morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-05-03
From: Cow Camp Shelter

To: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: scattered clouds

After a climb out of the valley shelter we went up to 4,000 feet again and then way down to Brown Mountain Creek Valley which was farmed by slave labor from around 1800 to the end of the Civil War. In 1868, a former slave purchased the land and built a series of cabins, the remains of which include chimneys and other structures. He rented the cabins to former slaves who sharecropped the land. Later his descendants lived in the valley until the land was purchased by the Forest Service in 1920. The river in the valley had swimming holes and flowing water over large boulders. We stopped for a brief lunch at a shelter next to the river. Also saw my first snake in this trip; last year I saw almost 10 snakes in 4 weeks. As we started climbing we saw the Pedlar Reservoir (only 8 fishing licenses are issued per day for this fairly sizable lake). After uphills that didn't seem to end we arrived at Punchbowl Shelter which was right next to a pond. We were concerned that mosquitoes might be an issue but   the orchestra of frogs, which would be at full force, stop momentarily and then start again was the reason I put in my earplugs that night. At the shelter were Sparkle, a great guy from Kansas City who had lost his father recently and was going to spread his ashes on the trail and Erin and her dog Griffin. Erin had a heavier pack than all three of the guys at the shelter and was only eating 300 calories a day (a typical hiker burns 5,000) so we all had lots of advice for her on her equipment and caloric intake.   Sparkle and Slapshot built a nice fire which was a nice way to end the day.
Date: 2015-05-04
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: VA 150/Glasgow
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Getting off the trail about ten days earlier than planned but for a very good & exciting reason (see tomorrow's entry)!Got an ok nights sleep even with the frogs, Erin's dog barking at frogs and Sparkles loud tossing and turning. Three young local hikers stopped by the shelter and asked a bunch of questions about our hikes this morning. After these types of conversations I always wonder who will end up doing a long distance hike in the future. We passed quite a few northbound hikers including one poor guy who had just gotten new shoes and bad blisters to prove how new they were. Great view from several rock ledges including a view of the James River below. At one summit there is a small monument for Ottie Powell, a 5 year old boy who died after wandering 7 miles away from his schoolhouse in 1891- very sad. After a long river walk and nice descent I wished Slapshot the best for his thru hike at VA 150 where I met my shuttle driver, Gary Serra. Gary is a retired police officer and avid AT hiker. Originally he and his wife moved from New York to Norfolk area but it wasn't for them so they moved out to the Glasgow, VA area. Gary took me to Lynchburg so I could catch my train the next morning. As we were arriving at the hotel I saw a Chick Fil A and a Little Caesar's Pizza - I ate way too much for lunch and dinner! The next morning I took a 7:30AM Amtrak to DC, walked around the National Mall (Washington Monument, World War 2 Memorial, Smithsonian Buildings, etc.) for a few hours (with my pack of course!) then got on the 4:30PM overnight train to Chicago arriving around 10AM the next day. My seat was between an Amish family group (who thought it was ok to talk and sing songs between 4 and 5AM) and a girl with a bad cold who snorted about every 10 seconds; thank goodness for earplugs!
Date: 2015-05-08
To: The Surprise
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

THE SURPRISE- Just about a week into my hike I received a call from a good friend letting me know that my wife Beth had been selected as the "Citizen of the Year" for our community of Barrington, Illinois! The Barrington Area Development Council annually presents this community service award to "a person who made a meaningful contribution of time and effort that has benefitted the entire community". This link   http://www.living60010.com/the-talk-in-60010/2015/05/07/badc-awards-41st-citizen-of-the-year-to-beth-raseman   includes remarks by our Village President on her contributions to the community and some photos from the evening. No one could be more deserving of the award (I'm just a little biased) than Beth and it was fun for two out of three of our kids (the other is in Africa for a year so he had a good excuse) and me to surprise her!The event where the award was scheduled to be presented was May 6th and I wasn't scheduled to finish my hike until around May 15th so I had to hide the fact that I got a shuttle to Lynchburg then a train to DC and another one to Chicago to arrive on the morning of the event. I sent Beth a fake itinerary of the shelters where I was planning to stay this week and tried to keep our texts and phone calls short and sweet so I wouldn't wreck the surprise. I did my laundry and took a shower at my daughter's apartment in downtown Chicago since I didn't want to risk being spotted at our house. Another friend had invited 30+ friends and neighbors to surprise her by coming into the room when the award was being presented. It was a great evening!
Date: 2016-02-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

