morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-02-27
To: Last of the Gear Arrives
Miles today: 0.0

My new tarptent arrived today. Boy is it big.It is billed as a three person tent. Every hiker knows that tent sizes are like serving suggestions on freeze dried meals. The actual number of people served is less than indicated on the package.The Rainshadow II, however, could fit three people easily. It will have more than enough room for me and my wife next year. There is ample room for big me to sit up and change clothes.I may switch it out in Pearisburg for my old Squall, but this is the tent for me in the beginning.I also received my vapor barrier mitts. Waterproof and warm, and fit over my thin poly gloves. I'm glad I did that test walk in the sleet last week.What else? Did I mention my new knife-fork-spoon utensil? Super cool, super light (one side of the fork end is serrated for a knife).All I have left that I can't think of as being useful is a pair of scissors. I have a knife that I like, but it doesn't have scissors. I have a gift certificate for the Kittery Trading Post, so maybe I'll get one later on.
Date: 2006-02-28
To: The JournalÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs the Thing
Miles today: 0.0

I finished all the maildrops today, all packed up. The Harpers Ferry one is stuffed full, so I sealed it up. Kind of a scary finality to doing that. It shows I am leaving the planning stage and about to embark on the doing stage. In fact, one week from right now I will be hiking on the Approach Trail.These entries are behind, and will be throughout the hike. There are two reasons for this. One is that when I read journals, I like to follow along. They tend to get posted in a lump, but I often try to read just one a day, to get the "feel" of a hike. So I asked my wife to post one per day. By the time she runs out of the ones I have already written, I will have sent her the next batch from Hiawassee.The other reason is that I have heard that some women prefer not to be mentioned in journals, as it pinpoints their whereabouts on the trail. As a guy, and a big guy at that, I'm not particularly afraid that someone will try to meet me at a road crossing. But it changes for a woman. Even if not afraid of a stalker, I'm sure it can be downright annoying to have some bonehead guy who won't take a hint show up at a couple of road crossings in a row.So the journal will likely be a couple weeks behind all the time. But every day, I'll post what is going on and what I'm feeling at the time (good and bad).I'm glad to share my journal online, but it is my own journal, after all. I've enjoyed going back and looking at notebook journals I've written, and was always surprised to see what I'd written. "Wow, I remember that. I'd forgotten how bummed/happy/concerned/hungry I was." and "Huh, look at this. I thought I started feeling sick in Piseco, but in my journal two days before I felt too nauseous to eat. I don't even remember that, but I guess it didn't happen as I remember."I'll try to put in all the things I like to read about. This includes:- meals cooked/eaten- people met on trail- descriptions of hike itself- time started and stopped for the day- aches and pains- other hikers/conversations- town stops, money spent, places stayed- items of interest along the trail (this especially applies to geology on the trail   and especially to geology related to glaciers)My new tent is large enough that I have no excuse not to sit up at night and enter plenty in a journal. Lastly, if there is anything you aren't seeing that you would like to see, please sign my guest book. (Please sign it anyway if you are a regular reader.) I'll try to accommodate added journal information. The reverse doesn't apply, alas, because I'm writing stuff I want to read later on. If there are things that don't interest you, you'll just have to skim over those parts. Sorry.
Date: 2006-03-01
To: Maildrop Changes AGAIN!
Miles today: 0.0

Just had to juggle a maildrop again. I had two days of food in a box to Linden VA. I did that section before and the hitch into Front Royal was a total bust. I never did get a ride and walked the whole distance. There is a hostel now just as you leave Shennandoah NP, and I emailed them last month to see if it was still open, and received no response.Last week I emailed again, and when no response came, I put a maildrop together.Well, today he answered. He is open for business and he does a trip to Front Royal for groceries every day as part of the price of the stay.I'd rather do that than get a maildrop, so I looked for a place I could use two days worth of food. The biggest need was between Pearisburg and Waynesboro. A long way to go without good supply in between. Unfortunately, even the places a bit off the trail where I could send a maildrop also have grocery stores. No need for a mail drop if I go into those towns.So I settled on Standing Bear Farm two days before Hot Springs. The Smokies are a long haul, and I was planning on stopping at Standing Bear anyway. I had intended to buy from them but I know supply is limited. Now I can have a regular re-supply there.Now I have to make sure all the maps I have staged in different maildrops are in the right box. I know at some point either the maps or guidebook pages will not be where they belong.Late addition (technically, it's after midnight so it is really March 2) to the journal is that Tinker, with whom I'm riding to Springer, says that his car needs a radiator. Not sure what this means right now, will have to wait until I hear from him tomorrow.
Date: 2006-03-02
To: Alcohol Stove Test (OUCH! Hot!)
Miles today: 0.0

