morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-06-10
To: Gear
Miles today: 0.0

Last night my dad and I went to REI to look at some stuff just to get him fitted for a pack for the first few weeks he will be with us on the trail. It turns out we found a good one online that will ship in a few weeks. REI is a hiker's candy shop. There is so much cool stuff there, and we were there for a few hours checking out gear and stuff. I wasn't planning on buying much, but I kept finding stuff on clearance that I needed. 2 jackets, a book, nylon cord, a footprint, and 1 tent later, we kept telling each other that we needed to get out of the store because we kept buying things.Ever since I started planning this trip, I made up my mind to get quality equipment. I don't buy the most expensive, top of the line stuff, but I do get gear that is a step lower on the totem pole for a reasonable price. I also look for sales and stuff on clearance.All in all, it was fun buying gear with my dad.
Date: 2009-06-30
To: Fear of the Unknown
Miles today: 0.0

Well, reality has set in, and I realize that I am only 2 days away from leaving. I couldn¢t sleep last night because I am anxious, nervous, and excited. I posted a video last night of all of my gear, and as I was filming, my trip became more real. I made a soda can stove last night as a backup to the one I already have, but I haven¢t tested it yet, so I hope it works out there!My mom has been awesome lately because she took a few days off work to help me prepare things for my trip. She even made me a first aid kit with all sorts of goodies for infections, cuts, scrapes, and anything else I might need. I told her that I would have to go through the first aid kit to approve of its contents, so I started going through all of it in front of her, which was probably a mistake. I had stuff divided into a ¢yes¢, ¢no¢, and ¢maybe¢ pile on the floor, and the look on her face became more worried as I lightened the load and the ¢no¢ pile became the larger pile. I have a pretty good idea of what I will need out there, and I think that 20 band-aids is a little extreme. I saved a good amount of space in the kit, and I was able to fit my antibiotics and vitamins into the kit afterword. After I was done my mom half jokingly said, ¢You¢re going to die out there.¢ I laughed at first, and knowing my mom, I put a few of the ¢maybe¢ items back in the kit. I will be fine though. To put my mom at ease, my hiking partner, Tommy, will be carrying a larger First-aid kit with more things than me. His mom is a nurse, so I know he will be well equipped.I am not freaking out yet, and I am trying to keep my cool, but I still don¢t have everything together. Tonight Tommy and his family are coming over for the last supper, and we are going to go through gear and stuff. I am excited about that.I am at work right now at Blue Moon Printing in Alpharetta, and my last day of work is tomorrow. I want to give a shout out and a thank you to Jim and Debbie for helping support me throughout all of the years and for helping support me on this trip. I love you both, and Blue Moon is such a great place to work. I guess the only thing I am nervous about now is fear of the unknown. I don¢t know what will happen out there, but I am as ready as I am going to be. I also got word that the first 10 days of my hike in the 100 miles of wilderness, it is going to rain. That¢s what the weather people say at least. Who knows though, flip a coin, they¢re only right half the time anyway right! Well, I feel a little better now that I have vented a little. The hardest thing for me is going to be leaving my family, my friends, and my beautiful girlfriend, Jess. It might be a few weeks until my next post because there won¢t be computers for a hundred miles or so!
Date: 2009-07-03
To: Millinocket, Maine
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Well, we arrived in Maine yesterday, and after getting in really late, we decided to take another day of preparation and start on the 4th of July instead. Today we went to Baxter State Park and figured out some stuff before we leave tomorrow, and we drove around random roads for a while. It is a good thing Jess brought a GPS because we had no idea where we were. We did drive through the woods for a while, and we got to see a young moose. I got a really good shot that I hope to unload later. It is raining up here, and the natives said that last month they only had 4 days without rain, so it will be very muddy when we start tomorrow. Also, I think we are getting some additional bug dope, because the bugs are awful! It kind of reminds me of the bugs when I went wild blueberry picking in Canada. They are everywhere! Other than that we are all set to go. I am uploading this journal entry from the Appalachian Trail Cafe in Millinocket now, and I think we are just about ready! I am prepared to get wet!
Date: 2009-07-21
From: Stratton, Maine

