morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-09-25
From: The Birches

To: MT.KATAHDIN
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: clear sky

FINISHED ,DONE, THE END. WE CLIMBED UP KATAHDIN THIS MORNING. SIGNING IN AT THE REGISTER AT 5:15 A.M. WE HEADED UP WITH OUR HEADLAMPS WITHIN THE HOUR WE DID NOT NEED THEM ANYMORE. THEN WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE ANOTHER SUNNY DAY. THIS WAS A REAL ANSWER TO PRAYER AS THE WEATHER HAD BEEN WINDY AND RAINY FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. AS WE HEADED UP IT WAS GETTING BRIGHTER. THE CLIMB WAS A REAL CHALLENGE EVEN THOUGH WE HAD DONE IT BEFORE. THE HIGHER WE WENT THE MORE I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW WE WERE GOING TO GET BACK DOWN. PULLING YOURSELF UP AND GOING UP IS A LOT EASIER THAN GOING DOWN. BUT UP WE WENT AND ONCE ON THE TABLELAND WE HAD FULL VIEW OF THE MT. IT WAS STILL A WAYS AWAY BUT WE WERE GETTING CLOSE. THE WIND HAD PICKED UP AND A CHILL WAS IN THE AIR. THE SUN WAS SHINING WHICH MADE IT MORE BEAUTIFUL. NOT MANY CLOUDS.WE GOT TO THE TOP AND THE KIDS WERE THERE. LOTS OF THEM. WE HAD HIKED OFF AND ON WITH MOST OF THEM.ITWAS GREAT TO SUMMIT WITH THEM. WE STAYED FOR AN HOUR,TAKING LOTS OF PICTURES AND HUGS WERE EVERYWHERE.WE DECIDED TO LEAVE AFTER AN HOUR BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING COLDER BY THE MINUTE AND WE KNEW IT WAS A HARDER CLIMB DOWN THAN UP. WE LEFT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL UP THERE BUT MANY WERE ALREADY STARTING DOWN. THE 5.2 MILES DOWN SEEMED TO TAKE FOREVER. THE HIKE CAME TO AN END AT 5;15. THE SAME TIME WE STARTED. WHAT AN AWESOME DAY. WHAT A MEMORY.TIL NEXT TIME,HEAD-N-OUT AND TAG-N-ALONG
Date: 2012-10-09
From: RESTING

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE BEEN HOME FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS . TOMORROW WE WILL HEAD OUT TO W.VA. FOR THE ALDHA MEETIMG. IT TAKES PLACE IN ATHENS AND GOES FROM THE 12TH -14TH AT CONCORD UNIVERSITY. WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HIKER FRIENDS AGAIN. I AM SURE THERE BE LOTS OF HIKERS TALKING ABOUT THEIR HIKE THIS YEAR. WE ARE PLANNING A BIKE TRIP FOR NEXT JULY AND MAYBE GOING BACK TO HANOVER IN AUG. SO I CAN FINISH THE TRAIL THAT I MISSED. IT WOULD BE ABOUT 400 MILES. OUR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSITY IS IN MARCH,MAYBE GOING ON A CRUISE. SO, TO ALL OF YOU WHO HIKED THIS YEAR A BIG CONGRATULATIONS. OH, HEAD-N-OUT DID THE SUNDAE CHALLENGE AT THE A.T. CAFE. YES, HE FINISHED IT ALL. HIS NAME IS ON THE POST.
Date: 2012-10-31
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Happy hallowen to all. I am certainly concerned about the S.B. on this day. The hurricane dumped 3 ft of snow in the W. Va. area and in the smokeys. We summited katahdin on the 25th of Sept. on a cold and blustery day BUT the sun was shining . We had about 30 thru-hikers with us. it was awesome. We only experienced snow once on the whole trip. Missing the trail. Head-n-out and Tag-n-along
Date: 2014-04-11
From: Milford Ohio

