morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-08-14
To: Portland, ME
Miles today: 0.0

I am here in Portland, ME. 24 hours ago I was in the woods, waiting for the rescue squad, in the rain. I am sure to gain perspective as the days go forward, but for now, I trust my gut to know this is right for me. I knew I had to get off the trail on the 20th, so the clock was ticking loudly in my head. I have always been a person who starts to say "good-bye" before I leave, and perhaps that is part of what happened here, in part...I would not have sought to leave the trail: I was moving along just fine, but the rain was making the journey less enjoyable. And when Mahoosuc got hurt, and the rescue squad came, it felt right to go with them (plus it was 4pm, and I would have not made the next shelter by dark) I can't explain it, but it just feels right. Knowing that Dana would be driving 7 hours to fetch me in a few days, and here I had a ride right in front of me, it makes sense.Coming back to Portland/Peak's Island is appropriate, I guess, as that is where this "journey" began, in January. If it was anywhere else, I wouldn't have come off. This will give me the place to "transition" back into "my old skin".I have missed the valleys, the song birds, the dragonflies and the butterflies...but I loved the peaks, I loved the subtle beauty of Gentian Pond...I've loved it all, in some way.So, for now, this is the end of my hike, but not the end of my journey. I am at peace with what I've done, and what I've left undone. I wish blessings to those summitting Katahdin in weeks to come - Nana K. and Mosey are my heroines, God speed them on.
Date: 2004-08-16
To: Update
Miles today: 0.0

Just wanted to send an update re: Mosey and Nana K.- I spoke with them last night, and they are fine. They said coming off a wet decent near Sugarloaf was hard, but they just took it slow. And the branch of the Carrabassett was high, but there was a plank they could walk or scoot across-Mosey scooted. And now they have The Bigelow Range--today and tomorrow (and the weather looks great for tomorrow!) They should be in Caratunk by Friday and then Monson 3 days later, then into the 100 Mile Wilderness. I got an email from Welsh Nomad yesterday: She was 10 miles in when she fell and injured her knee...she ended up back in Monson, now waiting for her husband, Andrew, to pick her up (and he is bringing Roadster, who I met in Atkins, VA; She will hike Katahdin and walk South to VA) Anyway, Welsh Nomad said that she had learned from hikers that the streams were ridiculously high, and that folks had to ford chest-high water in places, that ropes and human chains had been used. Sounds tough. And the forecast is calling for more rain in the week. Send prayers and positive thoughts for Bone Spur and all those making the quest to get to Katahdin within the week!I am still adjusting to life in the "frontcountry"... finding that a hot shower is almost a religious experience, and getting water out of a tap is nothing to be taken for granted. Went to purchase some running shoes yesterday. Running was such a huge part of my life until about 5 years ago...and this hike has put me in a position to start again---so Carolyn and I are headed out to Back Bay Cove (3.5 miles of cinder near the ocean). We were devoted runners when she lived in S. Hadley, along with our buddy Charlene. We called ourselves "The Breakfast Club" because we ran at 6am and always threatened to stop by "Tailgate" for coffee and bagels. But we ran everyday. That was until 1994. Now she lifts weights, bikes and kayaks and I walk my dog and swim.I am thrilled to embark on this running quest...and I will spend the afternoon on Peak's, catching up with my friends and my cats (who have been 'summering' on the island will Jill and Rob)!All for now, Litlefish/Tina
Date: 2004-08-17
To: Full circle
Miles today: 0.0

"All my life's a circle, sunrise and sundown...the moon rolls through the nightime till the daylight comes around, There is no clear cut beginning, and so far no dead end....".Ah, I have sung this song many a time at summer camps, maybe even in college. All my life is a circle. This has felt oh-so-true these past two days. I visited Peak's Island yesterday, seeing most of the people who enriched my winter stay. And today I attended a yoga class with my former teacher, Rebecca. That was where it really hit me, in the quiet of my mind, in the stillness, in the breath:This time has been such a blessing. I just pray to be able to carry the lessons, the beauty, the truth I've discovered, the joy, the risks, the unknowing///all of it-back into my former world/skin as I resume teaching, coaching, living in the 'frontcountry'.I sent an entry to Spike, hoping it will be posted soon, regarding Mosey and Nana K.-They are doing fine. They are about a week away from entering the 100 mile wilderness. I'll keep you posted on their progress.Thanks for all your support.
Date: 2004-09-04
To: Update
Miles today: 0.0

