morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-05-22
To: Troutbum's Back on the Trail!
Miles today: 0.0

Troutbum called on Thursday, 5/22/08. He was dying to find out who won American Idol! [I told him it was David. - haha] He was also calling to say that he is done zeroing & is doing an average of 12-13 miles per day, on his way to Buena Vista, Va. Phone coverage is still very spotty; we got cut off a couple of times while we were talking for just a few minutes Thursday a.m. & I've not gotten to talk to Troutbum since. :o( Meanwhile, I thought I'd post a few fun facts from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Will update T's stops & miles as soon as I hear from him again. Aloha, Holly (Troutbum's g.f.)Fun facts about the Appalachian Trail:Lowest elevation: 124 feet. Highest elevation: 6,625 feet. There are 165,000 blazes along the length of the Trail. More than 9,000 people have reported hiking the length of the Trail. It takes approximately 5 million footsteps to walk the entire length of the Trail.http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.727749/k.91A1/AT_Essentials.htm The ¢A.T.,¢ as it's called by hikers, is much more than just a path through the woods. It is a national scenic trail, part of the same national park system that includes Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Its official name is the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. But, unlike those famous parks, it's not a concentrated preserve, with campgrounds and paths within its boundaries. As the longest, skinniest part of America's national park system, the A.T. stretches over 14 different states and passes through more than 60 federal, state, and local parks and forests. Hundreds of roads cross it. In some parts, the Trail ¢corridor¢ is only a few hundred feet wide.Maybe the most important difference between the A.T. and other national-park units, though, is that volunteers make it possible. Each year, thousands of people maintain, patrol, and monitor the footpath and its surrounding lands ¢ outdoor lovers [] volunteering hundreds of thousands of hours of their time to taking care of this public treasure.http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.730555/k.96ED/State_by_State.htm
Date: 2008-05-23
To: Update from Ohio
Miles today: 0.0

I got some very helpful advice (and commiseration) from another "trail widow" and some of my nearest & dearest friends. I realize I am suffering from some rather severe depression right now (not Troutbum's fault, BTW) and have nearly lost my entire sense of humor. This simply will not do. My assignment for the weekend is to get out of the house & have some FUN! Yes, being sick sucks. Being w/o my honey sucks. Many things in life suck. But there's more to life than just the suckage (even if some days that seems to be all there is) & I am bound to rediscover the non-suckage (even if I'm not in the natural glory of the Trail; or my birth home, Vermont; or my heart-home, Hawai'i). And I can take my own blasted advice and remember to live ***ONE*** day at a time. ~ Aloha, Holly (Troutbum's girlfriend)
Date: 2008-05-28
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: Harpers Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Got a message from Troutbum today. They hiked 14 miles yesterday & planned another 14 miles today -- although for T it will be 18, b/c he hiked 2 miles each way into Montebello & back. He sounded better & says he is feeling better so I'm hoping he's over the "Virginia Blues." Even with sore feet, sore hip & sore shoulder, plus remnants of giardia, Troutbum has been enjoying the gorgeous scenery & even some of the rock-hiking along this part of the Trail. As they say in NA KAMALEI: The Men of Hula, "Dare to hula. Leave your shame at home." ~ Aloha, Troutbum's girlfriend
Date: 2008-06-08
From: Rod Hollow Shelter