To: Springfield Ohio
Miles today: 0.0

Day 1 April6   After we were dropped off by our good friends SOS and Trailmama we were on another backpacking adventure. Planning to hike the NCT back to our home in Mi. Some 600 miles. The Buckeye Trail and NCT are the same In Ohio. The trail is a bikepath and paved. The weather was great and the trail was busy with bikers and joggers. We have no idea where we will pitch the tent tonight.
Date: 2014-04-11
From: Milford Ohio

To: Springfield Ohio
Miles today: 0.0

Day 1 April6 After we were dropped off by our good friends SOS and Trailmama we were on another backpacking adventure. Planning to hike the NCT back to our home in Mi. Some 600 miles. The Buckeye Trail and NCT are the same In Ohio. The trail is a bikepath and paved. The weather was great and the trail was busy with bikers and joggers. We have no idea where we will pitch the tent tonight. Found a place along the Little Miami River.Set up for the night.More update later
Date: 2014-04-12
From: Springfield Ohio

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

April 13, Well, unfortunately we are off the trail and back home in Mi. I developed a sharp pain in my knee on Weds and continued to hike. It of course only got worse and I ended up in the hospital in Springfield, Ohio for x-rays. Hoping to rest a few days and get back on the trail it did not happen. The pain was not going away. I could not stand on my leg without pain. Icing went on for 2days and we decided it was not going to get better for quite q while. Sitting here at home is not what we were planning to be doing til we finished the hike. Hiking back to Mi. was the plan ,not driving back. Renting a car and driving home to no electricity. A storm had gone through our little town and did some severe damage. We lost 8 big white pine trees. Gettting back on the trail is not going to happen for some time. I have to be able to walk without pain. Although our trip was cut short we had a great time and enjoyed getting out there. Next trip planned is a trip to Damascus Va. for trail days I May.
Date: 2012-02-11
To: Training
Miles today: 0.0

I keep finding myself being loved as if I never been loved before. But come to think about it I've never had anyone love me like my momma does. Momma never punishes me although sometimes I know she isn't happy with me and doesn't pet me like she normally does when I do something stupid. Mom brings me outside multiple times a week to play, althoguh she always says it's training. I didn't think training you pet to go out and walk around town, chase after toys and bring it back when she tells me to, then when in training do you get to follow momma around town off leash? I can say though I did have to learn differnt words like sit, stay, heel, hip, and most importanly come. Momma does a different hand signal with for each word, which is really nice if I didn't hear her over a crowd plus doesn't have to have to yell. I really like it that mom doesn't punish me when I do something wrong as my last owners kept punishing me when I didn't do something right. Instead all my mom does it not congratulate and try again, she also makes it more clear when I don't understand. I love it when mom pets and or gives me a treat when I get it right, instead of just keep doing it over and making me think I was wrong. I've been having a hard time during the days when mom is at work and i'm stuck at home and can't do anything incept for sleep. But I can say on her days off she focues on me and bring me on long walks around town or even on hikes through the woods.FACT: In six years one unspayed female and her offspring, can reproduce 67,000 dogs (Spay USA)
Date: 2012-03-08
To: The Pack!
Miles today: 0.0

