morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-09
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 1.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was an interesting zero day. We woke up and it was 29 degrees, so hard to get up and get moving. I know the cold weather is going to give me some problems. Once your moving it's tolerable. A mouse got into my bag too, and ate through a lot of my plastic bags - it was my fault. We spent a lot of the day running errands and hanging with crutch. He's an awesome guy, but at dinner he kept talking about all the people who don't make it and I found I was scared. In a way, I guess I had figured if I'd made it this far I was pretty much good, but I guess that's not true and then he was talking about the rain and how if it rains for nine days straight and your freezing so many people quit. And I hate the rain and I hate being frozen ad I was honestly worried. It was obvious to B I think and when we got back to the hotel he said that his opinion was that he didn't see any of us having a problem making it. That meant a lot ot me, but then I was thinking...crutch is one person - experienced , yes, knoweledgeable - without a doubt, but the truth is your teh only person who decides wheter you do or do not make/do something. Maybe there are ways to make things easier that we're not doing, maybe when it rains we'll call it a night, but whatever we do we can make it work for us. I want to finish this trail. I want to think, to write, to accomplish, crutch says thru-hiking's overrated, but I"m out here to do this and w/God's grace and blessing I will.H mentioned today that B and I talk alot. I think it bothers her a little - not in a jealous way. I think she get annoyed sometimes. B and I are getting along pretty well, and to be honest, I was worried that our personalities may be too different to ever really mesh. Well, it always seemed like we butted-heads, but it's fine...K sent me a picture of the sea turtle that we saw together right before I left (so cute). And then when he found out I was outside he was like "go in - I don't want you to be cold." Granted, I know that seems absurd given that I'm here to hike outside in the woods, but it's that kind of thing that makes me think he really cares. I'm so curious to see where I'm at when all is said and done. I'll make it to the end, with God's help. It's gonna be tough, but I want to, need to take advantage of teh only chance I really have to explore everything I need to. Crutch says my journal entries will be less and less and my postcards will be few and far between, but I'll stay true to my post-card wrting, journal entering self and at the end, I'll be exactly who I need to be. I'm so blessed to have this opportunity, I can't forget that.
Date: 2006-04-10
From: Franklin, NC

To: Wine springs
Miles today: 13.0

I have so much to write about today. We have a tricky situation this week because we need to make it to Fontana Dam by thursday instead of friday. So, the next three days may be close to hell, but I know God has blessed us so far, and I beleive he will continue to keep his eye on us. We went the furtherst today so far in a really short time. Crutch dropped us off at about 11:30 and we went and saw the oldest tree in N.C. which is dead b/c so many people saw it and compacted the soil around it's roots. It was 1.2 miles off trail (round trip). Anyway, we started hiking at 12pm and got here at 6:30pm, but we stopped for an hour, so it was really good time. So, I was thinking today about crutch and it's true that we connected - not physically but our personalities just clicked and I started to wonder. K and I have never clicked - not like that anyway.   We're so different and what we have has grown over time, but I wouldn't say we have that easiness to us. Do we need that? I mean, in the long run is a mutual respect and devotion developed over time enough, or does it need to stem from that feeling where you just really get someone else. It seems from the beginning it's taken a lot of effort for things with K to grown to how we are, and I wonder if that's equivalent of forcing (possibly out of mutual loneliness?) There's no question how much I care for K. I may even use the fairy tale word I dread so much but the reality is so far as I know I have this one life to live and I want to make sure I fulfill the burden I have to myself. I read an artichle in the laundry mat from the February National Geographic about love. Long term devotion is an entirely different mix of chemicals in the brain than attraction. Ohhh..I'm so overwhelmed by thought I can't even write anymore. Pop-tarts in th emorning. I'm gonna need the energy for the 19 mile day.
Date: 2006-04-11
From: Wine springs

To: Rufus Morgan
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

I do not have any desire to hike 18.3 miles again . We found out the post office will be open on Thursday, so we didn't HAVE to hike the big miles. But since there's an 8 mile up and a 1/2 mile from here we have decided to trek on so we can start early wiht it. It was long, it was hard and I don't think I was ready. I'm tired now na dI'm going to bed. I hope my legs work in the morning.
Date: 2006-04-12
From: Rufus Morgan

