morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-10-08
From: Dismal Falls

To: Helvey's Mill Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: moderate rain

Slept on the floor of the shelter at Angels Rest Hostel. It was taking all night but the temperature was nice and cool. I was asleep at 10:30, a few hours late normally for a full hiking day and woke up on and off from the sounds of the storm. I was up at 5:45 thinking about our 7 am departure back to Dismal Falls. Made oatmeal with fresh raspberries I bought from the grocery store and washed it down with 2 cups of joe. Walked out to the shelter to make sure that Pretty Boy was up then packed up to get ready to go. Pretty Boy wasn't ready until 7:30 and Axl, our driver was asleep on the sofa. Woke him up and we were on our way, almost. Had a o stop for gas and Axl's breakfast of jerky and cigarettes. We got to the Dismal Falls trailhead at 8:45 and the falls sounded loud. The rain from the previous 24 hours had the Falls swollen making the ford of the stream a lot harder. I did manage to get across without falling in, but since it was raining for most of the day ended up wet anyway with shoes that were saturated and squishy. I was off on the trail first, but Pretty Boy passed me within 5 miles. The trail was wet which brings out the box turtles which will park right in the middle of the trail, not sure why. Also saw a few white tailed deer, which has become a daily occurance in Virginia. Now that hunting season was here, the deer were a lot more cautious. There were gusty winds throughout the day and a lot of falling branches, more than usual. A few fell just a few feet from me on the trail. The terrain was rolling nice trail with a 1000' climb up Bushy Mtn ridge and a second at 900'. There were a lot of short ups and downs. Everything was wet, so if you brushed up against something on the trail you would get a good soaking. It was a day that I was glad to get to the shelter early, 4 pm in this case and went to work setting up my bedding, filtering 3 long tees of water and dinner. By this time the rain had stopped and the forecast called for clearing skies. I spent some time texting Signe and coordinating wit Bent on where we might cross paths again. Worked on my journal and was in bed at 7:30. Dark came at 7:15.
Date: 2015-08-31
To: Getting Started 
Miles today: 0.0

I made a decision that I wanted to hike the AT about 30 years ago. It is a dream that I have never let go of. Lots of other dreams have come and gone. Some have been realized. Some were failures. Most just drifted away. The dream to hike the AT has never left me. I¢ve backpacked sections of the AT. Mostly this has been in Virginia ¢ Shenandoah National Park and portion close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mt. Rogers, as well as doing the entire Presidentials. I¢ve done some monumental backpacking trips including Denali National Park, the Canadian Rockies, and Buckskin Gulch + the Paria River Canyon.   Backpacker names Buckskin Gulch as one of the top ten most dangerous backpacking trips. I think it is one of the most beautiful although I was glad to get out of the slot canyon without any rain falling. Besides those trips, I¢ve done a lot of additional backpacking in West Virginia, Dolly Sods for example, as well as in Virginia and Pennsylvania.   All these trips have not lowered my desire to hike the AT, they have intensified it.I made a decision, with full spousal approval (thank you, Eric) on a flight home from my niece¢s wedding about a month ago. It still hardly seems real.   In the mean time, I have taken a deep dive into all things AT including reading several books (favorite so far is AWOL on the Appalachian Trail), looked at the ATC website, read journals and packing lists here on Trails Journals, and corresponded with a 2014 thru hiker, Nubbins, who provided me with a lot of good information. Thanks to Nubbins for being my first virtual trail angel. My plan is to try a flip-flop starting in Pearisburg, VA starting on St. Patrick¢s Day, March 17th. I am hoping that will give me time to head north, make a quick diversion to DC, be in Harpers Ferry for the ATC's Second Annual Flip Flop Kick Off and continue towards Maine. There are a lot of ifs in that plan with heading north as the only part of the plan.Well, here I am 30 years later, getting ready to live the dream.
Date: 2015-09-01
To: Tent Arrived
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: heavy intensity rain