I am sitting here at work -yes, at a desk on a Saturday morning. Such is the life of a fall coach! I just checked the weather up in Millinocket. It seems to be a nice day-and I think Mosey and Nana K. should be summiting soon. Maybe today? I will keep you posted!I heard from April Showers a few days ago. She had a bad sprain coming off Lafayette a few weeks ago. She is determined to get back on the trail- Such a woman!My old skin is being stretched...Back to work, I go.
Date: 2004-09-17
From: Mount Holyoke

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It's raining outside...and here I am, in my windowless office not feeling the wet, the cool, without seeing the grey, wiping the rain, sweat off my eyes. Here I sit...sit and work, sit and plan for tomorrow... I AM MISSING THE TRAIL!I heard from Mosey yesterday and she and Nana K. are (or were) on Mt. Greylock in MA. Seems all is going well. Mosey leaves to go to Ohio this weekend for her 5oth High School Reunion (she'll have some good stories to tell!) Not sure if Nana K. will wait for her or keep hiking...It's funny. When I first came home, I felt I wanted to make things as "new" as they could be...so I painted my entire apartment (and funky colors, too), I decorated there and my office differently...I tried to select new routines in my day, etc. And I went back to work. The first week or so was fine...I just put my hand on the tiller and focused and was fine....But these last few days all I can think about it being back on the hike...I miss sleeping outside, I miss the routine of walking....I miss feeling so alive in my dirty, smelly body...Now I am clean, but I am missing that rigor, that daily act of walking, climbing and in some cases, soaring.Hoping to return for a few days in Oct when I have a break...Other than that, it will have to wait until November. Just found out that Pokey is walking with Art (I met Pokey Easter morning at The Swag of the Blue Ridge...somewhere down South, I think it was in NC.) They are up in the Whites. Would love to be able to surprise them...I am holding on to all I learned...littlefish
Date: 2004-09-21
To: It's a small world, after all !
Miles today: 0.0

What an amazingly small and wonderful world it is! On Monday when I came to work, I had a voicemail from "JUST BILL AND JULIE". They have moved to the area (and the last time I saw them was in Hot Springs, NC on May5th. I'll see them this weekend!! And I am in touch with Welsh Nomad, hoping to be out on the trail with her before the snow flies! What a great way to still be experiencing the joy of the trail...
Date: 2005-02-20
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I have just spent some time reading my journal entries and looking at the photos...I can so vividly recall of the feelings I had a year ago, pre-hike, at this time of year. I was preparing my gear and I had so many questions about what it all would be like.Wow. It was nothing that I had imagined, yet all that I could hope for (where have I read those lines before?) I miss being active more than I miss being wet and cold. But I also miss the people and the ways of the trail. For all, I am so thankful.
Date: 2004-01-18
To: For starters...
Miles today: 0.0

The first time I hiked up a mountain, I didn¢t get it.The idea of trudging for several hours uphill only to find slushy snow seemed pointless to an eleven-year-old. Every Columbus Day our church group would drive us kids to Franconia Notch and lead the ascent on Bridle Path Trail to the elusive summit of Lafayette, always hidden in the clouds.I had never heard of Lafayette. My only reference was that it loomed over Rte. 93 across from Cannon¢a state ski resort. I was a skier from the early age of six (thanks to Dad) and I compared everything to the thrill of downhill. What¢s the point of working so hard ascending a mountain only to walk down it.Wearing layers of cotton and sneakers and hauling lunch in shredded school packs, my friends and I would follow our leaders through the murky woods and up the ice-glazed rocks. My imagination wandering, I pretended we were the Lakota tribes fleeing into the mountains from the Federals or the Von Trapp Family escaping Austria. When we reached Greenleaf Hut (1.1 miles from the peak), I¢d buy some tea to warm up, look out the frosted picture windows at the white fog, and say, ¢Nah!¢ Oddly, I kept returning each year only to reach the hut and turn around. That changed on the hike in 1980. This time, I gazed out the window and could see the peak clearly framed by blue skies. A rocky staircase lured me to the top of Lafayette. I watched birds coast below me. I drank water that trickled from icicles. I beheld seventy miles of visibility and let the sun and wind redden my pale face.And that is how I got hooked.
Date: 2004-02-08
To: Fast Forward 20 Years
Miles today: 0.0

