morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-04-03
From: Franklin NC

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Enjoyed a day off in Franklin. Entered a hotdog eatting competition and won a $5 gift card to McDonalds. I'm really going to enjoy those free milk shacks. Lookin foraward to being back out on the trail and should be in the Smokeys in about a week. Hope the snow will be gone by then.
Date: 2010-04-04
From: Rock Gap 

To: Wine Spring
Miles today: 11.9

I've found that it's tough to get back into the swing of hiking after being in town, but that changes after the first few miles. The trail magic today helped to get back into the spirit of hiking. Franknfoot left some PBR's on a bridge leaving winding stair gap. It stalled us a little (Cope, Grizzly, and Tree) but we were still able to crank out more miles than anticipated.
Date: 2010-04-05
From: Wine Spring

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: clear sky

Got going a little late today but made it up to Wayah Bald in good time. The view from the tower was great and we (superman, grizzly, tree, hercules, rockstar and magnet) found a hiker box filled with canned goods in the tower so we feasted on chili, beef stew, and beef raviolis. After entertaining some people who drove up in there car we were back on the trail and ready to put in some miles. It wasnt long before I passed a trail maintenance guy named apple who said he had some cold drinks and snacks a little further down the trail. When I got there he had a tent setup with cookies and coolers of sodas and beer. We got hung up here for a couple hours and really enjoyed hanging out with apple and meeting the hikers coming thru. I met my first south-bounder, spaz, who started in Montreal last June, and was on his way down to the Florida keys. Thats almost 5500 miles which makes what I'm doing look like child play. After we managed to drink all the beer we only walked a little more than a mile to a great camping spot up on a ridge by the Cold Spring shelter. After this day of trail magic the group of guys I've been hiking with have been named the fraternity.
Date: 2010-04-06
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: NOC
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

Another hot day! It was mostly downhill but it seemed to take forever to get to the NOC. It was a nice place to stop for the night and get some good food and cold beverages. Also we jumped into the river which was freezing but so refreshing to get the salt off me and out of my clothes.
Date: 2010-04-07
From: NOC

To: Locust Cove Gap
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a long uphill out of the NOC and I got a late start from the distraction the NOC can be. I caught up with cope and took it slow with him the rest of the way up. We stopped at a shelter for a quick ramen break but then were back on our way hiking into the evening. I really enjoyed hiking past into sundown because the lighting is great for taking nice photos. I slept under the stars because by the time I made it into camp i didn't feel like setting up my tent. It was real nice but my only worry was that a storm was forcasted to come in late morning and I didnt want to get caught up in it mid night.
Date: 2010-04-08
From: Locust Cove Gap

To: Brown Fork Shelter
Miles today: 5.5
Weather: moderate rain

It wasnt long before it started to rain after getting going in the morning. It hit like a wall of water and there was thunder and lightning everywhere. I waited in gaps before going over mountains for storms to pass so I wouldn't get struck. When I reached the first shelter I decided to take a break and dry off a little before pushing on. After being there for awhile I decided to just wait out the rain and crack out the miles tomorrow. Later I heard from Captain Radish that a bolt of lightning hit a tree about 40 yards from him.
Date: 2010-04-09
From: Brown Fork Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

I cranked out the miles today and was in Fontana by 1 pm. Went into town to get my mail drop of food for the Smoky Mts, and enjoyed a burger and fried crawfish. Then picked up a 6 pack and caught a ride to the Fontana Shelter aka the Fontana Hilton because there is a restroom and a working shower facility. There was a couple dozen people at the shelter so we had lots of fun around the fire. Thunder had a friend come to bring her new shoes and she brought hotdogs which only made the night even better.
Date: 2010-04-10
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge shelter 
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: clear sky

