morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-09-02
From: Home

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Pack is packed. Andrew's driving me to Hanover today. It's late so I'll just head for the first shelter. Worked out a plan yesterday with RockDancer ('97) that will hopefully get me to Kitahdin before October 15. Then, I'll flip and do VT, MA, and the last piece of evil CT. I'm scared right now. I'll probably not have much company out there, it will be cold and windy in the Whites, hardest section of trail, out of trail shape, still have shin splints. I will not do anything stupid and will bail if I have to bail. Maybe I'm headed out with a negative attitude. I'm certainly more nervous than I was stepping foot on Springer. But I still have the dream.I've been hanging around the house for almost two months and drooling over every beautiful day that I could be on the trail. Well, that day is here. Excited. Scared.
Date: 2006-09-02
From: Hanover, NH

To: Velvet Rocks Shelter
Miles today: 1.5
Weather: clear sky

I just had a s'more. I'm in my tent listening to the breeze and the hikers around the fire. It's good to be back. At the same time, I still have 700 miles to finish, a third of the trail.I stepped out of the car in Hanover and said good-bye to Andrew for the second time on this trip, third time if I count his visit in Virginia. This time was tougher on both of us. He wants me to finish the trail and he wants me at home. I want to finish the trail and I want to be at home. There's been grumbling on both our parts for the past few days. I'm leaving again and we're both ambivalent. My attitude is different this time. It was harder coming back out here because I know how hard it is and how much harder it will get. When I hit the trail in Georgia I knew it was going to be hard, but back then hard was only a theory. Now I know what hard means. I'm also out of shape and nursing shin splints again.What's scaring me out here now? Hiking on a sore leg, facing the roughest part of the trail in a couple of days, getting stuck on a cold windy ridge in the rain. I had that in Tennessee. That was frightening, but I did it. I'm keeping Tennessee in mind now. I was stuck in the Smokies because I was stupid. I know better know. If I have to bail out again or do some flip-flopping to get to Katahdin in time I'll do it. I badly want to finish, but I'm not getting hurt again. I also can't ask any more of Andrew. He's been tested as much as I have. We both want to get on with our life. It's overdue.Lots of hikers here tonight which allays some of my fears. Everyone I know is either done or off trail. New folks I've met include Tomato Gravy, Trail Boss, Garden Gnome, Danger and Two Step. Good folks.
Date: 2006-09-03
From: Velvet Rocks Shelter

To: Moose Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: light rain

Rainy day. Woke up to it falling on my tent. Watched the newly sealed seams. They held in light rain. Haven't had a deluge yet, at least not when I woke up.The old routines return immediately. Last night I arrive at the shelter, explode the pack, set up the tent, lay out the pad and bag and then dinner. Thought about skipping the trip to the water source until morning but that's not how it's done. Easier to break camp and get out early. To bad I didn't find the water, just wandered around in the dark and landed in a Hanover backyard.Only routine I skipped this morning was breakfast. I didn't want to take the time since even though I'm alway first up. I'm also always the last to leave. Still not sure why that is.Headed out in the rain as it got heavier. Watching my feet on the trail still looks the same. They move slower right now. Poles clicking along, but I'm using them differently now. No more pounding them into the ground and jarring my shoulders.Was an easy stretch of trail today, just what I need to start out on. Nice walk. Signs of fall setting in. The poison ivy is all orange and gold. New fallen leaves and the early autumn smell. Heading into my fourth season on the trail. Maine will be beautiful. Days are shorter and sun lower in the sky. Trees will be bare by the time I get to Vermont and Massachusetts.Rain and more rain and fresh blisters for my first full day. I stopped at Mink Brook for lunch during a lull. Beautiful little spot, good for a rest and happy because I was only 3 miles from the shelter. Rain starts again as I spread my peanut butter.Colder, wetter and much windier on top of Moose Mountain. The shelter faces directly into the weather. All but the back wall is wet. I didn't feel like setting up my tent in the rain so I laid out my bag against the wall, sat in a puddle to cook. I put on my new fill jacket, crawled in the bag and zipped it up over my head. In bed at 5:00. Thought I might read but fell off immediately. Was pretty sure I'd die in the night from the wind and cold. Forgot how wonderful my sleeping bag is, hot it got me through 20 degree nights and just how much I love it. I woke around midnight so hot I had to strip off a layer. It all comes back fast.
Date: 2006-11-04
From: Home