To: Rangely, Maine
Miles today: 0.0

Well,I made it to Stratton! My right ankle was giving me some trouble about 3 days ago, but I think I will be able to work through it. I have been trying to use my left foot more and it has seemed to work. I did get my first blister a day ago, but it doesn't hurt. After a half day's rest I will be at it again at almost 100%. Yesterday was my favorite day on the trail so far. It was only a 10 mile hike, but it was incredible! I hiked the Bigelows yesterday, and I could see over 100 miles in every direction. There are sister peaks about a half mile apart, and I ate lunch on Avery peak for an hour, and then took an hour and a half nap on West peak. It was neat getting to take a nap on a mountain that was named after me...Anyway, hiking is going fine, and I am actually picking up speed. I am taking it day to day and the goal is always to try to make it to the next lean-to. The other day when Dad left it was kind of tough for me. I realy enjoyed hiking with him, and it was a cool experience for both of us. I will miss him, but I know mentally I have to keep hiking. A few days ago I took a side trail to Harrison's Lodge and had the famous 12 pancake breakfast. It was unreal! I was full when I left, and it was a good pick me up. The other night in a lean-to, a giant black animal jumped into the shelter that me and two other people were sleeping in. It was dark and we thought it was a bear or something, but it was a big black dog that had jumped into the shelter and started licking everyone! The owner was camping nearby, and he had 3 dogs taht he let roam freely. We met the owner the next day after the incident. I got lucky enough to go swimming 3 days in a row up here. When the sun is out it is great, but when it's raining, it's miserable. I have seen two very different sides of Maine, but the beautiful side is one of my favorite experiences. The views up here are so outstanding, that I can't even describe how it is to be out here. The hard work hiking up a 4000 foot mountain most definitely pays off. I will never forget this. Each day passes by, and I feel like everything is great out here. It is nice to get away from everything and know that I am blessed even out here in the wilderness. Someone asked me what my low point of the trail has been so far, and I honestly had to say that I have been thrilled everyday. The only tough moment I had was when I had to leave my Dad behind. By the way, he is doing better, and I think he will heal up fine. Tonight I am staying in Stratton, and I am excited to start tomorrow. The next few hundred miles are going to be even tougher than what I have been through. It might be a while until my next entry, but I hope to write again when I get to Gorham, NH. Remember to live each day with a fresh start, keep a good attitude, and keep hiking. Happy trails!
Date: 2009-07-30
From: Gorham, N.H.

To: New Hampshire
Miles today: 0.0

So much has happened since my last journal entry. I am finally out of Maine first of all. New Hampshire has been fine so far. I pushed 23 miles to get here yesterday on a really tough stretch, but I made it in good time. I was going to try to get to Gorham in 5 days from Rangeley, but the rain made things really tough. On days that I was planning to do 17 and 18 miles I was only able to do 9 miles. It was rough, but I am glad to be done with Maine. I had about 5 or 6 really good sunny days in Maine. Everyday it seemed to rain. I saw a moose about a week ago on the trail. I was hiking quietly when all of a sudden I slipped and made a loud crash with my trekking pole. About 20 feet in front of me a moose leaped over this bush on the trail and walked away kinda slow. Luckily I had my camera ready so I was able to get a rear shot when it started to relieve itself 20 yards away from me. I finally had a really tough day this past week. i was going over Old Blue Mountain and Moody Mountain and it really got me down. I bounced back the next day, but it was tough. I finally got my trail name. I go by G Fog, which stands for Green Fog. Everyone has a different diet out here on the trail, and you tend to have a little more gas than usual, especially me. One night I was passing gas left and right and it was as if there was a green fog lingering around me and everyone in the shelter that night. It was pretty bad, but at least now I have my trail name! The past 2 days have been really nice. I got some cool shots and I was able to hike some good miles. I did the "toughest mile" on the A.T., the Mahoosic Notch 2 days ago and it was fun. There was year-round ice down there so it was cold, but it was neat climbing through all of the caves and boulders. That 1 mile took me an hour and a half. I am taking a zero in Gorham today, and i might tomorrow as well if it's raining. The whites are coming up next and i'm excited to do Mt. Washington soon. It can get really cold on the summits of some of those mountains, so I am hoping the weather will be nice. i would love to write more, but I only have limited time on this library computer, so until next time, happy trails.
Date: 2009-08-12
From: Vermont