I promise you this will not be a memoir on the evolution of my hiking career. I would like to say, though, that I only started preparing for the trip in the last seven months. A fair amount of food prep and research was involved. My recommendation to anyone who is considering the AT is to consult with as many thru-hikers as possible. Look at their gear, read their journals, ask them numerous questions (they love to relive the experience). When you are done with that, read a few Trail Journals with similar demographics. You will learn a great deal.I am not a stranger to hiking but I am new at this long distance thing. Through my various hiking excursions with the AMC, I met some successful thru-hikers--diverse personalities and backgrounds. Medusa (1996), Greenleaf (1999), Bluebearee (2002) became my mentors. Numerous others became my inspiration. I still believe I learned the most about expectations, equipment, and attitude from conversations with these people. And if I haven't said it to you personally, I express a whole hearted thank you now for your help.
Date: 2004-02-09
To: Fixing the First Steps
Miles today: 0.0

In August, I figured if I were going to do this hike, I had to take care of an ongoing problem in my left foot. For about ten years, I have had what doctors have diagnosed as a neuroma (literally translates to tumor of the nerve). Basically the rubbing of my toe bones caused a build-up of inflammation on the nerve. Cortisone shots and orthotics worked for a short while, but eventually it started hurting all the time, even when I was downhill skiing.What does it feel like? Well, go into your kitchen, pull out a long paring knife, and ever-so-forcefully stab the superior section of your foot, close to the toes, making sure that you follow through to the ball of your foot. Then, twist the knife. Can¢t think of another way to describe it. The podiatrist recommended surgery. I went to MGH in Boston. I remember leaving my friend¢s house in Arlington, MA for the T at Alewife thinking it was ironic that I was walking to my foot surgery appointment. At the entrance of MGH, I bumped into a fellow AMC hiker, Kathy. Said, ¢See you, I¢m going into day surgery,¢ like a cheerful good morning.The process was like clockwork. Although they had to knock me out, I was ¢sober¢ by that afternoon and able to attend a party at Reji¢s that evening. However, I was unable to watch the complete final game of the Red Sox against the Yankees. Heavy on drugs, I fell asleep by the eighth inning, confident that our boys would finally kick NY¢s ass. I couldn¢t believe they lost again.From my journals 10/19/03: ¢Meanwhile, my Mom was discharged from Youville after recovering from her heart surgery two weeks ago. What bad timing. I was held-up by my foot, hobbling around. I¢m supposed to be her primary caregiver and I wasn¢t even around to help out on her first day back from the hospital. Maria came to the rescue.When I finally came home on Saturday (a day later) all I wanted to do was go to bed. The drugs were really making me sick. Mom, despite her condition, went right into Mom mode and began supplying me with pillows and blankets so I was comfortable. It was annoying, or I was groggy and irritable and told her to stop it. I slept for a long time. Woke up and went to sleep again later. This weekend was very depressing for me. I hate being inside for so long and I had been missing a lot of chances to just breathe some fresh air. The doctor told me I should not fully weight-bear on this foot until Tuesday. I can hobble around on my heel. He states this as if I need reminders. Truthfully, full weight-bearing kills. What worries me is that the pain is like the pain I felt when I would hike ten miles. So now I feel it all the time. What¢s the point of that? It is hard to believe that I will ever walk on this foot again. What did I do to myself?¢Thankfully, the pain subsided. A month later, I hiked the Kinsmans in NH and was okay, albeit slow.
Date: 2004-02-28
To: Warming Up!
Miles today: 0.0