My quest for lightweight, but affordable, gear continues. For some reason, selecting a tent has been especially difficult. This is coming from someone who already ownes 5 tents! I quickly dismissed the idea of a tarp. Bugs love me, and I believe I have already donated my quota in blood. Hanging in trees in a hammock looked interesting until I started thinking about being stuck in one in the middle of a strong and prolonged storm - way too enclosed. So I decided on an ultralight tent and eventually narrowed down to a Mountain Hardware SuperMega UL1. I can actually sit up in it. Plus it was $100 off at REI. It is samll and weights in at 2 pounds 2 oz on my kitchen scale, a few ounces over the advertised "trail weight" which is expected.Shoes and socks are next on the list. That decision will make the tent look like a walk in the park!
Date: 2015-09-01
To: Reactions
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

The reactions to my planned AT trip have been very mixed. The vast majority of people are excited for me even if coming from friends who consider getting into a pool as a nature adventure. There have been a few "are you crazy" reactions.   And, of course, there are the fears about bears and rattlesnakes. I guess people don't consider that I hike here in Arizona all the time and the Sornoran Desert is crawling with western diamonbacks. I see them on the trail. I've seen them on our driveway. We've had them visiting on our patio. Overall, the feedback has been great. I am so glad to have the support of my friends and family. It means so much.
Date: 2015-09-03
To: A Walk in the Woods (the movie)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

After dreaming of an AT thru hike for over 30 years, I made a decision to try a thru hike in 2016. My plans started before I knew about the upcoming, now released, A Walk in the Woods movie. And, I am guessing that most of you, like me, have some concern about how this movie will impact the AT going forward. Will the 2000+ starting thru hikers swell to 3000 or 4000? Will the all dire predictions of more overcrowding come true? Only time will tell. However, here is my take. I went to see the movie last night. First, there were only about 15 of us in the theater, the largest theater in a mega suburban multiplex movie house that often has waiting lines for opening night of smash movies. Again, a total of about 15 of us were there. The short version of my review is that the movie is just dull. It isn't funny. It isn't heartwarming. There really is very little to like or to dislike other than a handful of beatuiful shots of the AT and the Appalachian Mountains. Nick Notle was very good, excellent. Robert Redford was, well, perhaps a whole lot less than very good. I don't see this movie as lasting long in the theaters or bringing out big crowds to see it or bringing out hords of new hikers to the AT. I wanted to like this movie. I've loved the AT most of my life. I think Robert Redford has done a lot to increase environmental awareness. However, the movie was just boring and not engaging at all.A pretty balanced review from the New York Times:http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/02/movies/review-a-walk-in-the-woods-with-robert-redford-is-a-scenic-trek-spoiled.html
Date: 2015-09-14
To: Ounces vs. comfort, safety, and convenience
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I've backpacked for over 30 years. During that time, I've seen "the latest thing" come and go so many times that I can't even remember all the things I could not possibly live without. Backpackers fall victim to advertising and self-appointed experts as much as any group of people. Magazine and websites that depend on manufacturing advertising dollars actually drive the consumerism. Most experts are sponsored, and many opinions expressed on website discussion boards are those of people who have limited experience beyond what they currently use or, in many cases, what they plan to use. Boots are a great example. They went from giant leather clodhoppers in the 1970s to synthetics with almost mandatory GTX and big clunky Vibram soles in the 80's back to "light weight" leather (which were actually heavier than the prior must haves - think Vasque Sundowner GTX at 3.3+ lbs) and now to trail runners. First strong ankle support was a must evolving to today's no ankle support. Loaded packs have gone from around 40+ lbs to well below 20 or even 15 pounds for the most Spartan ultra light backpacker. Light weight is great but often leaves no margin for error nor does it leave much room for comfort in many cases. Through all of this, I am attempting to find a balance between weight, comfort, and safety. An early March start date, even when starting in Virginia after Mt. Rogers, can involve straight up winter and snowy conditions. Perhaps worse is 35 degrees and rain. Staying warm is important. Avoid hypothermal is vital. I am also trying to avoid getting sucked up into opinions about ¢must haves¢ that did not exist a decade ago when people were successfully thru hiking the AT and the PCT. Some of today's must haves are great. Many will not last until the end of the decade. Sure, I can sleep under a tarp and have wind, rain, and bugs plague me all night, but do I want to? I think some type of real tent - dry and free from blood sucking bugs - would serve me better. A bivy is just too small, but I think I can live with a very small one person tent that I can actually sit up in. Having a decent stove (Jetboil Flash, for example) might be better than a super cat alcohol stove? I happen to have saved a good supply of Fancy Feast cans, so I am still pondering that question. Again, the quality of the experience is a balance among weight, comfort, safety, and convenience. I am working through my list as carefully as I can. Using lighterpack.com has been very helpful in getting my pack weight down. It is a great tool that is free. My current pack weight is 16.2 pounds with winter gear but without food or water. It includes what many consider a luxury item - my kindle. I think I would go crazy without it, so it seems more required than optional for me. All this obsessing over weight and comfort, safety, and convenience is a lot more fun than I would have ever expected. One person I've emailed with told me it was the second best part of her thru hike after the hike itself. I guess that makes me feel pretty good about the actual hike. I'm having a blast!
Date: 2015-09-14
To: Grand Canyon - lots of elevation change
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

