morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-04-08
From: Mooreland Gap Shelter

To: Kincora Hiking Hostel
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: overcast clouds

One month on the trail already, and I could think of no better place to celebrate than at Kincora Hiking Hostel. This is definitely one of the best hostels on the trail, and the owner, Bob Peoples, goes way far out of his way to help hikers. He drove us to the nearest town to resupply and get some fresh food; a couple of us made hamburgers.The hostel filled up that night; I guess there was a large group of hikers stacked right behind me, so it was nice to meet some new faces, as well as run into a lot of hikers I had met in Erwin.I had planned on three days to get to Damascus, but my parents had sent me a huge maildrop. Not only was it filled with all the food I had requested, but my parents had thrown in a lot of Easter candy. Afterall, I was a few days ahead of my trip schedule. I had such a hard time parting with any food, so I packed most of it, even though it was way more than I needed, so I carried a fairly heavy pack between Kincora and Damascus.
Date: 2004-04-11
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Damascus
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

The exceedingly good weather of the past few days was now yielding, and I didn't trust any of the clouds one bit. I made haste to get to Damascus The trail was mainly flat or downhill down into town, so the walking was fairly easy. Mouse activity in the shelter was high last night; just as I was going to sleep, I felt a mouse walk right across my face!      When I started off in the morning, it started to sprinkle. About an hour later, it started to rain, and hard. At 9, I officially entered Virginia. Only a few more miles into town. I was racing through the rain, and I neglected to put on a raincoat, since I would get wet whether I had it on or not, but the rain was quite cold, and I found myself getting rather cold and stiff.      As I approached town, the bells from all the churches (and there are many of them in Damascus) rang out their sweet music which resonated into every hollow and between every tree. It pierced the rain, and inspired me onward. Shortly after 10, on Easter Sunday, I arrived in town.      I immediately booked it for The Place, a hostel that one of the churches in town opened for AT hikers. I peeled off my wet clothes and took a warm shower. The hot water was certainly a stark contrast to the cold rains I had hiked through all morning.      I then set out to do the typical town chores, starting with finding something to eat, and then taking care of those other things, like laundry. At the Side Track Cafe, which I'm told is no longer in opperation, there was a huge meal prepared for thru-hikers, and we all sat down at a long table as one big family and had Easter Dinner. The trail certainly does bond people together, and I consider myself lucky to have spent Easter with such a great group of people.      After dinner we then stayed and watched the movie "Wrong Turn." It certainly was interesting to see Southerners crazier than Mousetrap...
Date: 2004-04-14
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: snow

sNOw! How could this happen again! I had left Damascus yesterday when it was raining, but the weather had cleared up significantly. The sun had come out again, and I was able to dry out my gear. As I approached the Lost Mountain Shelter, I could see the sky was clouding up, and it started to rain and thunderstorm again.I awoke this morning, to my suprise, to see about an inch or two of fresh snow on the ground. The air was cold, and we were at a low elevation. I was heading for the highest point in Virginia. I knew it was going to be cold. The trail climbed gently up to Whitetop Mt. Up here, the snow was nearly a foot deep, and the top of the mountain was a bald. Visibility was under 50 feet, and a strong, cold wind blew right across the open expanses. I was cold as all hell, and my hands were freezing. I was extremely careful to make sure I was still following the trail. The trail then headed back into the trees, but then came to a road crossing and headed up into an expansive grassy field. I could not see any trail markers through the thick fog, and I could not discern the trail from the hard packed foot of snow. The wind howled with incredible speed as I made my way carefully over the bald. I found the trail markers and hurried as fast as I could to get back into tree cover. As I walked along, the thought occured to me that my pack seemed rather light for having just left town yesterday, but then I realized - I was wearing every piece of clothing I was carrying with me! Up here, the trail traversed mainly conifers, and a river of water ran down the center of the trail. My feet were disasterously wet. The trail emerged into another clearing, and I stopped an leaned on my trekking poles as I watched two white tailed deer forage 20 meters away. I was flat out exhausted, and I rested for a few minutes. Surely the shelter must be around here somewhere? Well, if visability had been better, I would have seen that the shelter was about 100 meters away. The shelter had a loft, and although it was still quite early in the afternoon, I decided to hole up for the night. There were already several hikers up there who were huddled in their sleeping bags; I quickly unfurled my sleeping bag and huddled down. About an hour later, a search and rescue team arrived at the shelter. One of the other hikers was having a bout with hypothermia, and the team removed them. I thought of my own situation - my wet boots and socks, my inadequate sleeping bag, and I could only pray that the weather would break. Viscious winds howled and blew snow through cracks in the roof; other times, the wind rattled the shelter so that I believed the roof might fly off at any second.At around 5 pm, I went outside and was suprised to discover that all the clouds had broken; and I was also suprised to discover that the shelter had an excellent view now that blue sky replaced the thick fog. Yes, the night certainly was to be cold, and my boots were sure to freeze, but the improved weather lifted my spirits, and I was ready to tackle the Grayson Highlands.
Date: 2004-07-29
From: Monson