To: Locust Gap
Miles today: 12.4

We'll call them 3 days. The days when I wonder what the hell I'm doing out here. River dog once asked me "are we crazy - you're teh psych major. We must be crazy to run into the woods." "Everyone else is crazy I had told him, wanting peace, fresh air, exercise, nature - that's sanity." I'll tell you what, if he asked me that today I would've answered different. I broke down. We pushed yesterday, hard, Really, I initiated it and this morning I was sick. Yesterday I had a scratchy throat and a runny nose, but nothing like this morning. My sinus were crazy. Lucky me right - that we're .7 miles away from civilization. Ya, well, the outfitter only carried benadryl - that'll work I had thought to myself. Meanwhile, it itched the crap out of my face nad made me tired without helping my head. So, about 2.2 miles in to our 7 mile up hill I stopped for water and told H and B to go on. As I went down the hill I cried a lot. I cried that I was in so much pain and that I couldn't keep up . I cried that I really was alone out here in every typical sense of the word, but I don't get the benefits of hiking alone b/c I'm still running on a schedule with 2 other peopleAnd I was faced with five miles of uphill, which I'd been told are the most brutual of the whole trail.   So, I cried. And then, I prayed. I prayed to God and told him that I had hit rock bottom, I was tired and sick and I didn't think I could make it. I told him I'd do whatever it took and that I'd follow what he wanted from my life. If that means no K than so be it. Later, I realized two things. 1. How upset teh thought of no Kin my future meade me told me that I do really want him in my life "connections" or not and 2. I realized how scared I am of putting God first in my life because of the changes and losses that will mean. At any rate I prayed and sanyg my way up the trail and I made it. An hour after H and B, but it was due to God that I made it any further than my water break. I was hurting, we pushed on another 5 miles - I could tell H wanted to and I wanted to show that I couldhandle this - even sick. But, I am sick, I don't have anything to make it better and rather than comforting movies in my cozy bed with K to make me feel better (and pizza a phone call away). Instead, I'm here, In locust gap where the temp will soon be down to freezing, with H and B sharing her one man tent. And so, this is a 3 day. A day just as bas as my 3rd day in the woods when my thoughts are of homw, and my purpose here muddy. I can only pray God brings some healing tonight and a new me in the morning.
Date: 2006-04-13
From: Locust Gap

To: Bee Cove Creek
Miles today: 14.6

I just heard the craziest sound. It was either the ground sinking into the earth or an aligator growling. The first one is a distinct possibility given the fact that we are literally in a creek on some solid ground but surrounded by water. We pushed hard today adn I still didn't feel good. Not as bad as yesterday but it was more in my throat and lungs today. I got frustrated b/c everyday still feels like work and I guess when I had thought about this is was gonna be a relaxed fun walk, but we're cometing with previuos times, with past miles - it just doesn't have the casual, relaxed, peaceful feel I wanted. But, it's early still - only 3 weeks in and I heard the terrain gets easier after the Smokys and we are on a sort of time limit with mail drops and wanting to be home. I just hope I get all the down time I need out here. I wanted this to be y Thoreau time, but he may have had the right idea by just living in the woods - not trying to conquer the east coast. Town tomorrow.
Date: 2006-04-16
From: Mollies Ridge

To: Silers Bald
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: scattered clouds

We had a long day today, and I'm tired. I thought about my dilema alittle, but we stopped 3 times today, and our pace was ok, so I'm putting the problem on hold. Instead, I wrote Olga a fairy tale, which I presented to her at my wedding, which she was the maid of honor at. I'm going to write it down in my other book. Anyway, I also thought about K and some other random things. I felt alittle better so the pace wasn't as torturous. There's so much more I should write, but I gotta do this fairy tale, so I'll do a better journal entry later.
Date: 2006-04-17
From: Silers Bald