To: Bears Den
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Hey everybody! Got a lot to say and little time to say it. I am at the Bears Den Hostel 20 miles South of Harpers Ferry W.V. The Cool Thing about W.V. is that it is no longer Va. A new state. And it will mark the 1000 mile mark--the psychological half way point of the trail. Harpers Ferry is the headquarters of the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conference) which runs the trail. I am pretty excited.I am also very hot. Close to 100 degrees today and tomorrow, with really high humidity. I miss the snow days--it was easier hiking worrying about hypothermia than heat exaustion and heat stroke. And the ticks. We check each others back sides for ticks on a daily basis. I have lost count of the ticks that have been removed from me. The deer tick is the size of the head of a pin. I now know where most of my freckles are so I don't have to check them any more.It was truly a pleasure hiking with Seth (Flashlight) last week. He decided after a few days that he wanted to try to strike out on his own and hike solo. I understood. It is truly a kick to be able to know that you can live on your own, out of a backpack. He was able to hitch out of Shenandoah and get a ride back to New York City. I look forward to seeing him again when I get to New York.I finally tracked down my orthotics. The post office accidentally sent them to a hostel a half mile down the road. I picked them up in Front Royal, the first town after Shenandoah. I had an amazing re-supply. I hitched into town (the fifth car to pass) and was driven to the post office, Subway sandwich shop, and a food store, then driven back to the trail, in less than an hour. I am not sure if it is a record, but I am sure it was close. I would like to give a great big shoutout to Mark Sunstone for the ride. The cool thing was, when we got back to the trail head, he picked up four friends and took them into town also. Thanks again, Mark--great trail angel stuff.Shenandoah was beautiful. I finally got to see some bears--way cool. Funny, but they did not seem to want to pose for pictures. Got to eat at a few waysides along the way instead of cooking food--also way cool. Spent the night in a room near the lodge--6 smelly hikers. Some of the socks were placed outside of the room because they smelled so bad. I felt sorry for anyone walking by--I preferred the smell of the privys to that. I also lucked out in the park with two thunderstorms. The first I dodged by making it to a picnic shelter just as it started to rain, and later that day, I made it to the shelter just as it started to rain again. I saw lightning strike about 100 yards away--I believe I swore pretty loud after the thunder. I actually took a shower in the rain (after the lightning moved off). I stood under the gutter where the water was running off and got a very quick, cold shower. Felt refreshing. I have more to say, but I have to get off of the computer--there is a line. Thanks again for your support, And I will write again soon-Troutbum
Date: 2008-06-10
From: Harpers Ferry WV / ATC HQ!

To: Turners Gap (slack-pack)
Miles today: 18.1

Troutbum's first day slack-packing. They did over 18 miles in just 7 hours! Everyone's feet are hurting. Crazy mountain men! ;o) - Aloha, troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-06-15
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park - HALFWAY POINT
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: few clouds

Hey everybody! I have made it to the halfway point. I have also made it to my seventh state. Too cool! I am staying at the Iron Master's Hostel at Pine Grove State Park, Pa. I stayed here last year during my practice run in October. I have hiked the last 20 miles of the trail 3 times now (last year I went from here 20 miles to Caledonia State Park and back). It was pretty neat to see some familiar territory. I was able to say 'Yep, I've stayed there before' like a local. Not a lot to report. Got rained on (my new tent works great - no leaks). The hiker funk (stinky smell) has come to us all. We no longer really care about washing our clothes because we know that 5 minutes after we put on clean clothes, they will smell just like they did before. We must now apologize when we get rides and suggest the windows get rolled down. Showers fit in the same category--smell good 'til the first 5 minutes of hiking. It is weird to look in the shower when the water first comes on and to see how brown the water is. Oh, well, it is just part of the deal that I signed up for.The orthotics are not working. I can only wear them for about an hour, then the pain gets worse. I have been hearing of some different remedies. I tried wrapping my arch with duct tape, wiggling my toes when I lift my foot, and slowing down. I am hoping that a new foot wrap helps. I am open to any suggestions. I have slowed down, mainly because of the blisters the orthotics gave me. I am hoping to work through this, because this seems to be a reason for a number of people leaving the trail. Wish me luck.Talk to you soon, Troutbum[N.B.:] Troutbum has since reported that that foot-taping, toe-scrunching, slowing down & pacing himself, and wearing orthotics only in camp, all seem to have helped reduce the pain from stabbing to bearable--although everyone he's talked to has "numb toes" from the 1,000+ miles of hiking thus far, not to mention blisters, etc. My dad recommends using vasoline on the feet, which he did when running marathons in the 1970s-1990s, as well as on other skin areas that tend to get rubbed raw, such as inner thighs, upper chest, etc. Not sure if this technique has been tried by A.T. hikers before. Am sure the vaso will add to the general "hiker funk" -- also not sure if bears consider vaso tasty, in which case I recommend suffering the blisters versus tempting the wildlife! Aloha, Troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-06-16
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park - HALFWAY POINT

