousness creeping up on me this week, but also the excitement. We are both just ready to get out there and get started instead of thinking about any of the additional gear we 'need' for our trip. There was a while there where I wanted to just buy every little thing to help us on our trip, but Pickle helped bring me back to reality and realize that there are people who hiked the same thing with a lot less, and they did just fine. Appalachian Trail....here we come! 4 more days . . .
Date: 2004-02-03
To: Final Preparations
Miles today: 0.0

Wow, the time is getting close to starting. I've come to my senses and realized that I need a 0 degree bag and the Yaktrax traction device slip-ons are not worth much because they easily break. So I have recently purchased a zero degree bag from Campmor for about $70 and bought some better traction devices by Surefoot at $20/pair. The traction device by Yaktrax has already broken. I used it to shovel ice off my driveway and in the process, one of the straps broke. I guess it is better now to discover that the footwear is a piece than on the trail. I just read Stanimal's trailjournal and it has made me very excited and relieved. He didn't seem to complain about the ice at all and I worry about slipping everyday. Because really, I could slip and break something and my trip and all my planning would be done for. It has been icy in Statesville, which is just north of Charlotte, so I know that it is going to be icy on top of Springer.I visited my friends from Raleigh one last time before getting on the trail in just 4 days. My friend Adam is a friend that everyone should have in their lives. It is always very special for me to spend time with him, especially when I know I am not going to see him in several years. He's a person that I've connected with on a spiritual level and I would doubt that many people have others that they can truly say that about. It's hard to see him go on his journey to the Peace Corps, but I am very excited for him as well.I don't think it has hit me yet that in just a few days, I am no longer going to have a bed, no longer going to have running water, no longer going to be working, no longer going to be able to drive down the road whenever I need to get somewhere . . . the list goes on. I think the two things that I am going to miss the most are music and running water. I have taped song lyrics to my Nalgene bottle of my favorite songs so Peanut doesn't have to hear the same lyrics over and over again of songs that I cannot remember. And for running water, ummm, I don't think there's much you can do.Well, Peanut and I probably won't write in here 'til right before we get on the trail. What an adventure we're about to experience! We'll keep you posted . . . until then . . . almost 3 days until we start!
Date: 2004-02-06
To: Last Night
Miles today: 0.0

We left home today and came to Atlanta to stay at my sister's house for the night. First thing in the morning we're going to head to Waffle House for a big, pre-hike breakfast and then up to Amicalola Falls State Park to get started. We feel like we've done about all the preparation we can--even though our packs seem heavier than we might want them to be. I am definitely going to miss my family a lot. I am happy that we can spend time together before our send-off--especially since my sister is pregnant with my first niece! Despite all the jitters, we are ready to get out there and start our Appalachian Trail adventure.   Tomorrow, we plan to drive to the falls and start the approach trail there and camp at the Springer Mountain or Stover Creek Shelter depending on how we feel. Our next entry will most likely be next week. Our first stop off the trail will be at Neel's Gap. Until next time.....
Date: 2004-02-07
From: Amicalola Falls

To: Stover Creek Shelter ( 1*)
Miles today: 2.5
Weather: overcast clouds

WOW! What a day! Started at Peanut's sister's house in Atlanta at a cozy 70.9F. There won't be any waking up at that temperature anymore. The first thing we did was eat at Waffle House. Now, let me tell you, this isn't an ordinary Waffle House,this is the original Waffle House. They even had a plaque on the wall.Then off to Amicalola Falls we go. This was a very interesting drive with Peanut's brother-in-law going around curves at high speeds. Peanut began to get sick, but nothing drastic. We made it to the visitor's center at Amicalola Falls where we registered at the front desk and weighed our packs. My pack weighed in at 46 lbs. and Peanut's at 45 lbs. They are heavy, but not so bad at this time of year. (The weight included food and water).We talked to a friendly hiker named Jack White. Peanut made some adjustments on her pack. Then, we drove up to the falls where we said our goodbyes to Peanut's family. Peanut got emotional, but she wasn't as bad as I thought she might get.Now we're on our way up the approach trail to Springer Mountain. The temperature is pretty cold and it even begins to snow. And then it snowed, and snowed, and snowed some more. The snow wasn't heavy, but consitent. It took us the better part of the day to get to Springer and when we got there, we spent about 5 minutes at the top. At this point, the temp is about 25F and windy. We happily hiked down the mountain where we were protected from wind. We made our goal in the amount of miles to do, and we plan to do more tomorrow.My left knee is bothering me some from the cold, but I'm hoping it will get better when it gets warmer. Should be a cold night and I'm ready to climb in my 0 F sleeping bag. Until next time. . . .
Date: 2004-02-08
From: Stover Creek Shelter ( 1*)

To: Gooch Gap Shelter (5-*****)
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: clear sky

Woke up to 19F this morning, but the new sleeping bags worked well. Took some advice from Peanut's brother-in-law, and a section hiker, and put my water bag behind my back. I had a hard time with it freezing over yesterday. We headed on our way and I had a little bit of trouble with my knee. I tried Peanut's knee brace, but it is more of a nerve problem than muscle problem. The sun was out today and made the day much warmer than yesterday. We finally got to see the views that we missed on Springer.Peanut had a rough time today hiking because she didn't eat and drink enough, but she was fine at the end of the day. My knee got better as I warmed up, but I had cramps in my thighs near the end of our hike. We're still getting into shape.We passed a trail maintainer today. The way the AT gets kept up is that there are groups of people who have sections they are responsible for in maintaining so that we can have a more enjoyable hike. They cut down fallen trees and blaze the trail, etc.We made it to Gooch Gap Shelter around 5:30 where we were encountered by other thru-hikers. Our first thru-hikers we've met. The shelter is full, which is odd at this time of year. We enjoy the company. Three of the guys are from Canada and 2 are natives. We're getting ready to sit by the fire, so I will talk to you all next time. . . . .