We spent a long weekend at Grand Canyon National Park with a bunch of friends which we do every year on the weekend after Labor Day. On Friday and Saturday, we did some hiking. The first hike was Bright Angel Trail, 5 miles down to Indian Garden and 5 miles back up. The trail is switchbacks, but it is entirely down and then entirely up. There never is a break. On Saturday, we did about 8 miles on the Rim Trail which is essentially flat. The weather was perfect. Highs just over 90 and lows about 50.   Nice sleeping temperatures.My favorite sign on the Bright Angel Trail - "Going down is optional. Coming back up is mandatory."
Date: 2015-09-21
To: To flip-flop or not? The Magic 8 Ball decides
Miles today: 0.0

Since this is a 30+ year dream, I have to say that the idea of doing a flip-flop has not entirely settled well with me. My dream has never been to start in Harpers Ferry or in Marion. My dream has always been to have the full AT experience including the kind of crazy conditions at Springer. It is the AT thru hiker experience for the vast majority of people. With that said, I can see why the ATC is asking people to consider alternative starts. After over a month of flip-flopping on the question of to flip-flop or not to flip-flop, I finally resorted to the Magic 8 Ball. Although I have absolutely no belief in the Magic 8 Ball beyond it being a fun toy, it seems the ultimate way to make a decision when both options are about equally attractive with no especially strong downsides to either. I also know that the Magic 8 Ball is heavily weighted to answering Yes or Signs Point to Yes over No. So, I asked Eric to tell me what to ask the 8 Ball. He asked, "Should he start in Georgia?" The answer was YES, not even Signs Point To Yes. He could have just as easily asked if I should do a flip-flop or start in Virginia since I think outloud about this far too much. He is kind to listen.So I will having an early start in Georgia, February 23rd. I've already booked my shuttle and hostel for the 22nd at Hiker Hostel (hikerhostel.com). Now I just need to start watching the cost of tickets to Atlanta. I'll also need to tweek my gear list just a bit. I guess a Patagonia Nano Puff is in my future. : )This is starting to feel very real, and I like it. 155 days.
Date: 2015-09-22
To: Revised start date
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I got an email from Hiker Hostel (hikerhostel.com). They do not start the Thru-Hiker Special until 2/24, so my start date will be 2/25. The only reason I am posting this is that some people might be interested in the thru-hiker special (and not in my start date change). The thru-hiker special is a smoking deal. The 2015 price was $80. For that you get:¢¢   Shuttle from North Springs MARTA Station or Gainesville, GA to the Hostel¢¢   Overnight stay in one of our bunk rooms¢¢   Breakfast¢¢   8 oz of white gas or denatured alcohol (additional fuel may be purchased by the ounce)*¢¢   Shuttle to Amicalola Falls State Park or the Springer Mountain parking lot (0.9 miles north of Springer Mountain on USFS 42)Hiker Hostel is listed on the current ATC shuttle list. The have a great website with videos. Other than that, I really don't know anything more about them.156 days.
Date: 2015-09-27
To: Shopping for AT gear when it is 104 degrees
Miles today: 0.0

