morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-09-07
From: Bradenton, FL

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hey there! This is Weebles back at home! I am posting this in the hopes that any neighbors, customers, or friends who have been following gatorgump through his journal will see this! We are having a celebration on Sunday, September 16th to welcome gatorgump back home. It will be located at our store, SweetBerries, in Bradenton, 4500 Manatee Ave., W., and will be from 2:00 - 7:00 pm. So stop by and have a burger or beer with the gator. Many thanks for all of your wonderful support during his journey. He couldn't have done it without you!
Date: 2007-09-19
To: final entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hi, many of you reading this had requested that i post my medical results. On the diabetes aspect my sugar reading was very good even with all of the candy etc., that I ate while hiking.With regard to the heart disease the news is not as positive. My cholesterol was 238, triglycerides were 439, HDL was 34, and LDL 116. I think i can say without hesitation that medication and extreme exercise are not enough, diet is probably the most important factor of all. While on the trail and especially when in town i ate the most fatty foods available. I always mixed my mash potatoes or pasta or ramen noodles with pepperoni and cheese etc. When in town i ate lots of ben and jerrys ice cream, beer, pizza, burgers, etc.Toward the end of my hike the illness totally wore me out. I have done nothing but eat and sleep for the last 10 days. I lost close to 50 pounds and have regained 10 but still feel run down. I went to the gym for the first time today and can tell you that I am half the man i used to be. I feel the trail aged me; I honestly believe that if I had to go another 100 miles i could not have finished. My blood tests ruled out Lyme disease and hepatitus A but the stool test and heart doctor have yet to weigh in. I may yet have to go in for a stress test. I can not bench press, curl, or run as much or as far as I could before i left. I have read past journals where others have returned feeling stronger and more fit than ever in their lives. Just the opposite for me, perhaps due to the Giardia.BUT, even knowing all of this I would do it again. I am pleased with the end result and once again want to thank all who enjoyed the ride with me. My direct e-mail (which is working again) is gatoroz@sweetberries.com. If you have any other questions etc., feel free to write. I will continue to check in on my guest book periodically but this will be my last journal entry. I also want to thank those of you on whiteblaze.net who came to appreciate the gator. You are correct in your assumption that I am not such a bad guy and rest assured that I left the trail better than I found it. I am not a "chat room" type so don't look for me on whiteblaze but you will find no hard feelings here and feel free to also write to me direct if you want to talk. See you on down the trail,... Gatorgump
Date: 2007-06-13
From: YMCA Campground

To: Calf Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: light rain

Today we hiked out of Waynesboro after a nearo and a zero. So far, the hiking is somewhat graded. I think the hills seem to be a bit harder than they really are due to the amount of beer that was consumed. They did have, after all, my two favorites...Magic Hat #9 and Petes Wicked Strawberry Blonde. A short day to say the least.
Date: 2007-06-14
From: Calf Mtn Shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We woke to rain this morning. For some reason, I did not feel like moving. So, I didn't. Matlanta, Stonewall, Jungle Gym and I laid around for most of the day while the rain wailed away at the shelter. Mama Hen(Meghan) showed up in the afternoon. I certainly had not think I would see her again as she was about 300 miles behind us. Turns out she got a ride into Waynesboro from home and here she is! The boys headed into the rain late in the evening for some night hiking. I declined. I figure a 20 miler tomorrow will suffice. We are going to meet with Jungle Gyms dad tomorrow at Loft mountain. This should be interesting as Gym is quite a character. It will be interesting to see the cloth that he was cut from! I felt a bit guilty about zeroing in a shelter but the glorious thing about this trip is that you do what you feel. So, it was nice.
Date: 2007-06-15
From: Calf Mtn Shelter

To: Loft Mountain Campground
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: light rain