I had been cooped up in the house prepping for my trip and not spending enough time hiking. So I signed up for an AMC trip to Carter Notch Hut located between the Wildcats and Carter Dome, ~0.1 off the AT.Our plan was to hike in by noon, drop our wintersleeping bags at the cabin and head up Wildcat A, summit Wildcat D and return in time for dinner. Our modest group of nine began the ascent right on schedule fully equipped with winter garb--snowshoes, crampons, ice axes, the works.For those unfamiliar with the trail south up Wildcat A, it is straight up a cliff to a very uneventful peak. But our group got lost when we followed another hiking group¢s trail. Met with the option of returning to the real trail and forging ahead, we made the ill choice of taking a compass reading, donning our snowshoes, and banking straight up the side of the mountain.I was feeling pretty strong and energetic for the first half of the ascent. This was a far cry from the week before when I had to abort my own AMC lead due to atrophy in my left leg. After a week of exercising and restoring my strength, I was determined to reach that summit. But I was also following like a sheep with the herd. Whoever laid the bushwhack before us did not choose their makeshift trail wisely. If there were two trees intertwined, you could be sure the bushwack went between them. If there was a steep incline through a thicket, the tracks disappeared beneath them.Relief came upon finding the ridge. After a brief celebration with water and munchies, we took another compass reading and searched for the trail. Our second milestone was to find the AT. And our third--the big let down¢bagging Wildcat A where we got a spectacular view of firs!But it was late and we decided to return to the cabin. After literally sliding down the AT on our backs (it resembled a tubing park slide), we managed to top off the day with some final excitement. Eric lost his footing and fell a few feet down a landslide. He stopped himself but could not muster the strength or grip the ice to pull himself to safety. Ironically, he had a smile on his face as if amused at his predicament. I was the next in line to cross the landslide. I asked Eric if he had an ice axe. Yes, he replied but it was in his bag. Of course! So I handed him mine and he managed to pick his way to the trail.We got back in time for happy hour and dinner. Although we missed Wildcat D, I can always say now that I bushwhacked up the Wildcats in knee deep snow. Not too shabby.I also learned a few things about my pack and gear that I hope to tweak before the start date. Do I hold the record for destroying trail equipment BEFORE I begin my trip? From now on I will watch where I place my foot when loading my pack onto my back. I erroneously stepped on the waist strap and tore it asunder upon lifting. Okay, give me a break here--I was wearing plastic boots at the time.One last note: If you are staying at Carter Notch Hut, make sure you get the Hut master to show you the caves. Way cool!
Date: 2004-03-17
To: Losing Weight
Miles today: 0.0