To: Vermont
Miles today: 100.0

I am officially done with the Whites! How exciting! They were absolutely spectacular, but I am ready to move on and crank out some miles. It only rained on me twice this past week, and I have been hiking with a guy named Crash lately. He is from North Carolina and we hike at relatively the same speed, which is a great thing. It is nice hiking with someone that goes at the same speed as you. We have had a great time enjoying each other's company. Not too many things out of the ordinary lately. I went up Mt. Moosilauke which was a complete whiteout, but I had fun nonetheless. The views from the summits are slowly dwindling, but I am ready for the easier terrain. The NOBOs are about to start the whites, and I think they are in for a good surprise after being conditioned to hike 20 plus miles a day lately. There was a neat fire tower on top of Smarts Mountain that Crash and I explored for a bit. There were a few good views-it was cloudy. Yesterday I ran into some sweet trail magic. There was this guy that gave us free ice cream bars at his house right off the AT, and not only did he have ice cream, he had sodas and a croquet course in his side yard! Crash and I weren't in a hurry, so we spent a few hours at the guy's house playing croquet, drinking sodas, and talking to him. I am sure he enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed his. He was a great person to talk to, and he had such a nice home. After being out here I can definitely say I have a restored sense of faith in mankind. People out here are so willing to help us, and it's wonderful. I do keep my guard up, but almost everyone in the hiking community is willing to help in some way or another. I finally got new shoes after 440 miles. The ones I were using started falling apart, but the company wanted to help me out, so they sent me a new pair! I can't wait! Today I am in Hanover, which is very nice. I got a day pass for the recreation center at Dartmouth college which was great! I went back and forth between showering, swimming in the pool, and sitting in the sauna for 2 hours and it was very relaxing. The campus up here is well kept, and it is the first time I have been to an Ivy League school. I love exploring our great country and meeting new people. I will also be sending home more gear soon. My pack weighs less than 30 pounds now with food and water. Crash and I have a little saying that helps us remember to enjoy ourselves out here, and it goes something like this: It's not about the miles, it's about the smiles.
Date: 2009-09-16
From: New Jersey

To: Pennsylvania
Miles today: 50.0

After a week of recovery, I am finally heading out! Being sick is not too fun, but I needed the rest, and I am ready to continue the journey. Dick, Butch, and Bill have taken great care of me at their home, and they made sure that they wouldn't let me leave until I had a doctor's note saying that I could keep going. I went to the doctor's office yesterday, and after one final blood test the doctor said I could continue. No lyme disease or anything, but I still have a little cough from my respiratory infection. I actually slackpacked 13 miles today to get back into things. Dick drove me South 13 miles, and I walked North to his house. I will get dropped off tomorrow morning at the spot I left at today, so I won't miss any of the trail. It was a pretty flat stretch, but after resting for this past week I am very sore right now. My knees ache, and it feels like I am starting from scratch getting my trail legs back. I will continue to ease into things the next few days. I did take a short side trip today on my hike to High Point Monument, which is the highest elevation point in New Jersey. There was nobody there which was nice because normally it is swarming with tourists. I also saw a bear on the side of the road today while driving up to my drop off spot. We pulled over and watched him waddle away into the woods. I wish I could have run into another one today, but no luck. I am sure I will see at least 1 bear in New Jersey. I posted new pictures and a few videos, and I also wanted to remind people about there is a google map link in the About section of my website that tracks locations that I have stayed at.The direct link is:http://www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=102369223089591072175.0004707fa72fa084575d8&z=5It has gotten much cooler since I have been hiking, but it will be nice to have the season change right in front of me. Fall is coming, and it will be nice. I am ready to keep going. Happy hiking!
Date: 2009-09-21
From: Pennsylvania