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I promised a lot of people I would start a trail journal once I got to Monson, ME, merely for the reason that I could be lazy and I would only have to update my journal twice. The last 2060 miles have been a blast, and I am looking foward to kicking back and savoring the 100 mile wilderness and reaching Katahdin, a destination that seemed so impossibly far away when I was standing on that first white blaze at Springer Mountain in Georgia. I'm zeroing at Shaw's tomorrow, and enjoying a relaxing day in the last trail town left. Time to go hike the last remaining miles.
Date: 2004-08-06
From: The Birches

To: Katahdin!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

On August 6th, 2004, at 8:45 AM, my thru-hike officially terminated at the last white blaze atop the mighty Katahdin. A threat of rain during the night kept me from summiting to see the sunrise at the top, but the weather held, and I left Katahdin Stream Campground at 5:45 AM. I absolutely loved the boulder scrambles, having to pull myself up over ledges, through narrow cracks in the rocks, and over eight foot high rock walls with one scant piece of rebar and an unstable handhold to conquer this mountain. When I reached the tableland, I was thoroughly exhausted, having done a 30 mile day only two days before to catch my dad (B-4 First Light), who section hiked the hundred mile wilderness with a two day headstart over myself.      After grabbing some snickers, I raced along over the flat terrain, past Thoreau Spring, onto the final mile of trail. Dark clouds hung just over the summit, and I ascended into the swirling mists. 100 meters from the top, the sign appeared out of the clouds, and I walked the last few blazes of the entire AT, and arrived at the summit only to be greeted by silence. I was alone, elated, and saddened at the same time. Now there was no place to walk but down.      I hung out at the summit for 3 and a half hours, and waited for all the other thru-hikers finishing that day to arrive at the top as well: Sauerkraut, Scorpion, Unfinished, Rainbow Bright, and the Wrens (Chris and Jenny). The weather cleared shortly after I arrived at the summit, the temperature warmed, and the views were excellent. I would not have wanted it any other way.      Thru-hiking the AT was a life-changing experience and I am extremely thankful to have had the opportunity to experience such a great trail that countless volunteers maintain as a labor of love, to have had the opportunity to hike with so many amazing people, and to have had the chance to live simply and lightly, free from the superficialities and hurried ways of the modern world.      I'd like to especially thank all of the people who in some way helped me along my journey, who gave me a ride into town, left sodas in a stream, or showed up with food when I was starving - you all certainly made this epic journey a little easier and a lot more enjoyable.      Well, I guess the sun has set on this adventure. In a few days I'll be back at school at Cornell University, but I will certainly never forget that for five months, I lived the dream, walked among the wilds, destroyed all you can eat buffets, and conquered the mighty Katahdin. Would I ever thru-hike again? Definitely yes - I'm thinking PCT - in 2007? Still have to get this pesky college thing out of the way first. Until then, congrats AT class of 2004!
Date: 2004-03-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hello everyone!It is my first time writing journal here. I thought that journal is a great way to remember how I prepare and conclude the hike of Appalachian Trail.   I am hitting the trail on March 22nd. I won't be writing much on journal but will add several good pictures taken before, during and after the hiking.About myself and my trail name. I am 32 years old deaf person from Arizona, originally from New England, (Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. To thru hike the Appalachian Trail is my long time dream. I never knew that there is a great website called WhiteBlaze.net until November when I was spending two months with my family. I felt bad for my dad who want to spend more time with me but instead, I spent a lot of time reading whiteblaze.net which gave me full confidence to thru hike the Appalachian Trail and decided to start either March or April.Until I got home in Arizona, One Leg asked me to join him for a company so I determined that March 22nd will be a start for me!I got some emails and private messagings from several whiteblaze.net members and one of them become a friend and a future hiking companion. His name is Scott Rogers, a.k.a. One Leg. He gave me a lot more of confidence in hiking the trail with his experience and strength.I spent time with my family in New England because I don't want them to complain that I put my hiking on AT as a priority over my family. So, they were very supportive and have complete faith in me and my long distance hike, even my father wanted to join but his health and knee problem will prevent him from joining.My friend, John Radovich, who is deaf and drive 18 wheelers for Northland Trucking Company, based in Phoenix, Arizona, begged me to join him for a long haul to Wisconsin. I joined him because it will be a great time with John before my departure for AT. I explained to him what AT is and how important it is to me.   He learned a lot about it. It was a great ride and got home in a week and half. What a good trip. While on the trip, I got the news that my ex roommate and a great friend of mine, Jamin Shannon got stroke and died a few days later. I will remember him during my long hike. Jamin will always be in my heart and my mind. Since a few days preparation, I put almost all stuff in storage, getting ready to clean up everything here. Will have a fundraising party Saturday night, March 13 for One Leg. On Sunday, will have a practice hike up Piestewa Peak a.k.a. Squaw Peak. A good and tough summit for me and to break in new hiking boot I purchased last Wednesday.Next week, I will have my hair nearly shaven. I will have picture taken for this journal. I had dental work almost done so that I can have a good and nice smile for camera along the trail.I want to thank my friend Kenny and Scott for letting me use his place to host a fundraising party. I will take picture of them and post it here before my flight to Alabama.I will write more this weekend and next week, also to post up several pictures of my trip with John, memory of Jamin Shannon, and hair cut!Flash Hand
Date: 2004-03-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