To: Alec Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: clear sky

Troutbum reports several big storms & close lightning strikes during the Heat Wave of the past few weeks, but now things--including temps--are calming down & they expect highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s for the next several days. Nice! If only the cicadas were not driving everyone insane & the gypsy moths hadn't eaten nearly all of the leaves in what used to be a big green tunnel in this part of PA. But it's always something, so we gotta look on the bright side! In fact, there's a nice little article about the Trail (and photo) by Karen Berger at http://gorp.away.com/gorp/activity/hiking/features/3croat2.htm & here's a report on hiking some of the gorgeous Long Trail in Vt. by Frank Wihbey, http://www.mainenature.org/reports/atvttrip01.html (of course, I grew up in Vermont so I may be a bit biased, but it's truly gorgeous territory).Troutbum sends a "shoutout" to all his hiking buddies, especially his friend Steelman. And we both thank our families & friends for all their love & encouragement & support. - Mahalo & Aloha! Holly (Troutbum's girlfriend)
Date: 2008-06-24
From: Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: New Tripoli Campsite
Miles today: 22.4
Weather: scattered clouds

I'm not sure that this is where Troutbum spent the night on 6/24/08; but he did call me during the day from "Dan's Pulpit" (which I guess is "Pulpit Rock" in the 2007 AT Data Book?) to say it's a terrific view. He also said he's got a sore leg & swelling in the groin. Doesn't sound too good. Maybe it's just Rocksylvania & it will pass as soon as he gets onto kinder ground? The other weird thing he said is that he hasn't seen any other thru-hikers in about 4 days; so he's feeling a bit lonely about that. ~ Aloha, Troutbum's girlfriend
Date: 2008-06-25
From: New Tripoli Campsite

To: Slatington PA
Miles today: 11.5

Troutbum does not recommend the hostel in Slatington. No windows, bugs flying around the room. Having a room, bed & shower, of course, was wonderful; and he was able to re-supply in Slatington. But the rest? Not so much. ~ Aloha, Troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-06-26
From: Slatington PA

To: Leroy A. Smith Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: moderate rain

Troutbum said today was one of the hardest climbs on the Trail, these 16 miles headed toward Delaware Water Gap, PA from Slatington, PA -- especially the 4 miles of exposed rocks with no trees/shade -- although parts of it weren't bad, especially where the land was relatively flat with just occasional boulders & he could (given the caffeine buzz he was operating under) get up to 3-4 miles/hour. He's finally seen some other hikers, which is nice after 4 odd & lonely days without seeing any other thru-hikers. ~ Aloha, Troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-06-27
From: Leroy A. Smith Shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 21.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Troutbum called from Burger King in Wind Gap & said he was hiking into DWG today. Happily, he finally caught up with some friends on the Trail; about 10 of them stayed at the tenting place last night. He wants to nero soon at a Methodist (?) hostel, says he hasn't had a zero day since Roanoke and his feet are really hurting. The trail is all rock, though it's gotten easier since the big rocky slope. Still, Troutbum is ready for a rest.Troutbum called again Friday night, saying that whoever told him the last part of the hike into DWG would be easy LIED. He plans to stay in a hostel, then hike 11 miles to a canp run by the ATC (?) where they can camp for free & get food, etc. He had Trail Magic today from "Focus" (A.T. class of '07) & sends a shout-out to Focus.T's legs are "whupped" and he is really looking forward to a few days off. I hope to meet him in NYC, where his cousin "Flashlight" lives, around July 4th.~ Troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-06-29
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Blue Mountain Lakes Road
Miles today: 16.6