It was nice to have beer waiting for you after a long day on the trail. Jungle Gym, Stonewall, and Matlanta ended up hiking until 5 in the morning. Most of it they did on the Skyline drive. I am glad I was lazy! To top it off, they could not find a tentsight to save thier lives. I almost brought up the versatility of the hammock again, but they brought it up first. This is something I have been heckling them about for oh say 750 miles. By now it is a running joke. They were waiting at the campstore when I arrived looking pretty haggard. The interesting thing about today was that it was 55 degrees and misty. The temp was actually kind of cold. The Shenandoahs are living up to the expectation of being well graded and busy. This is my second day hiking in my Chaco sandals and they are working out rather well. No sticks or stone problems. My feet were wet, but the would be anyway. We'll see how they work out. There are people everywhere. Today is the day that I almost made a cardboard sign displaying who I was, where I was from, yes I walked from GA, yes I am walking to Maine, and I hike 16-20 miles a day. That way, I wouldn't have to repeat this info 20 times a day. While not annoying, it does get old spewing the same information. It made me recall how the thru hikers at Abol bridge used to use one word answers when I asked them something. Jungle Gyms dad is super cool. I can see where his sense of humor comes from. He ended up driving us back to Waynesboro for dinner at Applebees. It was a wonderful time. The campground scene is interesting after being on the trail. Camping in a 500,000 dollar tour bus while towing a Hummer to have as a get around vehicle isn't my idea of camping. I guess it is good for these folks to be out here but man! Overall a fantastic day!
Date: 2007-06-16
From: Loft Mountain Campground

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Having gotten a late start and having done 20.5 miles yesterday, I was a bit sluggish this day. At this point, I am getting to look forward to getting the heck out of Virginia. The sandals are just "good" at this point. A stick bounced up and nicked my toes. I wasn't wearing liner socks as I had previously so there was a bit of carnage. As Matlanta and I were walking up the trail past an overlook I happened to glance to my right and see a buck ass naked couple sitting there. I was not sure if I was seeing things so I did a double take...no make that a triple take. Sure enough, they were naked and not very attractive. A good day nonetheless.
Date: 2007-06-17
From: Hightop Hut

To: Big Meadows Campground
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: clear sky

Mama Hen and I hiked most of the morning to Lewis Mountain camprground. A few minutes after our arrival Matlanta, Jungle Gym, Band Aid Kid and Stonewall showed up. We were all pretty beat so we hung out for awhile at the campstore to enjoy loads of junkfood and some interesting sandwich concoctions. Again, I wish I had my cardboard sign to use. The hike into Big Meadows was arduous to say the least. I had to use my wool socks for the first time in the sandals as the checkered design is killing my feet. I am now thinking my Inov 8 trail runners are the best way to go. I miss them...a lot. At Big Meadows, the gang hooked up with Suess and Nice at the lodge for spirits and food. Too many spirits I would have to say. This is a weird week with alcohol. We have been drinking much more than usual. Perhaps the Va blues has indeed caught up with us. Jungle Gyms dad is now thinking about quitting his job and hiking with us. No, not really. But he has surely been immersed in the subculture that is the trail. It might be hard to understand it all without this type of experience. Ya gotta get into it to know it. I think he has had a good time. It is hard not to. There is just so much entertainment.
Date: 2007-06-18
From: Big Meadows Campground

To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 12.4

Well, after waking up after a night of heavy drinking yet again... We all(Jungle Gym, Stonewall, Matlanta, Mama Hen, and Gym's dad) all enjoyed one hell of a breakfast at Big Meadows lodge. Afterward, I actually did some laundry for the first time in two or more weeks. I think I did laundry when we went back to Tennessee...but I am not sure. It was nice to be clean again. I stunk to high heaven. The stank was so bad, I couldn't take it myself. Interestingly enough, no one else could tell. And no, it wasn't that they were not telling me. I hiked into Rock Spring hut to find Way, Stonewall, Gym and Mama Hen in the shelter. We got pretty bombed the night before, so a nap for all of us was in order. The intention was to roll into Skyland early, grab a bit to eat and get to the next shelter. The nap took longer than expected(they usually do) and we didn't get to the Skyland taproom until 8:30. Up to this date, it was the best food on trail. A pulled pork quesadilla,chicken gouda sandwich, with a beer(one thank god)certainly did the trick. I tried to get the bartender to put The Daily Show on the tube. She tells me that it is inappropriate for children. Now, this is interesting. The Daily Show does not have cuss words and if they do, they are bleeped out. But the killer was that there weren't any children in the taproom to begin with. She would rather have CNN with it's non-stop "if it bleeds, it leads" violent news than something we could watch and laugh rather than cry. Reluctantly, she changes it over. Twenty minutes in, she changes it back. Unreal. Meanwhile, we were recieveing the worst service in waitstaff history. But, the food was great and I got to miss a thunderstorm and watch a bit of my favorite show. Hey, what more could I ask for? Mama Hen was supposed to meet us there but she was a no show. So, we take off into the night to stealth camp somewhere. Jungle Gym left his hat in the taproom after having hiked about a mile up the trail. Stonewall and I continued on down the trail to look for a place to camp. We came to a section of cliffs(named Stonyman)that overlooked the city of Luray. The lights of the city against the contrast of the dark sky was unbelievable. Stonewall and I sat there waiting for Gym. He mentioned something about wishing he could be a Stoned...er Stoneyman himself and of course, I concurred. That, however was impossible. Gym comes cruising up to meet us and off we went to find a camping spot. This is where I learned that the hammock is really the deal on the AT. They could not find a spot anywhere. I on the other hand, could have strapped my hammock to a couple of trees and called it good. It was rather frustrating. Finally, we found a spot and went to sleep. Finally...
Date: 2007-06-19
From: Stealth Camp