Thunders friend who we named lightning had doughnuts which we all greatly enjoyed. It was a sad day today finding out that Tenzig was getting off the trail because he father wasn't doing well. It really hit home and reminds me of how much I miss my mother. Today I start the Great Smoky Mountains! Boy was it a lot of up getting out of Fontana, but it was so beautiful being up there. The flowers are all starting to pop up and everything is coming to life. The shelter was full so I pitched my tent near the bear bag cables. During the night I was woken by a loud sound of an animal which I couldn't figure out what it was. In the morning, superman, who was cowboy camping it woke up and saw 2 coyotes circling the bear bags and probably my tent too.
Date: 2010-04-11
From: Mollies Ridge shelter 

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Seems to be a lot of wildlife here in the Smokys. while taking a break at a shelter Captain Radish came along saying he just saw a bear about a 1/4 mile back. he said it watched him for about 5 min of him acting crazy before it took off. They say to watch your packs because bears might try to take off with them. Later when i met up with Captain Radish again he said he say boars and heard coyotes that day. I've only seen a deer so far.
Date: 2010-04-12
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: clear sky

Still having great weather but it's been real hot in the afternoons so we've been taking about a 2-3 hour lunch break during the hottest part of the day. Climbed up Clingmans Dome today. Its the highest point on the trail at 6643' It sure was a great view being high up on the tower. After heading down is when we really started to see the snow that we've been hearing about. There was still 4' drifts but they were easy to climb over. We had a little snowball fight and I made a snow angel.
Date: 2010-04-13
From: Mt Collins Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: broken clouds

It was a quick hike into Newfound Gap. The snow and cool air sure help to move fast. Newfound Gap was a trip! It's the central part of the Smokys where all the tourist come up from Gatlinburg to see the mountain. They saw us like wild animals and wanted to get pictures from us. Caught a ride down into Gatlinburg for the night. Every talks about how much they hate the tourist trap town but I felt i needed to go and hate it for myself. Lets just say it makes me think of Las Vegas of the AT so what happens in Gatlinburg stays in Gatlinburg.
Date: 2010-04-14
From: Newfound Gap

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: clear sky

I sure was glad to get out of Gatlenburg. I hitched out with river which seemed more difficult than it should have been. those tourist sure loved to wave at us. I hiked a 6 pack out and so did grizzly. superman brought hotdogs and buns. We've decided that when we leave a town it's best to bring beer and meat to help keep up our fraternity partying status. It's great to hear people talking out us on the trail and leave us messages in the shelter journals.
Date: 2010-04-16
From: Tri-Corner Knots shelter.

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: broken clouds

It was one of my longest day yet but we pushed it out to get to Standing Bear which I hear is a great place to stay. Had a good time at the hostel eatting lots of food and the owner made a beer run into town. We all enjoyed sitting around the fire playing guitar and singing late into the night. at around midnight the owner, curtis, did quite like that we were having so much fun being up late. He came out and grabbed the guitar and told everyone it was late and time to go to bed. Then one of the guys said whats the problem and what time it was as he walked away. Then curtis turned around came back and said "I'll tell you what time it is", and proceeded to smash his nice fender on the ground. Everyone was quick to get to bed after that.
Date: 2010-04-18
From: Groundhog Creek Gap

To: Max Patch Bald
Miles today: 6.6

We were planning on putting in a long day to get close to Hot Springs but the day was filled with trail magic which really slowed us down. At a road before Max Patch we enjoyed hotdogs, sodas and beer. After that we went up Max Patch and got caught by some women with fresh local strawberries. Then another group came along with a grill and a bunch of PBR's. Needless to say we got stuck up on Max Patch on a beautiful day. These are the moments we all love so we take the time to enjoy them. It's so nice to see how stangers can be so generious.
Date: 2010-05-06
From: Elk River Camp Site

To: Vango & Abbys Memorial Hostel
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: few clouds