To: home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Well, I've officially hung up my pack for the year.I headed out last Sunday for a week's hike in VT and should have finished up today. I would have officially hit my 2000 mile mark. But, not to be. On Monday, about 10 miles into the state, I flopped down on Bunker Hill just south of West Hartford. Had planned a 15 mile day but was only at 5 by noon. Had already thrown my pack down four times to rest. No way to get in 10 more. With no energy and screaming headache, I backtracked to West Hartford where a very nice librarian gave me a ride back to my car in Hanover.I'd asked my doc for a Lyme disease test last week before I hit the Vermont trail. Got a positive result back yesterday. Sad to end my thru-hike this way, but after injury and sickness there ain't no way I can say that I didn't give it my very best.I'll join the world again on Monday when I start a seasonal job at L. L. Bean. Starbucks likes me too and I'll be starting with them in mid-January. Happy in whatever follows. Happy for all the miles and the work it took to get them done. Just happy.boulder
Date: 2006-12-30
To: post trail life
Miles today: 0.0

So it's three years to the day that I flew from home in Maine to Georgia. March 1 of '06 I climbed the approach trail and touched the blaze on Springer.There hasn't been a day since that my hike hasn't been with me.I remember it, think about it, talk about it. The odd thing is I can't look back at the actual evidence that I did it. I don't look at the pictures. I don't look at the map on my wall even though it's been hanging there with stickers and dates that Andrew put on every time I sent an update. I haven't looked back on this journal. I have all the entries that I wrote out there and sent home for transcription, but I haven't touched them, can't reread them. It hurts. I can't explain it, but it hurts.Post trail life after all this time has settled in to normal life. When I got back I had every confidence that I would get to to my professional life, either in librarianship or some other related teaching or communication field. So far, it hasn't worked out that way. It took me two and a half years to even find full time employment. I work temp and part time jobs with stretches of nothing in between. I even put in six months of wearing a green apron at Starbucks. Not the greatest career move for a 40 year old man. I've done three seasons of holiday order taking at the L.L. Bean call center here in town.Granted, I live in Maine. There is almost no work here unless you want to ring a cash register or wear a headset. Folks who move here come only when they already have a job waiting. All recruiting is done outside. No one hires in-staters. So, now I'm in another headset job, doing customer service at Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield. It's a job where everyone from 20 to 60 is treated like a 5 year old. They award balloons and gold stars when callers give compliments on how perky and congenial you are. I told them a long time ago to stop bringing crap to my desk. I have a drawer where I dump all the company logo chachkies they give out like Santa Clause... coffee cups, stress balls, mirrors with "inspirational" slogans, blah, blah, blah.Would I ever take it all back so I could go back to a real job with good pay? Not on your life. Without sounding way out there, I've got my heart and soul that I earned on the trail.So why am I back to the journal and the solid proof of what I did from March to October of '06?Like I said, it's my three year anniversary. In a few minutes I'm headed up the street from the coffee place that's become a second home to Blnd Sght Tattoos, (Get it? No "I"s). The phenomenal artist Watson Atkinson is starting my full sleeve map of the AT. I've been dreaming about it since Damascus. It's finally time. He ran a contest for a sleeve to the person with the best, most original concept. I didn't win, but honorable mention got me a deep discount. It will be about 40 hours worth of work. Hope to have it completed by October and my Katahdin anniversary. And Watson is an AT dreamer and future hiker. It will be a great partnership. It be posting the work as it progresses.
Date: 2006-01-26
To: What the woods have been to me...
Miles today: 0.0