Troutbum stopped at Mohican Outdoor Center for lunch today, then powered out the rest of the 16 miles to camp with some buddies near Blue Mountain Lakes Road, b/c the YMCA camp where they had planned to stay was NOT A.T.-friendly. ~ Troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-06-30
From: Blue Mountain Lakes Road

To: Mashipacong Shelter
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: few clouds

Troutbum says he helped bear-bag everybody's stuff at Blue Mtn Lakes Road last night, but when he left early this morning, he took their stuff down & left it outside their tents -- big mistake. A bear got ahold of some bear-bags and promptly ripped the heck out of them, running off when people challenged it. T's buddies chased the bear & got some of their stuff back [sounds risky to me!]. T's embarrassed/chagrined & sorry. More from himself later. ;o) ~ Aloha, Troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-07-01
From: Mashipacong Shelter

To: Unionville NY
Miles today: 15.3

Troutbum is staying in the Mayor's House -- mayor of Unionville, NY, to be exact. He'll say more in a future email; meanwhile, he will slack-pack about 20 miles tomorrow, getting ever closer to our reunion in NYC around July 4th weekend! ~ Aloha, Troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-07-02
From: Unionvillle NY

To: Long House Road/Brady Road (slack-pack)
Miles today: 18.9

Hey everybody! I am staying at the Mayor's house -- the mayor of Unionville, NY. He takes in stray hikers -- feeds them, does the laundry, allows us to shower, and has a bunk house in the basement. This morning, I was driven 19 miles up the trail and slack-packed back to the house. Tomorrow, I will be driven back to the 19-mile starting point and will hike north into New York. Technically, I am still in New Jersey, as I hiked from the trail in NJ and walked a half-mile into NY to Unionville, on the border. Tomorrow, I will officially be in New York, my ninth state. In another 83 miles, I will be in in New England. Wow!I am seeing more wildlife. I saw two copperheads, a garter snake with a toad in his mouth, and another bear. I am feeling cheated on the bears -- I know some people who have seen over 20 bears already. New Jersey has the highest concentration of bears on the trail because of the narrow corridor created between all the cities surrounding the trail. OH yea -- I remember as a Boy Scout, my scoutmaster pointing out that a copperhead smells just like a rotting cucumber. I must admit, I did not get close enough to smell the snakes. Besides, my BO definitely overpowered the smell of the snake.I am looking forward to spending some time with my cousin Carol and her husband Bob. They live in Chappaqua, NY, near Bill and Hillary. I will also be seeing my girlfriend at that time -- she will be flying into Long Island and staying with some friends, but has an invite to Carol and Bob's place. It has been a long time -- I am really looking forward to some close time as opposed to phone time.Hiked out of the Lehigh Gap last week -- it looked like a moonscape. There used to be an old zinc mine that the EPA closed down in 1982. Apparently the smokestacks of the mine billowed so much toxic smoke onto the mountain that, to this day, very little can grow on it. We walked about 4 miles without any tree cover.I am also very grateful to be out of Pennsylvania, or as some people say, "Rocksylvania." Way too many rocks. It has been said PA is where good boots go to die. My Vibram-soled boots are worn out after only two months. I never thought I would say this, but I am very grateful to be in New Jersey.Gotta go - People in line - talk to you soon.Troutbum[N.B. My apologies on behalf of Troutbum to the good people of New Jersey. I understand that it is called The Garden State for a reason and it doesn't all smell like the factories in Elizabeth. - Aloha, Holly (troutbum's girlfriend)
Date: 2008-07-05
From: Fingerboard Shelter

To: Bear Mountain Bridge - Ft. Montgomery NY
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: mist

Troutbum met "Flashlight" (Seth) at Bear Mountain Bridge today, after hiking thru the Trailside Zoo near Bear Mountain, NY. His feet are in agony & he is really ready for a rest. Seth will drive him to Chappaqua, NY, where they will visit some cousins for the holiday weekend; then Troutbum will travel into the city to meet me & we will be guests of Flashlight at his place in Manhattan! I cannot wait to see my guy; I miss him so much. And I'm worried about his feet, leg/groin, and stomach problems. But mostly I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy to be seeing him on Monday! ~ Aloha, Holly, Troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-07-08
From: "Zero" Day in New York