Had an email from Tinker waiting when I woke up. He is going ahead and replacing his radiator. He'll probably do it himself. So the start date is still on track. I expect to be at Amicalola State Park at 9:00 on March 7. T-118 hours and counting.I made breakfast with my alcohol stove today. Boiled up some water and put it into a ZipLoc bag of pre-mixed oatmeal/salt/sugar.I fired up the stove in the sink. I couldn't tell if it was lit or not, so I held my palm over it. Yep, it was lit, alright.Oatmeal was good. Decaf coffee was okay.I had planned on bringing tea bags and sugar, but have decided against it. Just a time waster in the morning. First waiting for water to boil, then sitting around drinking it when if I just started walking I get warmer quicker. I suppose you could walk and drink, depending on terrain, but I use two hiking poles, so that's out.So out goes tea bags, cup, and sugar.I repacked my bag for one last (this time I mean it) time.Left out the balaclava, space blanket, a couple of the toe warmers. Changed socks to gray Thorlos. (Did I tell about the shoe fiasco?) Rats, I don't have access to earlier journal entries.Well, here is the abbreviated version: I order some low shoes from Columbia. They only had Size 16, not 17. I figured I could use them if I used liner socks only. They worked okay on a hike, but the second hike my big toe wore a hole in the toe.I went back to the Size 17 Columbia's I wore last year. I had changed the socks in the box I have for gear to wear at start but forgot about the extra socks/underwear in my pack. So I put a pair of Thorlos in the pack.I added a hose for the three liter water bag. Normally this bag is just for camping. I don't like putting a water bag inside my pack, but the Mariposa has a unique "Y" strap on top that should hold the bag in place. I got the idea from Whiteblaze. If you are unfamiliar with it, www.whiteblaze.net is a great source of information about the AT. Lately it had been heading down the chaotic AT-L road, but recently the moderators have been moderating, and it is much improved. Nothing ruins an internet site faster than a few people who post just to try to annoy others. It's a tough job moderating, made tougher by trolls who know just how to play the "free speech" and "censorship" cards in the best manipulative manner. But it is a great site and if you are planning a thruhike yourself, it is a source of information that can't be beat.The best source of general hiking information if you live in the Northeast ishttp://www.viewsfromthetop.com/but there is very little about the AT specifically.T-117 hours and counting.
Date: 2006-03-03
To: Almost There
Miles today: 0.0

00, T-86 hours and counting.I spent the day putting the finishing touches on bounce boxes. I'd made a change or two, skipping Linden and adding Groseclose, and wanted to make sure I had the maps and Companion guidebook pages staged correctly.Well, I didn't spend the whole day. And I didn't finish either. I did a lot of cleaning, and moving junk around today, and I don't have my Pearisburg box set yet.I'm unsure what to do about footwear. I'd like to hike in sneakers in the flatter sections, but don't want to commit too early. And what if they don't work out? Not sure what to do here.Also, what clothes/stuff to send? Well, tomorrow's another day. The Last Day, but still, another day.Like Mango says in his hours, it's time to be checking out weather in Georgia. I've used weather.com, and use Suches, GA as my checkpoint. It is the location nearest the trail (under two miles) at the highest elevation (about 2700 feet).Looks like my starting pack weight will be a couple pounds higher. It is gong to be WARM. Highs in high 50's/low 60's, lows in forties. I had planned on hiking in thermals/shorts, plus shirt, fleece hat (or ear band),gloves and gaiters. HA! Looks like all that stuff will be in my pack, at least to start. Gaiters.....Hmmm....Should I leave them behind? Several ounces to be saved there. I do NOT want a pack weight of 30 pounds with food and water, and with all my winter clothing in the pack, I will be getting close to that. I am, alas, about 20 1/2 pounds without food/water and without the thermals/gaiters etc in the pack. I wanted it under 20 pounds, but simply could not get there.Tomorrow I MUST decide on my Pearisburg gear-change-out, and MUST make a decision on footwear for the middle section of the hike.
Date: 2006-03-04
To: Angel Baby (I'm All Packed and I'm Ready to Go)
Miles today: 0.0