Reading about and picking new equipment is so much fun. A lot of my backpacking gear is old and heavy. it is fine for a weekend or a week, but not for a thru hike. So, I've spent the past several weeks reading equipment reviews and journals to try to find the right equipment. I'm wearing out our kitchen scale! One of the things that has become very obvious to me is that I lack the opportunity to test this new gear out as much as most people do. Here in the Sonoran Desert, it is still pretty much full on Summer. The reality is that I really will have no local opportunity to test winter gear unless I go up to Flagstaff or some other area at a much higher elevation. We don't even get a frost every year here. The same lack of testing opportunity is true for my new rain gear - Outdoor Research Helium II rain jacket and Helim rain pants. Maybe I will get in the shower with it or put it on and run out into the next rain we get. That could be a month or more away; we only get 10" a year.The one good thing about doing a lot of desert hiking is the idea of rattlesnakes really does not bother me at all. We have a lot here, and I see them while hiking enough that I am respectful but not freaked out by them. In reality, we get them on our patio, on the driveway, and I'm sure that there are always one or two some place in the yard. Bears and moose are another story, however, although I have had some close enounters with bears and bears with cubs while sections hiking the AT in SNP. They seemed to be less bothered by me than I was by them. I hope that trend continues.As my AT gear drawer gets more crowded, the more excited I get. 150 days!
Date: 2015-09-27
To: Gear List Review Request
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

If anyone is willing, I would appreciate a review of my current gear list. My current start date is 2/25, so I am a bit heavy on the clothing weight.A few things I am not sure about: 1. Boots vs. trail runners (with or without gaiters?) for the start? Right now I am leaning towards boots with the idea of switching to trail runners after Mt. Rogers.2. For an early winter start, I feel like I need a full set of clothes for day and a dry set for night. That might be reduced when it gets a bit warmer and hypothermia is not as big a risk.3. My sleepipng bag is warm. I have a 4oz silk liner. Not sure if I need it or not in light of my camp/night clothes? Do I need it? On my list, items with a gold star means that I need to still buy them. If you have a better suggestion, let me know. If there is no gold star, it is unlikely that I am going to trade out a big ticket item for a similar big ticket item. For example, I got a smoking deal on a Thermoball jacket by The North Face and would not be inclined to trade it for a Patagonia Nano Puff, which is very simialr and gets similar ratings. Same with my Super Mega UL 1 tent although I am open to swapping that out for a tarp or a hammock when it is a bit warmer.Here is the link: http://lighterpack.com/r/4xcgvtAny feedback is welcome and thanks a lot for helping me out.
Date: 2015-10-16
To: About 4 months to go and pre-hike trail magic
Miles today: 0.0