To: Ice Water Springs
Miles today: 15.5

My journal entries have been far from sufficient. Let me see if I can recover before I move on. Gontana Dam was fun we couldn't get a room until later because they didn't have enough clean rooms so we took over the laundromat (I have pictures).The shower was amazing - possibly the best yet and we went mini-golfing w/mouse and salt. They are really nice and mouse insite on playing with the shortest stick even though he's so tall. We ate ice cream (i.e. snikers bars) and swam quickly in the pool. There were too many kids in there though. At night, we hung out with mouse and his parents and they gave us beer. It was a lot of fun and we took a big group photo. We did try to eat at the restaurant, but it was a wicked bad experience whish H and I already complained about so it doens' tmatter. Let's see.. That was friday and saturday I was upset and Sunday we killed ourselves. Anything major? There are two girls here. Theyre were making fun of some other hikers though and that really pissed me off.Today was prett good - easier terrain. B was extra tired though and when we finally got to camp I realized tomorrow is an easier day - only 12 miles. I was wicked excited and said so. B was like "we gotta push tomorrow to make it easier for later" I got kind of upset because I don't mind pughing, but why can't we have easier days too? If your always pushing harder now so it's easier later, more often than not when later comes, you don't want to take it easy anymore. This is my vacation. I want easy. H said we'd talk about it in th emorning and anyway, there's no other spot to go, so I'm sure we'll end up at tricorner, but it's just frustrating the way he can just say it so matter of fact that we need to push. We push a lot, anyway, I don't want to write about that. I'm sure it'll be fine. We got some great views today in the Smokys. Some good pics too. My feet are getting blistered again, but I'll have to pay attention to them. We'll see... four days till hot springs! Whoo-hoo! Oh yeah, Dick Tracy invited us to a cookout, but we told him we couldn't make it cause we were pushing ahead. I hope we're doing this the right way... :-/
Date: 2006-04-18
From: Ice Water Springs

To: Tri-Corner Knob
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: light rain

So, there was a lot of up today. Actually, most of it was up. I'm glad we only did 12 miles b/c it was hard. The pace was a little fast, but mostly ok. We had fun too and ended up talking a lot. Tomorrow's kinda crazy. The next three days are actually. I'm definitely getting more of an appetite and the mornings are tough b/c I hate most all breakfast foods, but nutra grain bars aren't cutting it. I'm thinking about buying a thing of bagels and peanut butter for the mornings and just snacks at lunch aren't really cutting it either, but food is already so heavy. I'm not sure what to do...Tomorrow we have the potential to go to a store. It's a mile away from when we stop at night so we'll just have to see what our time is and how we feel. H and B stole pens from the Hampton inn.. I just noticed b/c H said she was looking for her pen and I was like "who's pen?" Anyway, these stories really don't work that great on paper. B spent a lot of the night getting some advice from some x-marines. He's trying to figure out what to do w/himself. I definitely want to go to grad school and do clinical therapy. I'm so sure about that so I'm gonna need to study and take the GRE/s first thing. I was thinking about going to grad school in September 2008 in Australia. Maybe if K and I are still together he'd come. Which reminds me - if I am going to get married I think I'd like ti to be at 25 so when I'm 75 we can celebrate 50 years together. I pictured my going home today and seeing K an dstuff. I thought about how being his girlfriend would be different than what we already were. I'm worried too though b/c I think God would want us to change our relationship, but that would be so hard. I wonder if it's better to let things go tat friends. No one gets hurt, and I just don' tknow where he fits into God's plan for my life...I'll have to keep praying, but it's gonna be difficult. He means so much to me. ANyway, we all seem to be getting along really well so I think things are goinna fall into place. I'll keep you posted - hope I have sprint service in Hot Springs. So many people I miss....
Date: 2006-04-19
From: Tri-Corner Knob