I am soooo close.Did a ton of stuff today. Finished up all the packing. Put my pack together and weighed it. 25 pounds with food and water. Not bad, seeing as how I put my thermals inside, and heavy shirt, and will start hike with shorts/T-shirt based on weather.com forecast.I have my bounce box packed, my Pearisburg gear change.I have a bin of reserve gear for my wife to dip into if I call and say, "Help! I need ..."I have a box with sneakers in it to send to Kincora Hostel. I will wear the sneakers from Kincora to Damascus, and see if they are okay to hike in. I will carry my boots with me to Damascus, and decide there. If the sneakers are okay, I will mail the boots home.The only problem is that I am not ready to go. I have so much stuff not done that I wanted to get done. Part of this is I'm sure a lack of feeling of control. This is good. Letting go of stuff after I walk away will be a good step toward being one of the Men Who Don't Fit In (you'll have to ready the early prep entries to see one of my goals for this hike).There isn't much I can do now.A day of waiting tomorrow, a day of traveling, and then I'm off!
Date: 2006-03-05
To: Launch at 2130
Miles today: 0.0

I spent the whole day waiting for Tinker's call and when it came I wasn't ready. Or maybe I just had too much nervous energy.At any rate, I left to meet him at 4:30. My wife drove so I would be fresh. Once at the meeting spot, I called Dan (his son had a cell phone with him) to give him specific directions to the Wendy's. Tinker had made a wrong turn somewhere, and they were running late. They showed up about 6:30, not too late.There was a flurry of activity. Kissing my wife, transferring my bag and ounce box and food for the trip down, kissing my wife goodbye, petty Tammy our dog, and kissing my wife once again. It was too short a kiss, and I knew it as soon as I got into Tinker's car. I thought my wife would be right behind us, and I could jump out at the light, but she wasn't. I wanted to tell Tinker to pull over so I could flag her down, but there was no place to do so.I could see her behind us, and when we hit the turnoff for the Mass Pike, she sped up and came even with us. I waved, then saw it wasn't her. I looked back. No car in sight.What a crappy beginning to a great trip. I called her on the cell phone, and got a little closure. I wished I was back in her car.We spent a couple hours at Tinker's house. The last half hour he spent looking for his GoLite windshirt. Eventually I convinced him that he could survive without it, and we left at 9:30.We were on our way!
Date: 2006-03-06
To: We Make Great Time
Miles today: 0.0

The original plan was for me to drive because Tinker had just driven from Syracuse, but evidently he was as wired as I was because he wanted to drive first.He drove a long way, about four hours. We took a rest stop after two hours. I offered to take over, but he wanted to continue driving. After the next stop, I took over, but he "helped" me drive occasionally from the passenger seat. Eventually he fell asleep and I jacked up the cruise control (sorry, Tinker, if you are reading this) and I buzzed all the way into Virginia. About 5:30, after four hours of driving, I suddenly got tired, and pulled into a motel lot to nap.After twenty minutes, Tinker got the urge to get going and we left with him driving. That pretty much set the schedule, and for the rest of the way we drove four on and four off, taking rest breaks every couple hours.In honor of Rockdancer, I suggested a breakfast stop at a Waffle House. Tinker had neglected to get any cash before he left and he had zero dollars with him. We were to split gas, so he charged it and I gave him cash for my half. The Waffle House didn't take credit cards, though, and he didn't like the looks of the ATM there, so he got drained a bit.We stopped at an A&W to eat. Tinker got a dinner platter that was pretty good and I got a horrible burger. The root beer was excellent, though. The next thing we knew we were in Hiawassee.Ron of the Hiawassee Inn remembered me, and we arranged for him to pick us up Sunday morning at Unicoi Gap. Then we were at the Hiker Hostel, though we had a slight adventure when I apparently nodded off and crossed the centerline a bit. No one was coming the other way though, and it was a good check to see if our hearts were strong enough to hike the Approach Trail. Hey, no harm, no foul.We checked into the awesomely great Hiker Hostel. My wife had offered to pay for our room the first night, and she lucked out as the bill for the two of us came to $30.About 6:00, someone came in and I heard, "Hey Frosty!" It was Little Bear, whom I knew from the internet and SoRuck, here to put on a slide show for starting thruhikers.We had a great time, watching "The Incredible Shrinking Little Bear" drop weight in photos as his hike progressed north.We hit the sack about 10:00.
Date: 2006-03-12
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap (Hiawassee Inn)
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: scattered clouds