All is well and I'm going to start pushing out some miles to get to Damascus VA as soon as I can for Trial Days that starts next week. It's suppose to be the last of the party towns so I'll be enjoying myself before having to start really cranking out the miles because I think I'm a little behind, but it's all about the journey and not the miles. Hope everyone is doing well.
Date: 2010-05-02
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Based on a hot tip, I went today to hike at one of my favorite spots - Hemlock Cliffs. We've had about 3 inches of rain so the there were spectacular waterfalls to see! I then went to Hoosier National Forest and walked for about 2 hours. It rained and the humidity was making it warm, but I endured. I had to wade through some streams that were knee deep so my socks and shoes were really soaked. I have more prep work to do with trail food and medical visits this week. It is now 21 days until I start my 6 month AT hike. I will begin at the Maryland/Pennsylvania border and walk north to the Vermont State line. That is my Phase 1. Once I complete Phase 1, I will drive north the Baxter State Park in Maine and walk south to my stopping point in Vermont. That will complete Phase 2. Phase 3 will be walking south from the Maryland/Pennsylvania line to Georgia.
Date: 2010-05-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

The weather today was outstanding! I walked at Ferdinand Forest logging about 9.5 miles. I tried out a new pair of boots and they seem pretty good. The ticks are out in force and have to be careful to check myself. There a lot of blowdowns on the trails I used today. I found myself thinking about some lyrics from the Byrds. The song is "Wasn't Born to Follow." I'd rather go and journey where the diamond crest is flowing andRun across the valley, beneath the sacred mountain andWander through the forest, Where the trees have leaves of prisms that break the light in colorsThat no one knows the names of
Date: 2010-05-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Most thru hikers start the AT in Georgia and hike north to Maine. These hikers start in February through April. This guarantees that they will arrive in Maine before the winter closure of the terminus point at Mount Katahdin. As many as 50 to 60 hikers leave each day and shelters and the trail can often be very crowded. A small number of hikers will start at Mount Katahdin in June or July and Hike south to Georgia. The downside of this option is that you will face the most difficult part of the trail in Maine including a stretch of a remote area call the ¢100 Miles of Wilderness¢. Once completing Maine, hikers then enter the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Mount Washington in the White Mountains is known for its fierce wind and rapidly changing weather. Temperature can drop rapidly and hypothermia is often a major concern. I will start my hike in Pennsylvania on May 23. The advantage of this option are that I will experience a small change in elevation for the first 300 miles. So I hope to get my trail legs by the time I reach the Vermont border which will take me about 45 days. Also this option will be the least crowded. I will then meet my family at the Vermont border and we will drive to Baxter State Park (Katahdin) in Maine. I will start south from that point. (I get about a week off from walking too.) Once I hit the place I exited the AT in Vermont, My family will meet me again and then drive me to my original starting point at the Pennsylvania/Maryland Border. Then I hike south to Springer Mountain in North Georgia where my hike ends.
Date: 2010-05-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I had another really nice walk today. I began in the Hoosier National Forest where I hiked a portion of the Birdseye Trail. I then drove to Ferdinand Forest and hiked some more. There are a number of downed trees from recent storms so I had to detour around them. I seem to be a favorite of the ticks as I picked up lots of them! I am resolving an issue with hiking boots. I have a malformed bone in the second toe of my right foot, so I have had to change brands of boots several times to walk pain free. It's amazing how things have changed. In 1977, I splurged and bought a pair of Pivetta boots. In those days, you traced the outline of your feet on paper and send it off to Italy where Pivettas were made. I still have those boots, but they are very heavy and have been re-soled etc. For heaven¢s sake, those Pivettas are 32 years old!This weekend at St. Peter Celestine and St. Raphael churches we will ask for sponsors for my AT hike. Donations will go to Dupity, Haiti where the funds will be used to help their community. Also, a Photographer from The Dubois County Herald, our local daily newspaper will walk with me next week. He wants to get some pictures for an article that will be published later this year. That should be fun!