To: Davenport Gap
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Where do I begin tonight? We're here at the last shelter before the end of the smokys adn we're here with Model-T adn Rangerdawg. Model T has written 2 books on th trail as J.R. Model T tate. One is on the history of the names and the other is called "Walking on the happy side of misery." (I don't know how to underline -sorry). The title made me think. There are times when it is miserable out here, and pretty much with the exception of a few lucky days when the terrain is mostly flat, it's excercise and a lot of work. All for a moment of views and a picture that will never do justice or even be suitable for story telling. So, why then? I came out here for peace and to have some space to think, but I fine, whjile there usually are some ephiphanies for the most part you think of food, of water, of the fact that your on the middle of a mountain range (above treeline) and you seriously have to pee. But, I guess in some ways we're still adjusting - getting into mountain mode. After the Smoky's things are supposed to get alittle easier. I don't know.... Anyway, H is talking about not stopping anymore. That would mean no more phone calls. I really look forward to those- maybe, uhh, we'll just have too see. Money is tight, but I want to make sure we relax too. There's the three's difficult thing again. Anyway, about today....We hiked in the rain for th first time today It was a lightning storm and pretty brutal. There was hail for a little bit too. B was freezing. I was mostly ok, but my vack was hurting today. We pushed b/c of th eweather and onnnly stopped briefly for half an hour to eat. I was wicked hungry today and I think I need a new breakfzast system. So, we got to the shelter earlier, but decided to walk .9 miles to teh road and another 1.3 to this dinner/store to get grilled cheese with FF. It was so good! H and I split a hostess cupcake package as an appetizer. I was so full for the first time in a while. I wonder if filling up isn't a good idea since it can't happen that often. I'm having a milkyway for breakfast and I'm already excited about it. A lot of random thoughts and some concerns still today. Things are getting more sporadic. Maybe I need my mind to sort of be broken down and re-do my usual thought process. Two hard days ahead and then FUN!
Date: 2006-04-20
From: Davenport Gap

To: Roaring Fork
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today consisted fo a wide variety of emotions. First, a fairly confident positive outllok, then a legitimate fear then the usual frustration followed by a suggestion of a solution which brought relief and then more fear. Then, a serious fear followed by an answered prayer and insane trail magic. And now, the day's end with a cruel twang of loneliness. SO, what happened today? I can't tell jus tyet. I'm exhausted and tomorrow's likely to be even harder than today, so I'm off to bed. But, have no fear - I'll explain from the comfort of a hotel room in hot springs (keep my fingers crossed ) Thanks God for pulling me through another day, and more tomorrow...
Date: 2006-04-21
From: Roaring Fork

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: light rain

today was a good day. We got up, but it was stormy so we layed in our sleepin gbags while journey played and sang songs. Finally, the rain let up a little nad we decided to go. We got to the shelter just before Hot Springs. We're three miles from it. We could have pushed on, but people worried us that there weren't gonna be any rooms due to a the festival and a wedding. (I guess it's a small town). We'll see because I think we're all pretty tired and I'd really like to re-connect with some people. I'm definitely finding a groove. I think, it's imperfect still but getting better. (This is H's pen - I left mine in my bag btw). I still have to write about yesterday I know, but I really would rather do it from the hotel. I hope we get a room tomorrow. God's had his hand on us this whole trip and I think he knows we need a rest, so I'm sure it'll be fine - night for now.
Date: 2006-04-23
From: Hot Springs

To: Spring Mountain
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

So much to write - I wanted to *call Olga today. My cell phone finally had service and I called to see what she thought of my concerns with whether or not I was using my thinking time wisely, nad I wanted to tell her something important. I'd made a plan involving my future wedding and * I'd played it out in my head 8 times already, but I knew I had to wait. If things play out how I envisioned, it'll be a thousand times better if it's a surprise. I called my dad too, and i told him alittle of my K dilema. I told him I wasn't sure if he was in it for the right reasons and I was going to tell him how much K's helped me since I've been out here, but he sorta cut me of and said you cna never know if anyone else's real reason for anything - you have to find out what you want and your reasoning. And, unless you've decided you want to marry him and spend the rest of your life with him, that shouldn't be your main concern, and I don't think you're at that point yet are you? I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd married us off in my head the summer after I turned twenty-five. I didn't tell him that I'd planned the classic 2 kids older boy, named them, saw them grow up and pictured our 50th anniversary when (convienently) I was 75. I just answered "no" sorta weakly. That's when I called Olga. She thinks I'm doing ok - debating the important stuff, and I really needed that assurance. I came out here to escape everything. But what I'm finding is that I really didn't have that much that warranted escaping from. I gotta get my thoughts together and sort out my beliefs, but I still have a lot of time to do that. When I spoke wiht K yesterday he told me he told his friends about me. I thought it was interesting he chose to do that a month after I'm gone. He then spoke more of us being "official" after I came home and when I mentioned that people get hurt in that shit he said the way he saw it, if it didn't work, it'd be me, and he meant he wouldn't be the one to end it. How can he know that? So, he'd still be with his first girlfriend if she hadn't dumped him - would he be happy with any girlfriend?And what of my religious progress? * How does my relationship with him interfer with that. * Surely, that would require massive prayer.So much to consider. Atleast, time is on m side. Bagels in the morning wiht honey peanut butter. MMmm. I'm excited to get up.
Date: 2006-03-03
From: Springer Mountain Summit