I do a lot of hiking here in Arizona. Although I am not a native, 11 years of living here makes the desert seem normal. Earlier this week, I was out hiking on the trail in the attached picture. It occurred to me that I'd be on the AT in a little over 4 months. Rather than it being dry and dusty, it would icy, snow covered, or wet. None of these options are typical here. Much of my equipment I'll be using for an AT thru hike is new. A lot of my old equipment is old and heavy, which has given me the "chore" of buying new equipment. It has been a lot of fun reading posts, watching YouTubes, and neurotically putting every item I plan to use on the kitchen scale and then entering it on my gear list. The downside of living here in Arizona is that testing equipment that I'll need in the late winter in Georgia is hard to test when it the highs here are still in the high 90s and the lows are in the high 60s. Since it almost never rains, I am not sure how I will test my rain gear. Every now and then I think about the possibility of arriving like Cheryl Strayed - gear still with the tags on. I guess I could always stand in the shower or under the garden hose.I have gotten so much good feedback on my gear list both from here and also from whiteblaze.netI am so appreciative of people who clearly took a lot of time and thought to provide detailed advice. It makes me feel so good about the decision to do this trip and about the people who I will meet. Trail magic starts way before the trail, I've learned. Thanks to everyone.OK, time for lunch which will not be cooked on a jetboil or a supercat stove but from a takeout.
Date: 2015-12-07
To: Shakedown and Kelty Ignite 20 / EN 16
Miles today: 0.0

The fear of being cold is much greater for a resident of the Phoenix area than rattlesnakes (we have loads of them) or black bears (I've already had several up close and personals with 'em on the AT in Virginia) or even AT shelters overrun with mice and hikers with highly offensive body odor. So, when there was a recent cold snap here in Phoenix, I headed out to Tonto National Forest to higher elevations to test my new sleeping bag - a Kelty Ignite 20 / EN 16.https://www.kelty.com/product/ignite-20-en-16I selected a site for an overnighter at about 3500' along a ridge line. There was a heavy breeze and, since much of Tonto National Forest has few trees to speak of, I would be well exposed. As I was setting up my tent at close to sunset, the temperatures had already dropped from the high 50s into the low 40s and the breeze would pretty much ensure that my tent was not going to get very warm from my body heat. It was a good site choice to maximize exposure.For the night, I slept in a Icebreaker Everyday Long Sleeve Crewe and Icebreaker Apex Leggings. I used a Therm-A-Rest Z Lite Sol pad (R value 2.6) which has a much lower R value than the Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XTherm pad (R value = 5.7) that Santa will be delivering later this month. The XTherm will go on the trip with me. So, overall, the sleeping system was not totally optimized to match what I would be using on the AT. About the middle of the night, around 2 AM, I woke up. The temperature was in the mid-20s but the wind had pretty much died down.   I was feeling nice and warm in the Ignite 20. It is a down bag, 600 DriDown fill, with a screaming red cover There really were not significant cold spots. My only complaint is with the hood which took a bit of work to get situated correctly. I am hoping that practice makes perfect on that point.Overall, I was very happy with the Ignite. I do realize that, with an early start, the Ignite 20 will likely be pushing the edge of its limits in the GSMNP where the lows could easily be zero.   i think the addition of the upgraded pad, a Sea to Summit Reactor Thermolite Mummy Bag Liner, and some additional clothes will do me good with this sleeping bag.   It did great very close to its temperature rating on a fully exposed ridge line. Two thumbs up for the Kelty Ignite 20 / EN 16. appalachiantrials.com/author/david-smith
Date: 2015-12-13
To: Stare Down With Four Mule Deer
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light intensity drizzle

I realize that seeing deer in most of the country is not a rarity, perhaps even an annoyance especially if the view is of one jumping in front of your car. I know, it has happened to me when I was a teenager in Pennsylvania. I think my car sustained more damage than the deer which just ran off. Here in Arizona, however, deer sightings are pretty rare. Hikers are much more likely to see bobcats, rattlesnakes, coyotes, or javelinas than to spot a deer.   In 11 years of living here, I think I¢ve seen deer about 5 times. So, I was very pleased to see 4 mule deer cross the trail about 50 yards ahead of me while I was out on a training hike today. The deer crossed the trail, went down through a wash, and then stood on the other side of the wash and just stared at me. I mean stared at me for about 10 minutes. Apparently, they got bored with me and just wandered off leaving me to finish my hike feeling very happy.It was a great day out on the trail.