Mommy has been bring me out walking everywhere, when she isn't working nor sleeping. She parks her car on the edge of town then walks me to the far side of town while she does her errands. I've learned how to be a good dog when she ties me up outside of a building while she goes in for a few minutes to pick something up or drop something off. I often times don't mind as when she comes out she tells me "great job" and loves on me. Mom very rarely ever gets mad at me and then when she does it's because I did something I knew I wasn't allowed to do, like bully the cats or not respond to her recall. When mom gets mad at me though she never hits me but instead looks me stern in the eye and tells me "bad Boy." Mom always informs me that we need to practice our recall as it could save my life, I¢m not sure why she thinks that but mom knows everything and I trust her. The other day when mom got home she put this harness on me with a handle and snuged it down. Mom then moved it forward, backward and side to side to see how much play was in the harness. She kept playing with the straps so it was tight but not restricting, then she stood up and picked me up by just the handle. I got embarrassed when she did so because I accentually farted... Mom then let me walk around in the harness before bed then every time since on our walks. The last two walks I went on mom attached this big saddle like packs to the harness. It wasn't the first time I¢ve seen it as mom put it on me at the house to walk around in empty. I can say it makes my figure look fat and if I don't take toll on how far out it goes I will hit everything. I tried going out the dog door in the dog pack and ended up getting stuck, luckily she was there to help me through the dog door. One day she put the pack on with two soup cans in the saddle bags for extra weight so I could get used to the weight. Needless to say I learned I don't have muscle I need yet to carry the pack, but with time the muscels will start to come about. Mom then lighten my load for a farther walk to where I carried poop bags, water bowl, my dog toy, medical record and sometimes her wallet. I'm a little slow with my dog pack but I think that will change once I get my mussel. http://dogblog.ruffwear.net/2012/02/07/backpacking-ruffwear-pack-questions-answered/ Mom keeps counting the days down until we get to go out and hike 400 miles through Virginia!!!Fact: Dogs only sweat from the bottoms of their feet, the only way they can discharge heat is by panting. With that known watch your dogs during warm weather days for overheating.
Date: 2012-03-19
To: The time has come...
Miles today: 0.0

Mom keeps counting down the days until step off and well today is the day...While the days have been getting closer mom kept taking me out for hikes in the woods, up and over mountain, through rock fields, past wild animals, and so much more. She tells me it is to prepare me for what today brings, and I can't wait to see what that day is. For all those other dogs out there wanting to hike on the trail I encourage you to start backpacking before do the actual trail so you know what yu are getting yourself into. I personally found my mom back in December in the woods and didn't have the time as much time as I wanted to get trained, but you work with the time you have. There is a few things all dogs should know when heading out into the woods with their Bi-Ped's 1.) Voice command! Yes it is repetitive but it can save your life and your owners. When they say stop you stop right then and there, when they say heel they mean heal right to their side, and when mom says hip-hip it means move or jump.2.) Leash Trained...Mom taught me right off that a taught leash is a bad leash. I learned that if I can keep the leash loose and stay by her side then I will be let off the leash if the area is safe. But mom always keeps me on leash when walking through towns and around tons of people. 3.)Backpacking trained...This area I'm lest trained in as I haven't had the years of training. But I do have some knowledge in this field...When you go out for the night make the first night in the tent, as it's scary sleeping outside for the first. Once they are used to the tent then you can start experimenting with the shelters, but there are a few things they need to know before doing so....If there are people in the shelter if ANY of them don't like dogs in the shelter then nicely go out and pitch a tent (no problems asked.) They should also know what their bed is so they don't go and jump on everyone else¢s bag and make it hairy/ dirty. When sleeping outdoors I suffer from the temps, so mom always covers me up with a blanket/ jacket. 4.) NO Begging...I don't feel like I need to explain this one...during other peoples dinner if need to keep from begging for others bi-peds food just go lay down on your bed. The last thing I want to talk about is the Pack...Mom always made sure at least once a week we went out with my dog pack on for a walk, it wasn't always a long walk but a walk at that. I'm glad she did so as I couldn't imagine leaving today and putting my pack on for the first time and having to mussel to carry it along. Mom also work me up to the weight I needed to be for this hike, and she makes sure I will not go over 1/4 of my body weight on this whole hike. Learn more about your dog: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=H&S=1
Date: 2012-03-21
From: Wayensboro

To: Buena Vista
Miles today: 0.0

Well this week was filled with near death experiences...We had a tree fall right next to the shelter when we were inside it one morning, then got caught walking over a grassy meadow ridge in a thunderstorm not to mention the fact of camping through it. Then the 3rd experience was when mom and me spent a night near to trail hobo's (one packing a gun) and the other wanting to hike with me. Mom did all the talking for obvious reasons but needless to say she informed them that we hike alone. The first night out of town we meet a awesome past thru hiker (Rat) who gave me all types of loving <3 in which I loved back by kissing his face off. The trail has been hard on me starting out but fun. Mom just has us going slow and easy as I can't going any faster. My pads are holding out and I have been eating all my food! Happy Paws!
Date: 2012-03-22
From: Buena Vista