To: Doyle hotel
Miles today: 94.0

Whether it¢s poison ivy, bears, snakes, rocky ledges, or whatever, the AT has it all. I am so lucky to have experienced these things, and the adventure has been more thrilling than I could have imagined. I crossed into Pennsylvania a few days ago, and I will finally give credit to the NOBOs that said the rocks in PA were rough. They were absolutely right this time! My feet are feeling it, and even though the terrain is flat, it is still difficult to maneuver through all of this. The weather has been remarkable which makes things easier, but I did get burned a little yesterday ¢ oh well. I must have hiked through some poison ivy recently because I have a gooey, bubbling rash on my right leg. I think it will go away soon. A few days ago I was day dream hiking. That¢s what I call it at least. Anyway, I was hiking, not paying attention, and I randomly looked down and almost stepped on a copperhead. After the initial surprise, I now realize that I jumped away screaming like a girlish wimp. You would too, so don¢t even¢¦Well, it was right in the middle of the trail sunning, and it was neat to see after I knew I was going to be ok. It has also been neat sneaking up on deer that don¢t see or hear me coming. I got about 20 feet away from a buck the other day. Tonight I am actually staying in a house. Showers always feel so good! My uncle is good friends with a wonderful woman named Beth, and it was very generous of her to open her home to us. When I say us I mean me and Lightweight. We have been hiking together for the past few days. I actually hiked the first month of my journey with him, then I didn¢t see him for a month, and now we are continuing the journey together for now. I am actually reading a book right now that he also likes, and when he gets the chance, he takes the book and starts reading where he left off. He folds the bottom corner of the page for his book marker, and I fold the top corner. At least we have something to talk about during the day. I won¢t tell you what the book is, but let¢s just say we are both getting in touch with our inner teenage girl¢¦yeah¢¦we¢ll leave it at that. Another funny thing that some of the hikers are attempting that I think is ridiculous is what they have dubbed ¢MAN WEEK.¢ Man week is hiking 200 miles in a week, and that¢s crazy! They can do Man week while I chill out and take my time. I have also realized that I will probably be getting home around mid December which is ok. It will get cold, but I will be prepared. Things are better now that my health is back where it needs to be. Soon enough my dad and friend Jim are coming out to hike with me for a little over a week, which will be nice. It¢s going to be cold, so I hope they are ready and excited for it. The next stop will probably be at the famous Doyle hotel, so until then, happy hiking!
Date: 2009-09-28
From: Doyle hotel