To: Luray
Miles today: 6.3

Today started off pretty warm. We were beat. So, we headed to Luray. Hitching in was much easier than I thought. The Chaco sandals I have been wearing are killing my feet. I am determined to go back to the Inov-8s. We(Stonewall, Gym and I) got a room at the Budget Inn where Worm and Pike County were staying. These two are a hoot to say the least. Each is a character in their own right and a lot of fun to be around. Harmless, but they have a nack for scaring people off. Not us. We know a good time and they do not disappoint. A good town day.
Date: 2007-06-20
From: Luray

To: Nowhere
Miles today: 0.0

The boys decided to zero in Luray. I desperately needed some new kicks so I had to wait for Zappos to work their free overnight delivery magic. The outfitter in Luray was fabulous. I ordered my shoes there and had them delivered there as well. No problem! I ordered a size smaller as the 12s I had were enormous! We shall see about this. i hope it works out. I am obviously a big fan of Chinese food. I had high hopes for the place in Luray. I sampled the drinks last night and while they were good, they are not up to Maine standards. How is it Maine has the best Chinese? I don't know. Anyway, we are eating lunch in the place and chit chatting with the owner. I look down and notice something crawling across the floor. It was a damn bat. "Hey there is a bat crawling across the floor." I interupt. And without skipping a beat in the conversation he steps on the thing and holds his foot down. He just kept talking. I am looking around like...um...is anyone else seeing this? Binjali(who is nursing an injury) looks at me in disbelief. Now, the food was not great before this whole deal and it certainly wasn't better afterward. Just another day on the trail. Poor bat.
Date: 2007-06-21
From: Luray