Date: 2010-05-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I have been asked about some good books to read about the Appalachian Trail. I suspect I have read about 10 books and many were good, but my top three were: A Walk in the Woods : Rediscovering America on the Appalachian TrailBy Bill BrysonA Walk in the Woods is a travel memoir on the Appalachian Trail, one of America's greatest hiking routes. The author, Bill Bryson lived in England for 20 years and came back to the United States with the urge to go on a long hike. Stephen Katz, an old college friend, and a former alcoholic accompanies him. Both men are out of shape, and beginners at hiking, so it is a wonder how they can endure such hardships along the trail. .Awol on the Appalachian TrailBy David MillerAwol on the Appalachian Trail provides a vivid description of the Appalachian Mountains, the small towns threaded together by the trail, and the people met along the way. The story, a contemporary account of hiking on the A.T., is entertaining and funny, insightful and informative. Just Passin' Thru by Winton PorterLike a well-crafted stage play, Just Passin' Thru delivers one suspenseful scene after another. But in this historic setting ¢ a store on the Appalachian Trail called Mountain Crossings ¢ the characters who show up are no fictional creations. They are the real-life stars of the author¢s new life as a backpack-purging, canteen-selling, hostel-running, bandage-taping, lost-child finding, argument-settling, romance-fixing, chili-making man of many faces. Like any good drama, there are the good guys (and gals) and the weirdos, too. Some show up once (and that¢s enough), and some appear again and again. Some are friends, and some dangerous. But all are united by two things: the author¢s story-capturing talent, and whatever it is that lures them to attempt (or onquer) a 2,200-mile path that climbs and plummets from Georgia to Maine.
Date: 2010-05-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hiked about 7 miles today @ Ferdinand Forest. Weather was great and blown downs on the trails have been cleaned up. The trails are always very well maintained there!We received some nice pledges yesterday at St. Peter Celestine Church. I'm asking for 1 cent per mile or $21.75. The funds will go to a Catholic parish in Dupity, Haiti. More info about where to send any pledges will be available very soon. I'm at 2 weeks and counting.....
Date: 2010-05-10
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I had a nice hike today in the Hoosier National Forest. For some reason I felt as though I had more energy than normal. I weighed my loaded pack and it came in at 23 pounds. That pleased me - I better double check my scale. I'm 55 years old and have been hiking for most of my adult life. The first memorable mountain hike I remember taking was in 1976. Some friends and I went to the Rocky Mountain National Park north of Denver. The trip was in October and we backpacked for two nights in the mountains. I will always be so grateful to Mark Tretter who served as my mentor and got me started backpacking. Mark was on that trip to the Rockies and seemed to be light years ahead of me in understanding what being in the wilderness was all about. We hiked in the snow & I was such a pilgrim. Mark really acted as our guide and kept us safe. Sadly Mark died in an industrial accident in November of 1979. I still miss him. I have set my goals for the AT hike.1. Have fun & remember to laugh at myself 2. Make 5 new friends3. Lose 10% of my body weight4. Never talk about gear5. Have more fun
Date: 2010-05-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a rainy and humid day. I didn't get much walking in today but I did get my list of Post Office drops done. I will have 17 Post Office stops where I hope to resupply and in some cases relish in luxuries like a shower, a bed and someone other than me fixing my meals! As I worked out the spreadsheet of the miles and stops it occurred to me of how easy it seems to be doing this from the comfort of a desk in my home. The actual walking will be a challenge and I hope my preparations will minimize any problems. I'm a firm believer that one must retain a sense of humor in all things and that may be my most valuable tool. I posted my first picture today of an AT sign to see how the process worked. I plan to take a digital camera and I have a camera in my cell phone. I will do my best to take scenic or humorous pictures.
Date: 2010-05-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