I received many suggestions on how to pack my bag for this trip. My friend Greenleaf suggested I pack with the idea of minimizing weight for the sake of miles. This is a man who hiked the AT in five months. A true minimalist and hiking machine. Other thru-hikers suggested sacrificing complicated meals and extra clothing for simplicity. They assured me I would appreciate this when it rains or when I arrive at the shelter exhausted.I, however, steadfastly held to the philosophy of exercising my mind as well as supporting my voracious appetite. When else will I have all this time to think. I can only ponder my sordid past and mysterious future for thirty minutes. Therefore, I needed some weight considerations for a good book (something that makes me think), something for writing (that great American novel is long overdue), some room for my camera, and lots of space for food.To achieve this, I spent the last seven months on the Internet looking for the cheapest and lightweight products out there. Research has paid off (gear list to be posted sometime). When I first packed my bag last weekend (yes, I am a procrastinator as well), it weighed 27 lbs. This included the sleeping bag and tarptent. I was thrilled but soon realized that while my weight goal was achieved, space capacity was not. My 2500 sq. in. bag had no space for my food.Sacrifices began. Ah! A tiny mirror. I will have to gaze upon myself every five days and wonder who I am. I pulled out various pieces of my so-called first aid kit, such as band-aids, gauze, etc. Certain containers were replaced with ziplocks. To make my sleeping bag more compact, I removed the stuff sack from the equation and double-bagged it in Hefty bags. I pulled out some nonessentials I'm ashamed to say I tried to take along. I used to think that an ounce didn't weigh much but the discard pile got heavier as I piled it on the scale.I managed to cut the weight to 25 lbs. Incredible. And I had room for food and water. If necessary, I can remove more. But a major lesson about what's in store was learned these past seven days. I cannot bring along all my hobbies I have been hoping to explore in the next six months. One needs to balance on that narrow line between comfort and, uh, comfort. What can I comfortably live without? What can I comfortably carry for 2,200 miles? I had taken my first steps toward becoming a focused hiking machine. Later and much to my chagrin, the pack weighed 41 pounds with food and water. I had to remove some more stuff. I considered eliminating the water filter and just going with tablets. I considered subtracting my Teva's until the weather was warmer. Finally, I left it as is. The water and food will decrease immediately. It is only 40 miles to Neels Gap. I can mail home everything I don't need.I'm still carrying an umbrella though.
Date: 2004-03-22
To: Dahlonega, GA
Miles today: 0.0

The miles on the monitor read 945 from Boston to Atlanta. I'm in the plane and everything that needs to be done before I leave is done, I think.Hours later after saying good bye to Maria, Mom, Sharon & Darren at the security gate, I'm sitting in a pleasant living room of the Hikers Hostel in Dahlonega, GA. I have already met ten people including the owners. For a flat fee, I got a ride from the airport (1.5 hour drive), denatured alcohol, breakfast, a night stay, and the wise advice of three successful thru-hikers (Profile, Almanac, & Ready).The airport, luggage, flight passed without a hitch. At our designated meeting place, I met Mark from Texas, who had a 57 lb bag, a GPS, and the wisdom or canticle of errors of Bill Bryson swimming in his head.Josh, our host, greeted us shortly and drove us, along with two other hikers to his new home here. A woman around my age named Sarah had already been hiking since the 17th. She stopped with friends at Woody Gap after experiencing too many uncomfortable nights in her Hennessey Hammock. Too much condensation. She shopped for a tent and plans to return to the trail tomorrow.Dahlonega is a touristy town according to Josh. The first gold rush in the U.S. took place here. Tours of the goldmines occur daily. Yes, there is still gold here but it requires the expensive process of electrolysis to extract from the clay.Situated up a narrow winding road is the hostel, a cape with spruce walls and bamboo floors. When you walk in the front door, the smell of newness and freshly cut wood relaxes you. The hostel is a brainstorm of Leigh and Josh five years ago before they hiked the entire trail as Profile and Almanac. Ready, a hiking friend, was at their kitchen table making curtains for the large double paned windows.Out back are the woods and beyond is the AT and the ridgeline of the mountains. The stars are crisp, bright and numerous.It is cold in GA. 50 degrees when I showed up this morning. Josh claims the nights go down to 18 degrees in the mountains. When I filled my fuel bottle on the porch, it felt like 30.I tell Ready (2001) that I'm not worried or nervous. She assured me that I shouldn't be. "You're never alone out there."Josh has a different take. "When I leave you at that trail head tomorrow, and the truck drives away, it will hit you that you are in the middle-of-nowhere woods. All you can do is walk." My heart starts to jump. I ignored it.We had all just eaten Mexican food. Leigh and Josh eat with potential thru-hikers every night. In their first year of business, they have to iron out a few details. I feel lucky to experience their low price now. Josh spends the day shuttling people. When we stopped for gas, he loaded the truck with $50 of petrol. I wish them well. They have made the transition from MA to the start of the Trail that much easier. Kind people with a dream to make life easier for us thru-hikers.I'm tired and drinking tea and writing some letters. It still hasn't hit me what I'm doing. Maybe tomorrow.