After a Gap Year+ and two section hikes (appx 700 miles from CT-VA) I've gone back to work but still have the "AT on my mind" so I've gotten involved in a couple of activities in the Chicago area including:1) I took over a "Meetup.com" group for Chicago Area Hikers who want to Section Hike the AT over a period of years. In case you live in this area our Meetup Site is http://www.meetup.com/Chicago-Hiking-Meetup-Goal-Walk-the-Appalachian-Trail/ and we have a couple of upcoming meetings for hikers wanting to connect with others or learn about the AT for future hikes. 2) To help other hikers I started a very basic web site www.reboothiking.com where I've listed links that I found helpful or think other hikers might find useful. Please feel free to end me other links you would recommend thru my Guest Book. So this year I'll be hiking vicariously through the rest of you that are out there and hopefully helping hikers in the Chicago area to join you!
Date: 2014-11-07
To: Planning planning and more planning
Miles today: 0.0

A couple of months ago I decided to thru hike (NOBO) in spring time of next year. The spark ignited when I was out in California hiking in Yosemite. I have spent a pretty good amount of time outdoors and camping both in my childhood and as an adult. I only recently started backpacking and have only one beginner backpack trip under my belt. I expect I will learn alot out on the trail and believe me I dont have anything but a willingness to walk and see and learn and play. Since I started planning I have been doing alot of reseach on gear, reading anything I can get my hands on related to the trail, and speaking to whoever will listen. I am hopeful my experience will be less intense than I am and be more like this family circus cartoon (uploaded in photos I have an outgoing personality and a curiousity for almost all things so I think those will lead me on an awesome adventure.Fortunately I have someone here at home to watch my doggies and bunnies and house and also fortunately for me I am in a position to take a couple months off from life to enjoy the beauty of the apppalachian trail. I am romanticizing the feeling I will have when I give notice at work and trying to swallow the anxiety I have about quitting my job to pursue intentional homelessness for half a year I am so exicted to start this trek and for the time being Im working on collecting upgraded gear, planning food drops, learning how to dehydrate my favorite vegetarian dishes and doing squats. Bring. It. On.
Date: 2015-03-10
To: Almost there....
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

My last entry from November seems like ages and ages ago. Even though I have done some sort of preparation or planning every day since then its hard to believe that in less then a month Ill be starting the approach trail to Springer. I am getting closer and closer to being all the way ready to go. I am in my last two weeks of my day job and I can happily report that quitting is everything I thought it would be. It only took me 8 years. My part time job at EMS is another story, I had such an immediate and impactful relationship wtih those guys that I am having a harder time saying goodbye to them after only a couple of months. I can not thank the EMS family enough for everything they have given, the last shift I worked was quite slow so we were tying knots and throwing bear bag lines over the hanging kayaks. I mean that you can not get anywhere else. I am incredibly grateful for every piece of experience, know how, emotion, life and love that I received there.Everytime I open my freezer a ziploc bag of stuff that used to be something falls out. Chop, cook, dry, bag, repeat. Chop, cook, bake, dry, bag, repeat. I hooked it up with a new backpack and a new jetboil and Im feeling like all the big purchases have now been purchased. Now its time to put it all in there, get out, and shake it down!I am feeling so sentimental lately, thinking about how Ill miss certain local events or holiday dinners or summer BBQs. Last week when my world was covered in about a foot of snow I felt as though I was seeing the majestic beauty of it all for the first time. Must be my awakened state. My spring bulbs are starting to poke though and Im feeling so sad that I wont get to see them grow up this year! I keep trying to remind myself that I will get to see hundreds of miles of flowers wake up instead and my bulby beauties will be there next year.Its interesting to me how I can feel so confident and ready to take this on and so intimidated at the same time! I can say for sure that someone who is not ready to continuously make decisions (both the well informed kind and on the fly) is not ready to commit to this type of travel. It seems like as soon as I have sat down and taken a breath and relaxed after finishing some preparation an alarm bell goes off on something I have not done yet and off I go. Hiking 2000 miles has to be less exhausting then all of this shopping and preparing and cooking and planning and packing and calling and writing right?!?! I am only kidding. I know. I know.
Date: 2015-03-31
To: One way to Atlanta
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