What a long weekend! This is my last weekend in Arizona. I will gonna miss the Arizona climate! The sunshine here have had given me a lot of warmth and prepare my spirits for the March 22 start!Saturday morning of March 13, I woke up, hustle to get dressed up and drove to my friend's place to watch One Leg's live interview on CNN but missed it by 5 minutes. I thought that it was going to be televised live at 9:45 eastern standard time, which is 7:45 Mountain time, but it was televised at 9:15am (est) and was very disappointed because I really want to see One Leg on TV. So, after that, I went to home to get dressed up for church. Our Seventh Day Adventist Christian worship on Saturday as its our Sabbath Day. I had missed church a lot of times because I am not a morning person. I, even got to church 10 minute late, and too late to give in a prayer paper for the safe of our (One Leg and I) a safe journey. My friends, George and Arlene Belser will take my prayer paper for me and have all of them pray for our safe journey this upcoming sabbath. I will be in Atlanta's church with deaf Pastor Jeff Jordan but having two churches pray for our safe journey will be great for us.After worship, I went home again and get myself ready for farewell fundraising party. The party was blast. Everyone have good time. I was giving away the Mardi Gras's St Patrick Day related stuff and toys for everybody. I also posted up a long vertical map of Appalachian Trail on the door, with almost everyone tried to learn what is Appalachian Trail, how long it is and how tough it would be. I explained to them that it might take 4 months for experienced thru hiker and 6 months for novice thru hiker to complete the AT. Also on southern terminus, the roller coaster, Pennsylvania Rocks, The Whites, 100 miles wilderness and, Mt. Katahdin.   The spectator become very interested to what I am talking about.   The party ended at 4AM after the schedule power outage due to maintenance, but we moved the party to different place for those people who want to stay alive and chattin. I really am very apprecriated for Kenny and Scott who let me use his place for the party. Thank to them very much! I hope they will read them! SO, the party officially ended at 6am, right after the earliest sunrise!Today, I am doing much relaxing as possible. I missed the memorial service for Jamin Shannon at 2pm because I thought it was 7pm. I felt so terrible because I want to be there and spend the sympathy and sorrow time with my friends and Jamin's friend too. I will be gonna miss him dearly.Tomorrow, I will be doing some gears shopping, and probably a warm up practice hike up Piestewa Peak up in Phoenix.
Date: 2004-03-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hey friends!Now, the hiking days are around the corner. Its getting here faster. I had done some shopping yesterday. I will do the last shopping tomorrow. I also will have a hair cut and dentist visit. Tomorrow will be my last night using my computer and on online because I have to put my computer in storage. I can't have any access to storage before 6am in the Friday morning because that time, I will be waiting for plane to Birmingham, Alabama. From there, I will have a greyhound bus ride from Birmingham to Atlanta.   I will be in Atlanta Friday night at 11pm.   My friend, Pastor Jeff Jordan, will be picking me up. Saturday, we will have a sabbath worship at his Seventh Day Adventist Church. I am looking forward to make new deaf friends there.I will feel funny about going to his church because, I am getting to Atlanta with just backpacking, outdoor clothes, and there is no proper clothing at church but I am sure everyone will understand. Jeff Jordan will be dropping me off at Amicalola State Park. That is where my heart will be beating faster. Its all because of excitement and also unbelivable that I am being there. I will probably not set foot on Approach Trail because I want to take time checking out my gears, test camera, take a look around the state park, go to the trailhead, do some shopping and write a paper journal. That day, also will be reserved for a lot of thinking about the life in the wilderness for 6 months. The door to the Appalachian Trail is already opened for us and calling our names. I will also think of a new friend with human and wildlife hikers, wondering if I will have some mice encounter. They are always famous because every hikers talk about them!
Date: 2004-03-18
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