To: "Zero" Day in New York
Miles today: 0.0

I'm sorry to report that Troutbum is in agony. His feet are killing him. He's got stomach pain & a hernia & he's exhausted. I hope he is going to be okay. He hopes he can get back to the Trail in time to finish the whole hike this year. We're both very happy to see each other & very worried about his health. Mahalo (thank you) to Flashlight (Seth) for putting us up for 2 nights in NYC & to my friend Lynne & her husband Mark for putting us up for 2 more nights on Long Island. More news when we know. ~ Aloha, Troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-07-10
From: Zero Day in NYC

To: New York - Off Trail for Surgery?
Miles today: 0.0

Hey everybody! Troutbum is kinda of bummed. Hopefully just temporarily off the trail. Gotta go back to Ohio and do some in network insurance stuff. Thought I could work through my feet problems; but I went to a doctor and found out my leg pain was actually a femoral hernia. Looks like I might need surgery. I have an appointment with my family doctor on Monday. I will be flying into Columbus on Friday. I am looking forward to seeing my friends; but I am really looking forward to getting back to the Trail. Just hope all this doctor stuff doesn't take too long. Still, I must admit, it does feel good to wear cotton for a change.I came off the Trail after crossing the Hudson River Bridge last Saturday. My cousin Seth (Flashlight) drove me to visit my cousin Carol in Chappaqua, NY. I spent a few days with Carol, Bob, Julia, and Robert at their lovely home. I went to their family doctor and was informed of the hernia. I was hoping it was just a groin pull; but it ran the wrong way. It runs along my inguinal ligament, not counter to it. I had never seen one before, so I did not know what it was. I knew that it caused me pain when I was going up hill--that was all. Know I will probably need surgery--just don't know how long it will take to get in and how long the recovery is. Recovery can be short for a normal person; but my activity level lengthens the recovery time. We will see. I also hope to get my feet looked at. The last five days off the Trail have done little to help with the pain. We shall see.The cool thing is that I have gotten to see my girlfriend, Holly. She flew into New York on Monday and I have spent the last few days with her. Life is good. We spent some time with Seth, then went to Long Island to spend some time with Lynne and Mark, good friends of Holly. We got to go the the Metropolitan Museum of Art--quite a change from the woods. Walking the streets of NY actually hurt my feet, which concerns me. Looking forward to talking to a podiatrist.I had to buy a new outfit. I now fit into 34" pants and a medium shirt. Before, I was in 38" pants and wore a 2X shirt. Now, I still don't recognize myself in the mirror.Wish me luck - I don't want this to be the end.Troutbum
Date: 2008-07-11
From: New York - Off Trail for Surgery?

To: Ohio - Off Trail for Surgery?
Miles today: 0.0

Troutbum is back in Ohio, waiting for his doc's appt on Monday to find out what's up with his feet, hernia, and stomach/digestive tract. More when we know. Until then, your kind thoughts & prayers are most appreciated. ~ Mahalo (thank you) & Aloha, Troutbum's g.f.
Date: 2008-07-15
To: Update on Troutbum's Condition
Miles today: 0.0

Aloha, all. I'm sorry to say that Troutbum is off-trail for the time-being. He's got a hernia & foot & digestive problems. We both hope that he will be back on-trail very soon. Meanwhile, I'm so glad that I got to see him in New York & that he has made it so far already on the Trail. I miss my guy; but I'm also so proud of him for his thorough preparation & his tremendous courage and perserverance. He will be very busy over the next few days, seeing doctors on Friday, Monday (hernia surgery!), and Wednesday. Much Mahalo & Aloha to Lynne, Seth, Ardis & Vern, Betsy, Nancy, to Uncle Tom & Auntie Mame, and to Steph & Jon and all of Troutbum's other friends on the Trail ~ Holly, Troutbum's g.f.