To: Maryland
Miles today: 40.0

I am almost halfway done with my journey! A few days ago I crossed the 1,000 mile mark from Katahdin, and it was very exciting. It is weird to think that I have already hiked that much, and honestly I don¢t think that it has hit me yet. A few eventful things have happened to me in the past week. Snakes have been everywhere! It seems as though I have a nightmarish dream about snakes every other night. I have almost stepped on several black snakes recently, which are non-poisonous, but it is still makes me a little nervous. I saw a 7 foot snake in the middle of the trail, and I waited for it to keep moving, but yesterday I saw another black snake that wouldn¢t move no matter how much I stomped my feet. I waited but grew impatient, so as gently as I could, I picked the snake up with my pole and moved it off the trail, for it¢s safety as well as my own. The rocks in PA have gotten much better, however, my feet and shoes have taken some damage. The back of my ankle started bleeding a little yesterday, and my shoes have exploded in different areas. I think new shoes will be a must in the upcoming week. I also went to the famous 501 shelter recently, where hikers are able to order food in! Yum! It was such a great dinner! I had a foot long sub, 2 cheeseburgers, and a 24 oz coke. Utterly delicious¢¦all of us had a nice evening around the fire that night. Miles have been low recently, mainly because I have enjoyed myself the past few weeks. My dad and friend Jim are coming up later this week to hike with me for 10 days or so, and I am excited that I will have some more company. I think they will have a fine time hiking, and I hope we will be able to have some great days. The halfway point is coming up soon, and I am thrilled. Tonight I will be staying at the famous Doyle hotel in Duncannon, PA. This place is awesome! Not only do they have great food, but the atmosphere is great, and it is hiker friendly. Not to mention it¢s very fairly priced. I am splitting a room with Lightweight and Tex tonight, and I am sure we will have a nice time chilling out tonight. It seems that every night this week there has been a nice campfire to sit around with good company. There is a big pack of SOBOs about a week ahead of me, but it¢s nice being at the tail end of things at the moment. Other than that, nothing else has been happening. A little rain the past few days, and I also picked up a new book from the unofficial AT library. I have been reading a lot more than I have in the past for pleasure rather than to study or learn about something. It is nice. I didn¢t realize that I had a good time reading for hours at a time until I actually sat down and did it! That is another thing I have enjoyed out here. I find myself not missing TV or technology at all. Every day is a breath of fresh air, and this trip continues to be fun and the adventure that I had hoped for. It¢s not about the miles. It¢s about the smiles.
Date: 2009-10-09
From: Virginia

To: Virginia
Miles today: 80.0

Congratulations to Bluetoe and Aye Aye Aye (Jim) for completing their hike! The rocks in Pennsylvania were rough, and Maryland had its share of rocks too, but the strong persevered, and it was another great week. We couldn't have asked for better weather during the trek, and we had some really nice views along most of the ridges. We were fortunate enough to have some friends in the area from Atlanta that took us out for a nice meal and a resupply, so a big thank you goes out to Anne and Ron Eberhardt for their hospitality. After the meal, we also got to experience a night hike back to one of the shelters. It was a little chilly, but we managed. So my friend Aye Aye Aye, formerly Jim, got his trail name this week. Whenever he was having a difficult time or when we were almost done climbing a mountain, he would say, ¢aye, aye, aye!¢ His name fits him well, and he did really well considering this was his first long distance hike! If you see him give him a pat on the back, but don't touch his feet because there is a possibility that he will lose a few toenails-kind of like Bluetoe! Apparently when you hike with me, you lose toenails, so be cautious future hiking partners! One day we had really high winds, probably the second fastest I have seen on the trail so far. We were able to go to Black Rock Cliffs where the wind was absolutely crazy! The video that I have posted does a little justice, but the feeling was such a rush! The forces of nature are so amazing! One day we decided to take an easy day, and on the way, we stopped at the first Washington Monument, which was built in 1827. We spent 3 hours there enjoying the day, and it was a cool place to chill out a while. Maryland had some really nice views. I do have a funny story that happened a few nights ago. Up until a few days ago I hadn't seen any stink bugs along the trail, but about as soon as we got to Maryland, we hit stink bug central! They are everywhere! At the shelters they were a real nuisance, and no one knows that better than Bluetoe. It was a little after dusk and we were eating dinner at one of the shelters. Aye Aye Aye was near the fire, and Bluetoe was eating trail mix next to me near the picnic table. All of a sudden, Bluetoe says,¢Hey do you smell that? Something stinks!¢ I said,¢No, maybe it's a bear. Bears smell bad.¢ He replied, ¢You don't smell that! It smells really bad!¢ As it turns out, Bluetoe had accidentally eaten an extra ingredient with his trail mix, a stink bug! Yuck! Those things stink when you smush them, and I can't even think about eating one, so congrats to Bluetoe for living off the land and getting a few extra calories of protein. It has been a great week having company to hike with, and I am proud of both Bluetoe and Aye Aye Aye for hanging in there and not even complaining once. It is off to Virginia tomorrow, and I plan on putting in some bigger miles to catch up with my fellow SOBOs, so happy hiking to all, and to all a good night!