To: Bucannon 
Miles today: 0.0

I finally get to be off leash when I sleep in the shelters! When we first started mom always tied me up to the post in the shelter when we went to sleep at night. For some reason (my guess is my good behavior) mom trusted me and didn't leash me one night, I was more concerned about getting sleep not hiking more miles...thus equaling me staying by her side through out the night. We have been going up and down mountains, through creeks and streams, under and over rocks and everything in between. Mom has been going slow for me since I have a tougher time carring my pack than she does with her, but on my side...she has had more practice. I have been getting tons of love from people in town and on trail. It seems everyone is more concerned about me than they are about my mom, ha ha momma :P Buena Vista was a nice town on Monday when we were heading out, the libray was great and the wine shop was super hiker friendly and provided a ride to Hardy's then up to the trail head! But when we got in on Sunday it wasn't the best as the campground was closed and could find the showers, the wine shop was closed along with 70 percent of the rest of the town. We decided to sleep at the campground under the pavilon for the night...we heard tond of trains and cars. On the bright side though we did see a albino deer in the park, could believe it.I've learned that it is truely hard for mom and me to get a hitch...I guess no one likes picking up a solo female with a dog. When we do get a hitch it is always by a female or by multiple people (male and female.) I have been doingn great on trail, mom never leashes me I just follow right behind her. Then when we come across people she always ask them if they are dog friendly, most people say yes. But we have ran across a few people who were not so mom just puts a hand on my collor while they pass us.Happy Hiking
Date: 2012-03-23
From: Loft Mountain Campground

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: clear sky

After the long-ish ride to the trail head mom finally let me get out of the car and go to the bathroom. I knew something was up today as she brought both of our packs but the person driving (James) didn't bring his. I soon found myself in my dog pack walking down a blue blaze trail at a nice slow pace until we reached the trail intersection. Mom then took off my pack and hers and laid them on the side of the trail while we walked north up the white blazed trail for a mile or so just to turn around. When mom got off the trail here last year she got off in the campground, but the campground was closed equaling her having to get on some where different and connecting the pieces. After returning to the packs we loaded back up and headed south on the AT following white marks in between the trees, up and over rocks and down the dry dirt path. We took it nice, slow and easy stopping often for rest, relaxation and rehydration. There was a campground called Dundo campground where mom stopped unsaddled me and watered me. While we were hanging there multiple tourist drove by and looked at us like we were rare animals they never seen before. It kind of confuses me but I think I have to get used to that. As we continued on from here we walked over Blackrock Mountain which blessed us with great views of the valley and Massanutten Mountain in the distance. There was a whole bunch of boulders stacked up and jumbled together, mom was interested in the view up at the top so she tied me up down at the bottom right off the trail in the shade and climb to the top. While doing so there was 2 tourist who looked at her and made the comment "you make that look so easy..." If I heard mom ok she responded "it's just like steps isn't anything technical (which it truly wasn't.) Once she came back down to the bottom shortly after she took a seat on the ground and played her fife, as there isn't like playing music up on top of a mountain. One we got to the shelter, I still had energy tons of energy so mom played with me at the shelter...freebie! I slept in a 3 sided building mom calls shelters for the first time, mom leashed me to the post inside the shelter in case I ran away. We shared it with another hiker T-Bone (who mom meet when hiking the other part of the trail, before she found me.) I was kind of scared that night by all the different wilderness noises and didn't sleep well though. ~Even dogs go through the same feelings we do when first getting into new territories or activities, so be prepared for changes in behavior~
Date: 2012-03-24
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Cafe Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: light rain