My cold is much worse today. I can barely breathe while walking up a very slight incline. If I'm not better when I get to Hiawassee I'm going to go to a clinic.The trail is on an old stage road for the first three or four miles out of Low Gap, and is easy to walk. I made Chattahoochee Gap, about five miles, in just under three hours. Just below the gap is a spring that is the headwaters for the famous Chattahoochee River, into which Billy Joe MacAlister jumped.An interesting point of the hike north of Chattahoochee Gap is a place where the trail slabs along the southwest shoulder of Blue Mountain. The trail is poorly constructed here. It runs over a talus slope of broken rock, and little more was done than painting white blazes on trees.It was here last year that my hike ended. I walked twenty miles or so past here, but I remember walking here in drizzly rain feeling very down. My knee hurt very badly, I was dog tired, having walked from Neels Gap that day. I missed my wife, missed my dog, and I just didn't want to be here.How different it is this year. Sure I am tired, I have a cold, and a blister of the side of the ball of my left foot, but the attitude is totally different. The problems are merely that: problems to be encountered and resolved. A zero day, or if necessary two, maybe a trip to a clinic. Then back on the trail. This year I am not looking for a reason to stop. Not that my knee wasn't a good reason; but even so, this year I started early so that if I did have a similar problem, I could take a week or more off and still get back on the trail.Tinker and Mark (now named Spoon) were at the Blue Mountain Shelter when I arrived. The GAATC built a privy since I was there last, and a good thing it is, too. You could barely walk near the shelter last year without stepping into something you didn't want to step in.After a brief rest, I started down to Unicoi Gap. Brian was there eating lunch. He and I caught a ride to the Hiawassee Inn, and Tinker showed up a few minutes later.The Hiawassee Inn is a terrific place. Ron and Sam are very hiker friendly, ready to help you out or joke with you at the drop of a hat.I grabbed a couple BBQ sandwiches from the nearby Dairy Queen and had lunch. Also showered, shaved, spread my gear out, picked up my bounce box, and did general housekeeping things. Sam drove nine of us in a van to Daniel's Buffet. On the way back I stopped at Ingle's and bought some fruit.I pulled my mini-laptop from my bounce box, uploaded pictures from my camera and journal files from my Neo, and did a little journal updating before going to sleep.
Date: 2006-03-13
From: Unicoi Gap (Hiawassee Inn)

To: Unicoi Gap (Hiawassee Inn)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up coughing at 6:00, and stayed up, working on my journal entries. About seven-ish I went to the office and had OJ, coffee, a bagel, and English muffin and toast/jam. Then more coffee.I had left my DRIVERS license home when I came south. My wife mailed it to me here at the Hiawassee Inn. The problem is that it didn't arrive. I had hoped to go to a clinic. I have my insurance card, but all the clinics back home require a photo ID. I suppose I could go over and whine and see what happens, but I also think that I may be getting a little better.I walked down to the post office in case my wife sent it there by mistake, but no luck. I will wait until the mail comes and then play it by ear.I read over my earlier journal pages and see that I was sneezing and having trouble on the uphills right from day one. So today is the seventh day. Kind of long for a cold.My plan is to try a slack pack tomorrow. That is, have Ron drop me off at Unicoi Gap with a day pack with lunch, water, first aid kit, headlamp and not much else. I will see how I fare on uphills without a big weight on my shoulders.If I have trouble I can bail out on Tray Mountain, and walk down the Forest Service Road until I have cell coverage, then call Ron for a ride back to the Inn.Ron gave me a small backpack to use, and I already loaded it with lunch and snacks. I will bring Gatorade and water purification pills (micropur) to use if I need water.I hope I will be okay. I'm tired of being sick, and I want to get back on the trail. I just don't want to be stuck in the next section between Hiawassee and Franklin if it turns out that I have bronchitis or something.
Date: 2006-03-15
From: Unicoi Gap (Hiawassee Inn)