Over the years the woods have been many things to me, a doctor, a scientist, a friend, a much-needed silence, a refuge, an escape, and finally an answer to questions that I didn¢t even know I had. I felt so strongly the call of the wilderness a few years ago I had no alternative but to follow. It was during the first semester of my sophomore year of college. I would spend numerous days and nights in the woods alone, skipping classes, hiking, dreaming, hiding, searching, playing, and creating dangerous challenges to test my strength and my courage. The woods were a form of escape for me. I could hide from people there. The woods didn¢t judge me. They didn¢t expect anything of me. I could be myself even though I didn¢t know who ¢myself¢ was. I didn¢t have to conform to any Christian expectation in the woods. I didn¢t have to fake a relationship with Jesus. I didn¢t have to act like everything was all right. I didn¢t even have to say that God was good, because I didn¢t truly believe He was. I could be confused in the woods and it was okay. There I felt unhampered, unchained, mysterious, wild and free. Most importantly, I knew I could hurt safely in shadows of the trees. Now I feel a similar call. Into the wild, to find my true heart once again. 10 days till I start my adventure. I have no idea what to expect. I just know I am supposed to go. So I am going.
Date: 2006-01-27
To: Where I am at now?
Miles today: 0.0

So where am I now? What in the world am I about to do? Why this? I hate to disappoint you but I honestly don¢t know. I am setting out on a plight of a lifetime. Five months on the Appalachian Trail. Josh and I, two wounded-fatherless young Christian men, trying to find answers somewhere in the woods. Most of my family thinks I am a nutcase and will probably quit. Most of my friends know I am a wildman but they doubt I will live to tell the tales. I have read about this journey. Only 10% of the thru-hikers make it the entire 2,164 miles without giving up, Georgia to Maine is no small walk in the park. I have sold my car, saved up enough money, I have bought the correct gear, but I still don¢t have a clue what I am about to get myself into. Why am I being called to this type of adventure? I am scared. Nervous. Excited. I doubt myself. Can I even do this? I think I can. I have to try; I have to know if the strength is within me. I can¢t live in regret, or ¢what ifs¢. I have to live and live fully. As much as I am looking forward to pooping in holes in the pouring snow for the next 5 months, I look more towards seeing why God is bringing me out here in this wild place. What else does He want to teach me? I want all that He has for me. I want to be stretched beyond my comfort zone. I want to know God in a tangible way and this seems to be the next illogical step, the next unknown. So many times in uncertainty I doubt that God is in control and that He truly knows what He is doing with my life. It is then and only then all is stacked up against Him, when Goliath is breathing down young David¢s neck, when an old bumbling Moses reenters his homeland and demands the freedom of his people, when Jesus leaves the advancement of the gospel to a few social misfits, it is then when God shows up, it is then when He comes through and snatches all the glory. There in that holy place, all human power is stripped, and God is revealed in all His majesty. He always works like that and my fickle, embarrassing faith is always illuminated for how puny it actually is. Mustards seeds are small, and that seems to be Jesus¢ prerequisite to move mountains, so I am okay with a small faith. This is certainly one of those times I doubt. Will you come through in the clutch again God? I suspect I will meet some interesting people, I wonder what they will teach me about your image? Will I quit? Will I even live to tell the stories? Will I meet you out there in the wild God? I hope so. That is why I am going. That is why I am risking it all. I want an encounter with the living God. So here I go, into the unknown, into the wild. I have no idea what will happen; I have no clue who I will become.
Date: 2006-01-30
To: a 2 day delay
Miles today: 0.0

My hiking buddy's ride from Clearwater cannot leave now till thursday Feb. 9th. So that is pushing the leaving date from Feb 7th to the 9th..urgh..We will meet at amicalola falls thursday night around 12am. sleep or we will start hiking that night we havent decided yet.. I just want to "leave" so bad.. I wait around dreaming of adventure and the unknown and the challenges that await me..this waiting boredom is killing me. ¢Leave¢¦ Roll the word around on your tongue for a bit. It is a beautiful word, isn¢t it? So strong and forceful, the way you always wanted to be. And you will not be alone. You have never been alone. Don¢t worry. Everything will still be here when you bet back. It is you who will have changed.¢ ¢ Donald Miller
Date: 2006-02-06
To: One Step Closer
Miles today: 0.0