In my mind I've remembered everything. Except a bandana. What kind of thru hiker forgets a bandana... tsk tsk. I am so so excited that this will be my very last preparation entry and the next time you are reading I will have walked up all 604 stone steps of the approach trail. In theory - I know what I'm doing. I am hopeful all of my good theory will soon translate into solid practice and that solid practice will serve me all the way until katahdin. Ive looked around the waiting area here, no thru hikers here. thats sure to change. My pack at check in with my poles and the pack hauler (which was clutch, I highly recommend the EMS pack hauler for flying a full pack) was 38lbs. Full of all of my gear and six days of food i can not complain about that. Until im walking up those steps i mentioned. Ill work to pare it down over the next couple of weeks and before long she and I will speak the same language. I have been so incredibly overwhelmed by the amount of support I have received from my family and friends. You guys help me remember who I am and what I am capable of -even when I have a belly full of butterflies. I have been lucky to see and hug and kiss so many of my loved ones before I left and those that I have not are in my heart. It is with love and nerves and excitement that I leave for Georgia. More difficult then fitting the next 6 months of life into a 65 liter pack I had to fit all of your support and well wishes and love and I can barely lift my heart onto the plane. I had an easier time handing my 65 liter beast to the airport security agent.
Date: 2015-04-01
From: Amicalola Falls State Park

To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Even though i hiked 8.8 miles today they do not count toward the trip count. The approach trail was tough. Lots of steps and a heavy pack do not get along well together. The trail nearly killed me. I didnt bring along enough water and before I knew it I was all kinds of dehydrated. About 4 miles into the first day I realized I didnt have my wallet. I tore apart my pack in the middle of the trail and went through it about three times. Definately gone. I called the hiker hostel (who by the way was an excellent shuttle from the airport to the trailhead and they serve an excellent breakfast, highly recommend them) and they didnt have it and then the visitor center didnt have it and its gone. I resisted the panic attack and only cried a little and picked myself up and carried on. Nothing else to do except walk to the next resupply. So on I go.
Date: 2015-04-02
From: Black Gap Shelter

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: light rain

4.3 total miles today but only 2.8 AT trail miles. Last night was quite a night. After almost dying all day I chocked down a poptart and climbed into my sleeping bag inside the shelter. I barely had it in me to go down the water hill to get water to filter. Why are the water hills so steep anyway? There were four of us in the shelter. One guy rolled over every couple of minutes and farted, the other just snored the whole time but sounded like bear growl snores. Inflatable sleeping pads are not your friend in a shelter. Just saying. We hiked on to the closest shelter and called it a second day. Its very cool how varied the terrain is here, one minute its dead trees the next its the appalachian trail rain forest. It was nice to have time to cook and chat without being dead. A thunderstorm rolled in after dinner so I slept in the shelter again.
Date: 2015-04-03
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 5.3
Weather: light rain

The girl I was hiking with had terrible bites all over her and so she was itchy, itching, inside her sleeping bag inside her bivy on top of an inflatable mattress. Combine that with all the snorey men and no sleep again. I feel terrible for her with all that itchy. I haven't really slept in about a week. I was planning on going to Gooch Mountain today but I only made it to Hawk Mountain. It was so nice and there were so many nice people there. I'm about a day behind my schedule, thank goodness I dropped an extra day of food in case of emergency, emergency being the approach trail. Its so hard to keep all of your stuff together and maintain any level of efficiency. I have started keeping my spoon in my cook bag so thats pretty good progress I guess. I just wanted to let you guys know that it means so much to me to get your notes. The emails from trail journals with your comments from the guest book are an awesome pick me up. I lay in my tent and smile and feel good. Thanks also to the folks I don't know who are along for the ride, I hope you are at least entertained.
Date: 2015-04-04
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: few clouds