To: Unicoi Gap (Hiawassee Inn)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Last night I packed up my backpack, and told Ron I'd be leaving today, that I would get the pneumonia or not call from a place where I could get cell service on the trail (Tray Mountain or Kelly Knob).Then, once again, I had a horrible night. Barely slept, eyes achy, throat hurt, chest tight as a drum. So once again, I moped my way over to the office to tell Ron, "Not today."I had breakfast with him, then found that he had an errand to run with Alicia (the housekeeper) so they were short-handed. I offered to drive the shuttle van, and took a load of hikers to Dick's Creek Gap. It was tough dropping them off because I wanted to be hiking with them, not driving back to Hiawassee.Just before I left, I saw Gary Poteet driving up from the Blueberry Patch. I waited because I figured that Tinker would be with him. I was right. I said good-bye to him, wished him luck, and then came back to Hiawassee.About 2:00 I called the clinic and was told that I had a slight infection but that the chest X-ray was fine. So tomorrow morning I am out of here!
Date: 2006-03-20
From: Deep Gap (Franklin)

To: Deep Gap (Franklin)
Miles today: 0.0

After a bad night's sleep, I woke up congested, sore, tired and miserable. I got dressed and walked slowly up to the office. I tried to imagine what it would be like to wake up feeling like this at 5000 feet at Carter Gap Shelter. If I felt this bad after sleeping in a heated motel room, what would it be like sleeping in a tent or shelter?It is one of the seldom discussed topics, this being sick on the trail. I didn't much like it.Ron was at the office, and I asked him where the nearest clinic was. He said he'd drive me when I was ready. I was ready.He dropped me off at 9:00. There were half a dozen people ahead of me. I got in to see a doctor about 10:30, and it did not take him long to analyze me. I told him what the doctor in Hiawassee gave me, and he scoffed. "That won't do squat against what you got." Tell me about it, I thought. He said, "With your eyes watering the way they are, you got something nasty working in there."So he gave me some Amoxicillin, forty tablets at four per day. He told me that in order to sleep I would need to buy some over-the-counter antihistamine or he could prescribe them. I asked for the prescription. I got 30 Zyrtec tablets. He said I might have some allergies around this, and to keep what I didn't use in case I had problems as spring came around. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.I filled the prescriptions at a pharmacy a half block away and called Ron. He was coming back from Winding Stair Gap and would pick me up on the way down.I bought a Diet Dr. Pepper and took the first set of pills.When Ron picked me up, I was surprised to see Miss Parkay and Cloudwalker in the van. I had last seen Miss Parkay in Hiawassee, having dropped her off at Dicks Creek Gap several days ago. To find I was only two days behind her was a surprise.They waited for me while I picked up my bounce box at the Post Office, then dropped Miss Parkay and Cloudwalker at the Prime Sirloin Buffet, and me at the motel.I went in, stripped down, cranked up the heat and went to bed to allow the medicine to start working.I woke up about six o'clock, not feeling any better.Scott, from Team NH, knocked on my door. We talked a bit, but I was beat. Before he left, he helped me with my meds. I couldn't remember if I was supposed to take two or four tablets a day, and I couldn't find my pill bottle. He found the bottle for me, and read it to me. Ah. I took the other two Amoxicillin tablets.Dave called me up a couple times to tell me Ron was making restaurant shuttles, but I had no interest.
Date: 2006-03-21
From: Deep Gap (Franklin)

To: Deep Gap (Franklin)
Miles today: 0.0

I woke up and felt bad, but not as bad as the last two nights. I took that as encouragement and took my two morning Amoxicillin tablets. I had had trouble getting enough hot water for a shower in my room, so I asked Dave if I could swap rooms. I could and I did, with some help from gracious housekeeper Linda (hope I have her name right. I'm a tad groggy).I had some cereal and milk to eat (that I had wisely bought while at Ingle's on Sunday night), but struggled to keep it down.I felt a little better at noon. Not better enough to eat, but better. At night I thought I might try some real food. Ron and I went to a Burger King. He said there is a great BBQ joint in town, but I clearly was not up to it. I had two burgers, though, and didn't feel like I was going to throw up. I was getting better!