Saturday night I caught a ride down to Gainesville with a friend. Gainesville is about 40 miles away from the trail head. I will be staying here at their house for a few more days. Thursday night the 9th Josh will be catching a ride from Clearwater and we will be meeting Amicolola (sp) state park that night. I am growing in my nerves and in my doubts. Its freezing here...I am not even joking..Snowing a little this morning. But the worst is the icy wind that cuts your skin. As I woke up this morning in a warm bed, then walked four steps to the nice toilet, then took one more step to the 97 deg. shower, I came to the realization that all these easy warm commadities were about to become utterly foreign to me. Nothing will come easy. Nothing will be warm. I will be stripped of all comfort. Everything that I know so well. My false self that I wear like a second skin. But right now that is what I want. I want all that I rely on to be taken from me. Part of me feels trapped in this matrix of society. I have to get out. The snow cap mountains scream freedom. I have seen that I am soft. I am mostly a front. Though on the outside I put on a tough, cocky, I have it all together facade, I am full of crap. I am still a scared little boy who is hiding, and who has a very small idea of who is really is. And those days I do remember my true name I doubt that I will ever have the strength become who I am called to be.
Date: 2006-02-08
To: Here we go
Miles today: 0.0

Though I am making this journey with only one other friend. I feel like many are traveling with me. I already feel the prayers taking place on my behalf. The Lord has already started to whisper life into my doubting ears. I see God fathering me, loving me, believing in me. But I still long to hear that I belong, that I am loved no matter what, I still yearn to feel the whiskers on His face, His muscles so tightly woven around my body that I can barely breath..or to crawl into His lap and feel completely and utterly safe, satisfied. That is how I want to experience God, that is what I have to look forward too. Thank you for all the encouraging letters I have recieved, you all believing in me, makes me believe in my self and I am indebted to that. I truly have some of the greatest friends on the planet. I finished all my purchasing today. Cigars and pipe tobacco. I have to have a cigar to truly soul search, and there is nothing like my pipe around a fire in the woods. This will be my last Journal entry before I hit the trail. I will be updating this as soon as I can. I hope you enjoy this trip with me. I ask that even though you are not in the woods with me that we can continue to grow together on this expedition of strength and soul. I ask that we continue to challenge and sharpen each other. Continue to love each other even though it may be ugly. I will be leaving all that I know..but I will desperately need all of you to make it through. Thank you I know I can count on all of you. -to the journey of life and faith- BRAVEHEARTSide Note:Donald Miller's new book came out the other day. Go buy it. "To Own a Dragon: Reflections on Growing up Without a Father" It's beautiful. His stories and his words heal.
Date: 2006-02-11
From: Frosty Mountain

To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 4.2
Weather: light snow

I woke up this morning because I had to use the restroom, I took a step out of my tent and as I did this my back hit the top of my tent and snow poured off the roof of my tent down my lower back into my tent and actually into my sleeping bag! It continued to snow all day. We only hiked 4.2 miles to Springer Shelter where we stayed with the "Pooler Bears" John and Kathy and Wayfarer.
Date: 2006-02-12
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Deep Snow. Freezing cold. Hard hike. 7.4 miles.Met Gary..Wow. He's a hoot. If you meet him ask him about "Chicken Hawks" or his work back home. He's a funny guy. Stayed with Gary,Poolers, J&K, Wayfarer.There was trail magic (socks,mugs,hot cocoa,tea,candy,powerade,tp,meds)in the shelter that boosted my low spirits.Thanks to Appalachian Outfitters for the gift.
Date: 2006-02-13
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Still Snow. First 5 miles we were great. Last 3 were rough. Met Rueben today, we called him wonder boy has he is averaging about double the mileage we are. I was pretty low tonight. I was cold all the way to the bone. We had a fire though and as I thawed out, burned a hole in my socks, I knew I was going to be okay.
Date: 2006-02-14
From: Gooch Gap