Biggest thunderstorm ever last night. What a way to break in a new tent The storm did not get in at all. The lightning flashes were so bright above my tent and i was on the top of a freaking mountain. I could hear the wind kicking up on one side of the mountain and coming up all the way over the top and all the way back down the other side. The booms were so big. I didnt get out of camp until like 11 oclock. Terrible. Even in the cold and scary storm I slept much better in my tent then a shelter. It was so cold overnight there was a frost. Makes it kinda hard to get going in the morning. Everyone was jealous of my sweet potato porridge, M.O and M.M you would be proud.
Date: 2015-04-05
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Lance Creek Campsite
Miles today: 8.5

Today I was on the trail by 9am. Not too shabby. I was planning today to go all the way to neels gap. There is a bear canister requirement for the 5 miles I would like to stop at, I figured if I reached lance creek by one oclock I'd push on up over Blood Mountain. Its supposed to rain tomorrow morning so i want to get up on top of blood mountain before the fog takes away all of my views. And not hike up and down the mountain in the rain. Blood Mountain has the highest elevation until the whites. I didnt get to lance creek until 2:30 so Im camping here tonight. Seems like defeat but its not. I made friends with Lesh's mom and dad. I hung a bear bag. Killing it.
Date: 2015-04-06
From: Lance Creek Campsite

To: Blood Mountain Cabins
Miles today: 7.5

With the impending rain and mass exodus of people heading for mountain crossing the plan was to get up and moving before dawn to get up and over blood mountain before the afternoon thunderstorm. I was hoping to get one of the 17 bunks available at mountain crossings. At 5:30 I was up and on the trail by 6 am. I hiked for a while in the dark and eventually turned my headlamp off around 7. I enjoyed about 4 miles before the rain came and then it rained all over me until getting into neels gap. Coming down blood mountain in the stream was not fun. Evidently I lost my pack cover along the way so everything not in a dry bag got wet. When i got to mountain crossings my new friends were waiting for me with a spot in a cabin they reserved!!! Here I sit next to the fire, showered, clean and happy. Tired but happy. I dont want to say Ive had a rough start but it certainly hasn't been easy. Lost wallet, dehydration, my lady friend (two weeks early),no sleep, scary thunderstorms, frost, lost pack cover, hiking up (and down) blood mtn in the rain, rain in the forcast for the rest of the week... but oh the simple pleasures of soap. Dish soap. Hand soap. Its the best. Believe me. Lesh by the way is the best dog ever, his dad brought me back a diet coke and I can not even explain how awesome that was He also noticed a poncho in the free hiker box and grabbed it for me to use as a pack cover. What a great group in the cabin tonight. The lovely lady even did our laundry. For free. Grand.
Date: 2015-04-07
From: Blood Mountain Cabins