This is my last day in Arizona! I had my hair shaven. Went to dentist for a final visit. Its funny that Dr. Kelty was baffled with my new hairdo! haha I told him that its a new hair for my 2,174 miles backpacking trip on Appalachian Trail. He wrote down on paper, FANTASTIC!   And, one of my favorite girl at the office, Jen, asked me what happened to my hair. Today, I will disconnect my computer. Do shopping which I was supposed to do yesterday. Make a last trip to storage. Make a few phone calls. Do laundry. Do emails and set up website on my hiking. Its funny that I have to prepare everything ahead of time which I usually did a last minute packing. I can not afford last minute packing tomorrow because I will be gone for 6 months living in the wilderness.I will be flying on Southwest Airline to Birmingham, Alabama then board on a Greyhound Bus to Atlanta. My friend, Jeff Jordan will be there to pick me up. On Saturday, we will be going sabbath church. On Sunday, will have a picnic with Jeff and his family at Springer Mountain. Then they will leave and I will stay here waiting until Monday, my starting date, for One Leg to show up and that is when we start to live in wilderness.I cannot wait for this adventure. It will be a great experience for me and give me a good change in my life.   My life had been somewhat suffering for a few years. I am looking forward to this!Last night, I went to Jeff Stone's place for his daughter Serena's St. Patrick Day party. Had a few drinks and chat. It was a good party even for the last minute plan.   I will miss everyone!
Date: 2004-03-20
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

On Thursday March 18th was very busy day for me. Took computer apart and put them in storage in hurry before storage shut down at 9pm. Then, after that, went to Wal-Mart to buy some more stuff for backpack equipment, i.e. tweezer, candles, etc. Got home again at 12:30 in the morning, and realized that I don't have enough time to do gear packing. Realized that I have no choice but instead, took my big suitcase and put gear and stuff in it... oh my God, it is really heavy.. which got me worried.. so, took a nap, then woke up at about 4am, get myself all ready, shower, some last packing and then went to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Then an agent said whoa, thats heavy after picking up suitcase. I have no idea how weigh it is. So, When I arrived Birmingham and took a taxi to Greyhound Bus. They have a weight mandatory and asked me to put my suitcase on scale.. oh my God, it was 76 pounds. I couldnt believe it and the Greyhound Agent refused to accept my baggage unless i find another bag to take weight out. They require that no single baggage have more than 50 pounds. I was stuck and worried on how I could find another baggage but got an idea, took my gear out and pack some stuff in my gear.. and luck enough to have it passed the weight at 46 pounds. The people in the waiting area was looking at and probably realized that I am one of long distance hiker. SO I got aboard on bus at 430pm instead of my original schedule at 7pm. I arrived Atlanta at about 945pm. My wonderful friend, Pastor Jeff Jordan picked me up with his mother. We chatted for a while until we got at his place. He got very nice place and very nice family. A very happy family. So, I stayed at his place Friday night. Went to Seventh Day Church at North Atlanta with him. It was very nice and beautiful church. Pastor Jordan is deaf himself, and had a deaf worship service. I had a great Sabbath and went back to his place at about 5pm. So, I started to work on gear assembly, took all cardboard boxes off. Trying to minimize weight and finally, the gear weight is at about 50 pounds without water, bagel and some fruits that I plan to buy before hitting the trail. Pastor Jordan will take me to Amicalola State Park, toward the summit of Springer Mountain.   On Monday, I will meet Scott Rogers, (One Leg) at about 10 or 11 in the morning. Then we will be finally hittin the Appalachian Trail.During converstation with Jeff Jordan on way to our church. I told him that Appalachian Trail is calling my name and saying, come on Allan, come Allan and we are waiting for you! So now, here I come... kissing the land of Amicalola State Park then Appalachian Trail. I just cannot believe that I actually made it to the Appalachian tomorrow!I won't know how soon I would write another journal entry during hike. I hope I will find any internet cafe somewhere to create a new journal entry.
Date: 2004-03-21
From: Amicalola Falls State Park

To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

On Sunday, my deaf friend, Pastor Jeff Jordan took me to Amicalola Falls State Park. I thought there is a road that would take us to Amicalola Falls would be 8.8 miles but discovered that it will take approximately 30 miles and 45 minutes to drive around the park to reach the summit. Jeff had important things to do in the day, so I realized that I have to hike the Approach Trail to the summit of Springer Mountain. So, I hiked up for approximately 7.3 miles to Black Gap Shelter to stop for the night. It was sooo cold and windy during the night. Luckily enought that I decided to stop instead of walking up to the summit. The sunset was so quickly and the cold spell comes in too fast than what I thought. I tried to hang bear bag, but its hard to handle with my nearly frozen hand. Its hard to tie the rope around the tree because my hand is so cold.   Went in the tent quickly, the wind chill is unbearable. It took about 30 minutes for the warm air to go away quickly. It was unexpected. So, when I got in the tent, I start to get myself settled but the air become too cold, so I decided to get in my new 15 degree sleeping bag to produce more heat. The cold air indeed went through my sleeping bag. I was shivering all night. I realized that I wished that I prepared more winter clothes.