To: First 5 days down
Miles today: 5.0

I actually havent touched the trail much..because its been covered with snow every single day i have been on it! The begining of this trip has truly been crazy. Words can't do it justice..moments of torture (foot of snow in some areas) mixed with moments of great joy (trail magic, fires). Sometimes the beauty caught me and I thought I was in a wonderland Narnia of sorts. Other times I was so cold I thought I was in some sort of frozen hell, the wind and the snow constant. Sleep..um havent really had much. Tonight we made it to Woody gap and are staying in a hostel. We have only been averaging about 6.7 miles a day, but the snow and our out of shape bodies has been contributing to that. Both of those factors should be changing. I had a warm shower today..it was heaven. I had a huge smile on my face as I thawed out. One of the happiest moments of my life when I saw my pale blue skin turn a more natural human color. But I have learned so much. Despite the discomfort I am glad I am here. I am truly being rocked out of my comfort zone. I am changing. I am morphing more into a wild man of God. thanks for the prayers. I have about 181 days left. happy trails. godspeed. -braveheart
Date: 2006-02-15
From: first 5 days down

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today we will be going 11.3 miles from Woody Gap into Neels Gap where we have a mail drop of some food and odds and ends. We will then be heading into Unicoi Gap about 31 miles away for our next restock of food. It is suppose to rain friday-sunday. But I will enjoy today as it will be in the sixties! That is the trail update, now for my heart. I am in a painful process of discoverng a new self. As Buechner says "Beneath the face there are many layers of self, and the deepest layers are for the most part hidden from us" .. I am searching, trying to look deep inside my unique web of insecurities and childish fears..I think I am finding my self, its scary, uncomfortable, yet beautiful. God keeps coming through with lack of fundage I have. I recieved so many free meals already! The owner of this hostel just said 5 seconds ago after he served us a huge breakfast that our stay was free! This was after "messenger" my hike mate prayed and prayed for a free nights stay! wow.. Increase my faith Lord, increase my trust in you Lord, teach me how to pray.. you truly do love to come through for your children.. continue to father me Lord."Perfection is attained not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away." - Antoine de' St. Exupery
Date: 2006-02-16
From: Neels Gap

To: Baggs Creek Gap
Miles today: 4.2

Blood Mountain yesterday nearly killed us. My feet have never been so sore. So today we hung out at the Neels Gap Outfitter had doughnuts and coffee with "Cornbread" and "Pirate" till we were ready to hike. We only made it 4.2 miles. But morale was high. As we made it past the point where 10-15% of the hikers quit.            "Fatigue is my best pillow" - Ben Franklin
Date: 2006-02-17
From: Baggs Creek Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Weather wasn't bad. Low on water today. Finally found a rock that had some drips coming off of it. It was kinda nasty. But quenched. Stayed at Low Gap with Batman and Robin's nest. I am now learning that everyone is going to pass us, and we are always going to do less that what all these other hikers expect of us... but I am begining to be okay with that.
Date: 2006-02-18
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: snow

Today was one of the worst and best days of the trip. The rain in the morning wasn't too bad. But then the temp. dropped 10deg. and the rain began to freeze. I do not have water proof gloves so my hands were soaked, everything began to get so cold it was hard to walk. The wind hurt. I put my head down and tilted it away from the wind for hours. My hand finally couldn't take it any more and I got "Messenger" to pull some wool socks out of my bag and I used them to thaw and dry my hands. I just dragged my trekking poles for hours as I walked. Lunch was miserable, cold and windy. I could see very far in front of me because of the fog of my breaths was so thick.. But we were just a couple of miles away from Helen, Ga where we had a mail drop. We finally made it through the thick fog and to the road where we hitched a ride into town 9 miles away to find out that the post office was not only closed the rest of the weekend but also for Presidents Day on monday! We knew we would be in this town for awhile. I walked through the town from hotel to hotel trying to find the best deal or seeing if we could do some work in exchange for a room. We finally found a room that we could get for half price as we befriended, the desk clerk Mandy. Summer and Karry came down to see us from Hendersonville so that was awesome. It was so good to see her.