To: Low Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 11.5

Thank you for bearing with me, service has been terrible and I have been trying to get updates up whenever I can It makes me so happy to see your comments I woke up at 6:30 today to try and corral all of my crap that i hung all over the cabin to dry. It took me forever to get everything all packed up. The plan for today was 11.5 miles, huge day but not really any good spots in between. The angels that are Leshs parents ( tentatively morpheous and clementine) have hooked me up like you wouldn't believe. Clementine pulled a nearly full fuel can out of the hiker box at neels gap. I was in need for sure and with my limited funds until my new debit card comes it couldn't have been any better. 4 mountains today. I was thinking today while hiking that its a good thing I write these at night after I have conquered the day, it would be a much different entry if I wrote to you in the heat of battle. After about 5.5 miles we came to a gap with my first trail magic!! How nice. A church group was out with drinks and snacks and hats!!! I'll post a picture of my new church hat as soon as the internet stops hating on uploading pictures. There were some pretty decent climbs and I wasnt thinking I had another 6 miles in me but there really wasnt anywhere else to stay. Today was brutal. Actually. Hiking today kinda sucked. There was so much fog and the air was so thick and for hours at a time I just trudged along through the mud at a pace I describe as the death march. Whenever I slowed down the cloud of bugs following me caught up and they were in my eyes and my nose and my mouth and just up and up and up I went. My pack this morning was 43lbs at mountain crossings. Without a liter of water 45.5 lbs with a 6 day resupply. One of the guys I have been hiking with commented that I was a tough lady when he saw that and man did that give me a push all day when I needed some. He meant it and dammit I am a tough freaking lady. Thats no joke pulling that up and down mountains. Anyway I digress. so with nowhere to stop 11.5 miles it was. My boots got soaked yesterday and so when i let my toes out today my heels looked a bit trenched my boots still are not dry. Im getting blisters finally (i knew they would come eventually) and my entire body aches. Its funny, the hiker hobble, the hiker midnight (8pm) these are all real things haha Im living it. The last 3 or 4 miles today were really tough, I wouldn't have made it if my new friends hadn't slowed down and encouraged me the whole way. I am feeling very very lucky to have met these guys. Back to 8 miles tomorrow. If I can walk. Im camped right alongside a stream. Listening to it and laying down almost makes up for this tough day. Almost I am so so overwhelmed by the support and encouragement you all have given me. It reaches all the way into the bottom of my heart. I love you all so much.
Date: 2015-04-08
From: Low Gap Shelter 

To: Blue Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: light rain

The first couple of miles today were so nice. Nearly flat, rolling, easy and gentle ups and downs. For about 3 miles. This trail honest to goodness does not have any flat spots. Georgia has been straight up a mountain and then straight back down, climb into a gap, climb up out of a gap, climb up the mountain, straight back down. Its getting old. The last 2.5 miles were really tough, giant piles of rocks. I was in no mood when I got up to the top of blue mountain. Since I have been out for a week I thought Id tell you guys the things I have learned. Bill - dont be mad at these first couple... in no particular order...How to set up my tentHow to cook with a jetboilHow to hang a bear bagHow to work my sawyer squeezeHow to use my poles by using the loops for leverageHow to pack my pack Not to ask a day hiker how far to somewhereHow to pee with my backpack on (im especially proud of this How to clip my water bottle on so I can drink 25 bottles a day without stoppingWhat i have not learned yet -How fast I walk, I take wild guesses as to where I amHow to drink water and breatheHow to stay hydrated
Date: 2015-04-09
From: Blue Mountain Shelter 

To: Tray Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: broken clouds

The blue mountain shelter is all the way up, perched on the side of blue mountain. I woke up to the second half of a beautiful sunrise. I checked it out for a bit. I have been laughing with morpheous and ponyboy (formerly clementine) that I only have so much capacity for so much (i have been neglecting my hygiene a bit haha) everyone was excited to see that I brushed my teeth this morning. After i got walking this morning i was kinda jealous of all of the couples that get to split their trail chores. I have to do all the things myself and yea i mean as a result I maybe have not been using wet ones as I should. I was just thinking about jackicardia hill today actually, its hard to explain how steep and crazy these trails are. Miles (hours) uphill at a time. So steep and tough. I am hearing you loud and clear on reducing pack weight. As soon as I am reunited with my debit card im looking to lighten the load and send a couple of things home. Today I split up with ponyboy, morpheous and lesh. Their car is back at amicolola falls and so they needed to take care of that. My heart was so heavy this morning saying goodbye. I had a good cry. I heard from them this afternoon, leshie is not doing well so they are taking it slow. My bad attitude has inclined me to think it's just about time for a zero day. That blister I had wasnt really a blister. Its sort of like a collection of sores? I dont know im not really sure. Im covered in bites and rashes and sores and dirt and bruises and sweat and tears and even blood. but. I am walking north. From what I understand some 25 percent dont make it out of georgia. Ive got just under 20 miles.