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: clear sky

3:02 pmI'm done walking for the day. It's a little cold, but only because it's windy. Today was really excellent. It was lovely, easy, beautiful, short. I wonder how long before I decide it sucks and how long before I give up. There were about a half a dozen people here when I arrived, I was ahead of my parents at that point. I guess I'm glad they came with me for this first day. The car ride coming down here was absolute hell though. Earlier today when we were driving to the summit of Springer Mountain (I opted out of the approach trail) we gave a ride to a guy whose car ran out of gas. As we were driving up the rough, steep, curvy road to Springer we saw a car sitting there with no one in it. Later we saw a man with one of those red gas things walking along so we gave him a ride to the top (don't know why he was walking up anyway, there isn't really much at the top of Springer besides a parking lot). The whole way he was talking about how he had had all this bad luck and how he was being punished by God. Hmm. I think we all thought we were being punished too. Brrr. It's getting chillier here, I think we're in for a cold night.
Date: 2006-03-05
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter 

To: Neels Gap (Walasi-Yi Inn)
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: clear sky

8:21pmSomehow I survived today. Thought I might not. Today's hike was the longest, hardest workout of my life. 15.6 miles, which is as much as we did over the past 2 days. Those 15.6 miles included Blood Mountain (the highest mountain in GA at 4,461 ft) and several other big climbs that wouldn't have been so bad as part of a smaller day, but which were pretty killer as the leadup to Blood. Last night I slept better. It wasn't quite as cold, and somehow I made it from about 9:30pm till about 2:30am straight and then got a little more after a trip out to pee and a few hours of tossing and turning. The fire was lovely, and I put a hot rock in my pot in my sleeping bag which helped warm up my bag when I first got into it. Woke up this morning for good around 6:30, went and helped Sunshine build a fire, ate and then headed out by 7:30. They told us there weren't many peaks before Blood. Filthy liars. There were so many climbs and miles that I thought I would die, plus Blood had been built up as so hard that it loomed even bigger in my mind than in real life. The back of my ankle started killing me about a third of the way through today. I was limping a ton and the pain was excruciating. Thought it was a blister, but I stopped twice to try to fix that with no improvement. Now i'm worried that it's my achilles tendon, which could be really bad. Finally got to Neels Gap. What a godsend. Store, food, bunk with a matress, warm indoors, and an AYCE dinner buffet that they shuttled us to. I love these weird, smelly people. 11 miles tomorrow. My eyes are tired. I need to do laundry but it's taking forever and there's a line. Tomorrow had better be easier than today. I actually have thought very little about quitting so far. Never really considered quitting here at Neels Gap except for maybe halfway up Blood Mountain earlier today. My nose is sunburned. I'm passing out. Hurray for warmth and bunks!
Date: 2006-03-06
From: Neels Gap (Walasi-Yi Inn)

To: Low Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: broken clouds

6:50pmAnother killer day. Slept all of 9 hours last night, which was awesome. Today I almost quit during the first mile. I almost turned back and went back to Neels Gap to get medical attention and to quit. My achilles hurt so much this morning. It settled in a bit a few miles in, but then the second half of today my right knee was killing me. I think it will take a lot of ibuprofen and guts and luck to get me through tomorrow: 14.9 hard miles.