This day was an interesting one. This morning, I met up with a photographer named Dave from The Herald, our local weekly newspaper. He accompanied me on part of my walk at Ferdinand Forest. Dave is a fascinating guy and moved here last year from Michigan with his spouse. They have a one year old baby girl. There will be pictures and a story about hiking the AT in next week¢s newspaper. A writer from The Herald named Alison will visit us on Monday to write the story. I hope to use this article to add more donations for the church in Dupity, Haiti. I am anxious to meet Allison and get this stuff off my ¢to do¢ list. It will sound silly, but it¢s hard work to walk and talk at the same time! And the humidity was oppressive. Storms will move in late in the day. Maybe the temps will be better tomorrow when I hike. Yesterday, I bought a low price watch from Wal-Mart, mainly because it has a compass. One of the things that I learned about long distance hiking in the woods is that after awhile - trails seem to look alike. When reading accounts about previous AT hikers, there is sometimes a problem when they stop at a shelter that may be off the trail. When getting back on the trail it is very easy to make a wrong turn and walk in the wrong direction thereby causing one to have to backtrack. So I hope my compass helps me out with that.
Date: 2010-05-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

This day was one of contrasts.For starters, I decided to walk on the River Walk in Jasper. I opted to walk without a backpack. Wow. I was like a turtle with no shell. I had more spring in my step, but I¢m still pretty slow. I was overwhelmed by the incredible smell of the honeysuckles along the walk. As I passed a group of 4 women, I got a whiff of their perfume. Whoever concocts women¢s perfume must have never smelled honeysuckles. In my world, the honeysuckle smell is the clear winner. Of course honeysuckle smells are free so I suppose that cuts in to the exclusivity of it. I met a young couple on the walk who were seemingly annoyed with each other. Their demeanor was one of unhappiness and I noticed it appeared that they use a tanning salon. Both were fidgeting with cell phones while trying to talk/fuss at each other. Not long after I met them, an elderly couple came along. They on the other hand seem to be in bliss. Their hands were sort of weathered looking and the tan of their arms was from obviously being outdoors. No tanning salon for them, that¢s for sure. They held hands as they walked and their eyes displayed contentment and comfort both in themselves and with each other. The two couples were certainly seemed to contrast each other. I admit to a bias for those of greater years.And on the topic of smell, one of my ways to prepare for the AT is to go about 2 days with no shower. That has been a real burden on my family and I thanked them for their support. However, I have been tempted to ¢hide¢ some of my smelly, sweaty hiking clothes in the deep recesses of our house so my scent remains long after I start on the AT hike. Hopefully they won¢t find them. Tomorrow, my Godson is getting married. I¢ll take a day off from hiking and writing. I think it will be a fun day.
Date: 2010-05-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

If you wish to follow my journey, the direct link is http://www.trailjournals.com/solesearcher/Here is the info if you wish to sponsor my walk. The money will go to Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Dupity, Haiti. Pledges can be any amount, I am asking for 1 cent per mile or $21.75.Mail your Pledge information including:Donor Name___________________Street________________________City, ST, ZIP__________________Phone________________________Pledge is due in December 2010. Mail this info to: ATTN Mike SeibertSt Peter CelestineP O Box 1Celestine IN 47521-0001
Date: 2010-05-18
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday, the reporter from The Herald came by to do our story. The article will be in the paper on Thursday unless something changes. I thought the reporter¢s name was Allison but it¢s actually Alexandria or Alex. She moved to Jasper about a year ago and is getting married in two weeks! She was very pleasant and seemed like an excellent reporter. I walked about 5 miles today, it rained some and the humidity was high. But the walk was still most enjoyable. I leave on Saturday. So time is getting shorter and shorter.Today, I learned to tie a dew rag! I got on line and followed the instructions and Voila! And I got a tooth filled at the dentist. It went much better than I thought. My dentist Kim and her husband Brad are friends of ours. We were on the Strassenfest committee back together in the 80¢s. It¢s so nice to catch up with all they have been up to while at the same time getting dental work done. I am a lover of good tasting coffee. I make pretty darn good coffee at home using a Braun coffee maker. So the trail presents me with a new problem. How do I get my daily cup of coffee? You can invest in a gadget called a coffee press that can be used with a backpacking stove. But that adds extra weight. So I checked out some instant coffees and found that Starbucks makes a decent instant version of their Columbian coffee. And the one serving packs are very light and don¢t take up much room. So I will be taking some to start my hike and see what happens.