Umm, mom I don't feel too well...I barely got any sleep last night and nerves got my stomach going and need to say bathroom keeps calling Mom for some reason always goes over to where we I pooped and pushes it off the trail and covers it with the leaves. I'm not too sure why she does this...I figured I would go in the middle of the trail and laugh when someone steps in it We took it nice slow and easy again today but did more miles, as we had more sunlight to do it in. We kept crossing roads left and right, and every road mom makes me stop and then gives me the command to go across. I like that she doesn't leash me when doing so, as long as I listen to the commands and do what I¢m told to do. Near the end of the day we noticed dark clouds roll in along with thunder in the distance. Mom decided to make our last break a little shorter than planned so we can head to the shelter before the storm really kicked in. It turns out the rain hit in right when we got to the shelter so we really didn't get wet. whoo! And the thunderstorm was stuck on the other side of the ridge and never got right over head...another whoo! We had the shelter to ourselves, which isn't always that bad as mom like to spread out and not feel confined. ~When your stomach is upset, you don't want to do much...dogs are the same way, realize that it isn't only your hike but also your dogs, be prepared to adjust your plans~
Date: 2012-03-25
From: Cafe Mountain Shelter

To: Paul Wolfe Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: light rain

Time to get up and hike to town... Mom keeps putting me this big red pack on me and asking me to walk miles after miles. We ended up hiking to this road where mom put me on my leash and had me stand next to the road with her while she hitched. All I wanted to do was lay down on the warm asfult and take a nap, but mom wouldn't let me as the asfult was a busy road. It took us a hour to finally get a ride to town just to shower, update journal, and get my dose of love from everyday normal people. The ride back out to the trail was a lot easier than the one in as it was from a lady a part of the ASPCA and hiking club.The hike out to the next shelter was nice and easy was we walked side hill there. We walked by a number of turkeys, I was going to chase them but mom trained me not to, instead I just watched them as I continued down trail. At the shelter I met a past thru hiker named "Rat," he had a fire going by the shelter in which mommy made a smart *ss comment about it being so cold outside and needing the fire. I enjoyed getting tons of love by Rat and his sleeping bag, mom told me I wasn't allowed on but he invited me over to his sleeping bag for more love. We had heat lighting which I found a little weird for the time of year. -Make sure your dog has a soild recall-
Date: 2012-03-26
From: Paul Wolfe Shelter

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

Mom keeps telling me today is going to be a big day and get going early...only problem is I stayed up to late last night with mom talking to Rat. This morning we heard a really loud craking noise and mom looked out the shelter just to see a huge tree falling 10 feet away from the shelter. We were really lucky with the way it fell as it didn't crush us, but only scared us to death, and broke a peice of the bear hanger. The hiking for today was long, and hard on the body...mainly because it is day 3 for us and it is 16miles. I hurt more than mom but she did say hiking in the fivefingures hurt at the end of the day. When we got to the shelter there was 2 hikers there, looking at there gear informs me that they were not out to make miles. The one was packing a BB gun, for protection services, and the other one was odd to put it nicely. Mom decided to put up the tent a little way from the shelter as we didn't feel comfortable around them. "Provision" the odd one asked if he can join me on my hike south, mom informed him that we were a solo hiker and we like to keep it that way. - listen to your dog, if he is in pain don't make him keep walking-
Date: 2012-03-27
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: The Priest
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

I was the first one up this morning, what a shock... We packed up and started moving, moms whole goal today was loose the two creeps from the last shelter. The hike up three ridges was nice and not to hard, the top blessed up with some great views. Mom let me rest to some of the rock outcroppings while she took photos and played the fife. We had a hard decent from the top, I decided to be a cheater and cut the switchbacks while mom walked the whole trail not cutting switchbacks. We finally got down to the Tye River where we took lunch and mom took a soap bath. While hanging down at the river there was day hikers who came down and gave me tons of love while giving mom a lecture about hiking solo. The climb up the other side was forever long and it was extreamly hot outaside, we ended up stopping at a nice view half way up to rest and refresh. After making it to the top we hanged out on a large rock outcropping as we were half mile from the shelter and had a good amount of day light left.I got woke up after dark (around 10 or 11) from a deep sleep by a flashlight and loud thumping noises. Mom had so many words come out of her mouth, at first from being scared half to death then more realizing that it was Provision. -Take breaks often and make sure you hydrate you and your dog-