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: broken clouds

The shoes arrive and the seem a bit too tight while walking up to the all you can eat Pizza Hut buffet. I hope I don't get to see a bat get it's head bashed in here as well. The day is very nice, clear. We hit the trail at about 3 in the afternoon. I had picked up some thinner Smartwool socks that seem to fit a bit better. At any rate they feel much better than the thick socks that I had. After a bit of climbing however, the heel is starting to smart. Nothing too bad, they are new after all. It was good to be back on the trail. For some reason, I feel like a new hiker with some renewed confidence and charisma. Gym, Stonewall and I stop into Elkwallow Wayside for the now famous blackberry shakes we have been hearing about for 200 or so miles. 12 bucks for three? Oh yes and worth every penny. We got there in the nick of time too! Having learned that the heal of my shoes can be steamed and shaped, I crank up my stove and go to work. They feel better, but not great. I took off ahead of the guys and got to see a sow and two cubs on the left of the trail. Seeing bears is always a very neat thing. They move in such a unique way. It looks like they just move along rather clumsily, but they are extremely agile creatures. And boy can they climb! About two miles later I notice an overlook off to the left. I kinda thought it was a bit dark for the time of night...well there was a reason. You could see they valley was getting hammered by rain and the storm was heading this way. At that point, I still had at least four miles to go. So, off I go. Needless to say, it was a foot race I lost. Having forgone my rain jacket to save weight(it was worthless anyway) I huddle behind a tree for some temporary protection. After about five minutes of staying relatively dry I realized that I simply had to move through it. The trail was full of water, the sky was black(still daylight mind you), and it was cold. I trudged on. What can you do? Nothing! Walk. The crazy thing is that upon reaching another overlook about two miles away, I could see it clearing. And it was beautiful to the west. The sky was magenta moving to maroon. Given it was cold, windy, and I was soaked, I didn't get a chance to look at it very long. Trudging on, I realized that my shoes were indeed too small. I started with a 10.5 and now I really need at least an 11.5. Maybe 12s. This seems unreal to me. And get this...I actually gained a pound in Virginia. It seems to me that I am getting along just fine eating Doritos and Cheeze Its all day. That has always been a dream of mine. I guess I am eating like a normal American! If I could only get my hands on those Mcgriddles most of America eats every morning. My motto perhaps?...big miles...all smiles...I'm lovin it!So after night hiking about an hour I finally get to the shelter. Of course, I am soaked. I hop into bed with my wet clothes on because I do not have another set due to the weight issue. Seems insane...but it works. Just another day on the trail.
Date: 2007-06-22
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I felt very good today. I didn't wait for Stonewall and Jungle Gym this morning so I am on my own. When I am on my own, I tend to fly. Being on your own program is pretty nice. Finally, I am getting out of the Shenendoa today. What a relief! To be honest, most of the miles were a blur. I tried to wait for the guys, but they just never came. Gym was going to pick up a package in Front Royal and I had no interest in joining them as that would likely mean more drinking and possibly more money spent. Fun yes...but I wouldn't be getting anywhere. After passing route 522 there was an interesting building that was being overtaken by the lush vegetation that Virginia has to offer. Scenes like this always interest me as I wonder what it was used for. Apperently it was a Nat'l Zoological Research center. Turns out, someone saw a big cat run across the road near here. A puma? A mountain lion? Word is the park releases mountain lions "quitely" to keep deer population down. Now, this would have been nice to know before night hiking in the area. I tried not to think about it. I have a hard enough time with my Lyme disease paranoia. I don't need a big cat phobia as well. Overall it was an easy 18 miles. I rolled into the shelter to find...NO ONE! And, there was a solar shower. So I washed up, cooked some food and hung out on the beautiful patio porch. A deer came charging through the woods,stopped at the opening of the large grassy area, looked at me, and took off. It was almost like I was taking his spot or something. "Fine, I don't want your company anyway." I said aloud. Looking around for a hammocking spot made me realize that I had the entire shelter to myself. I decided to take the upper right bunk. Having done a little reading and such, falling asleep was easy. I woke up however to a ruckus on the porch. Then, a bird in the shelter dive bombed me. "Well, this is a lot of action in the middle of the night." I turned my headlamp on to find two small eyes looking at me on the railing of the porch. The body turned to the right revealing the larges rat I have ever seen. I watched him watch me for about 15 minutes. I kinda wish I had an entire wheel of cheese as I am sure he could have eaten the entire thing. A large rat indeed. I chose to move to the other side of the shelter to the other elevated bunk area. I really didn't intend to be dive bombed again. No one else showed up. It was the first night alone on the trail for me. I loved it.
Date: 2007-06-23
From: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter

To: Some trail magic cabin
Miles today: 17.0

Today was a pretty good day for hiking. Serial ended up rolling into the shelter about 8:30 or so. We met up at the shelters along the way throughout the day.My intention was to do a quick resupply at Ashby gap .9 from the trail. This was 15 miles into the hike. Just before Ashby, I find a sign telling me that the place is closed and the nearest resupply is 5 miles away. What a horrible feeling! I thought about waiting for Serial to borrow some food. But that wouldn't be very self reliant now would it? So I decide to hitchhike. I had not hitchhiked once my entire life. Little did I know, there was an art to it. Unless of course, you are a woman...of which I am not. Thankfully, a Guatamalan fellow picked me up and drove me to the Shenendoa market. I consumed an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's, a big grab bag of Doritos, a half a bag of Fritos, and a liter of Coke. One thing about hitching is being aggressive. I noticed this father/son duo go in and come out with beer. They came from my way and must have been going back my way. So I asked if they would mind giving me a ride back. "Sure! Hop in!" Right on. We chit chat a bit and before I get out he says "I wish I had something to offer you, I know you can't take beer..." To hell you say! "Of course I can!" So he hands me a couple of Coors Lights. I was back on the trail in 53 minutes. Unbelievable. So I take off up the trail with the next shelter in mind. I have plenty of day light to get there so I was just a moseyin'. Here come four hikers without packs. "Hey, there is trail magic up ahead. Go up take a left and then a right. We rented a cabin and there is beer, hot dogs. Help yourself. We are going to a Rush concert. We'll be back about midnight or so." And they just kept trucking. I stood there astonished. In fact, I think if four beautiful women strolled by buck naked I would not be more thankful. Okay...that is a stretch. Unbelievable nonetheless. I get down there to find Wrong Way(whom I hadn't seen in weeks), Way, and Blueberry hanging out drinking beer. The place was great. Mama Hen, Brisk, Serial, and others showed up and chilled. The place was rented by a couple of thru hikers from last year that just happened to be seeing a Rush show and figured they would perform trail magic at the same time. Unreal. We partied until 1:30 in the morning and they still weren't back. Just another day...um...no..an unreal day on the trail.
Date: 2007-06-24
From: Some trail magic cabin

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: broken clouds

I awoke to quite a bit of activity. There were about 20 people around the cabin and causing quite a racket. Luckily, I had my trusty Gatorade to help me through the evening to battle the evil alcohol that has been cruising through my veins. So in the words of Jim Morrison "Well I woke up this morning and I grabbed my self a beer!" I didn't plan on hiking until after noon anyway. So why not? At this point, I finally met Pie and Cake. They were the primary perpetrators of my demise the night prior. Wait, that was me but whatever. Stories of past hikes were numerous and motivating. I finally got out of there about 1 with intentions of hiking 18 miles. I hiked 10 or 11 or something. I actually felt pretty good, but the Bears Den hostel was calling my name. And, I wasn't feeling the "roller coaster"(ten viewless ups and downs) that I was currently going through. I did notice today that my too small Inov-8s were coming apart. That isn't good.Upon arriving at the den I was forced to eat a big plate of spaghetti. Snack break(a thru hiker) ordered me to sit down and eat. Hmm...sit down...and eat? Yes, I can do both. Bluedog and Brisk were there enjoying the warm atmosphere. You cannot beat it! 13 bucks for a great place to stay. Apparently, the Den is an old summer home of a very wealthy man. A very large house made of stone, it is both welcoming and awe inspiring. There were pictures of all the thru hikers that had come through thus far. That was a treat given that a lot of them are friends. The leftover spaghetti was up for grabs so I ate a large plate before going to bed. I kinda like doing everything the opposite in regard to healthy food intake. Don't eat this, don't eat that, don't eat this then and such doesn't apply out here. It is more like, "what, I am not supposed to eat this because it will make me fat? Give me three and right before bed!" Right on and rock on!
Date: 2007-06-25
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Blackburn Hostel
Miles today: 7.9

Well now,It is my birthday. Unfortunately, it did not start well due to some personal issues. The stay at the Bears Den was amazing. It is quite a cozy place. The Christian youth group helped us out enormously with food. I was enlisted to help them pack and set up their tents for the first time. The girls were surprisingly receptive. I am not sure why this surprised me, but they were great. I only had 8 miles to hike today so I ended up taking off late with Bluedog and Snack Break to the Blackburn hostel. Both of them are just a tad older than I(early thirties). We had amazing conversations about life this hike. Snack Break was running down the trail with no back. And while I had a light pack, my heavy heart was dragging me down a bit. The plan was to go back to the Bears Den, but upon arriving at Blackburn, I knew I had to stay. The girls from the Christian youth group cooked burgers burgers and bratwurst. Very nice. The best touch however, was when they sang happy birthday to me while presenting a brownie with a candle in it. A nice finish to a horrible start. This is the day I finally exited Virginia. I have never been happy to leave a state! Harpers Ferry tomorrow!