morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-06-08
To: Trail Fairies and Woodland Nymphs
Miles today: 0.0

It¢s 6:00 am and I¢ve just spent a lovely night out in the wilderness alone. Yesterday was sort of eerie¢¦I didn¢t see anyone all day, and it felt almost as if the trail had been deserted. I felt as though Tessa and I were the only souls out here. Anyway, last night was nice until I was awakened by my bum hitting the ground. Don¢t worry, it was gentle. It¢s just that I hung my hammock between two trees that were spaced too far apart, and in the night there was just enough give that I slowly sunk to the ground. Oh well, live and learn¢¦hammocking is a new way of living for me and I¢ve made some minor mistakes, but I¢m learning (and loving) it.Speaking of loving the hammocking lifestyle, I have to share with you my magical experience of the night before last. I don¢t know why I woke up abruptly at about 1:00 am or so, but wake I did, and to what delight! Immediately upon opening my eyes I was met with hundreds of tiny twinkling lights meandering gently through the inky darkness. My first sleepy thought was, ¢Oh¢¦here are my trail fairies¢¦¢ Of course I realized that these were fireflies by the hundreds, but it looked and felt like magic to me, and so I watched my tiny trail fairies on their nightly mission to find a mate for probably an hour. I was utterly enchanted! I haven¢t seen fireflies that plentiful since I was a little girl in Ohio. I remember that one night, I had the grand idea that falling asleep with fireflies amusing me in my bedroom as I drifted off would be great, so I caught probably several hundred with my friends¢ help. It was easy back then¢¦they were so plentiful you could pluck them from the air. And for those who don¢t know, fireflies fly very slowly. They¢re easy to catch. Anyway, I released a big jar of them into my room. My mom was finding dead fireflies for weeks, and as I recall she wasn¢t thrilled. Sorry Mom. How about river oysters in the bathtub? Or the bucket of tadpoles that turned to frogs in the garage? I¢ve loved animals since as far back as I can remember. Someday maybe I¢ll tell you about my pet skunks, lizards, snakes, frogs, ferrets, hedgehogs, rabbits, etc., not to mention numerous cats, dogs, and fish. Most of the exotics went away with my youth, but I sure do still love to watch wildlife. Mister Bear, I¢m still looking for you out here!Enough for now. I¢m on my last battery and still have several days to Damascus. I hope your days are filled, in their own way, with as much magic as mine. I wish you joy!Happy Trails!
Date: 2011-06-13
To: Grayson Highlands, Here I Come!
Miles today: 0.0

I've enjoyed my sty in Damascus very much. Yesterday was rainy, so I used the time to sort through my gear once again, culling the cold-weather gear I won't be needing for a while. I enjoyed a long shower, washed some clothes, and resupplied my food needs. I switched out some gear at the local outfitters, switching into summer-weight gear for the coming months. Today I¢m up and at ¢em early and raring to go. I just need to wait for the post office to open so that I can mail my winter gear home, then it¢s back to the trail! I begin today¢s hike at mile 464.7. I hope to hike about 15 or so miles today, putting me in the vicinity of Lost Mountain Shelter. I can¢t believe I¢m on the downhill stretch to 500 miles! I should arrive in the Grayson Highlands area within the next two days, if all goes well. This is one of the portions of the trip I have most looked forward to. The park is home to the ¢wild¢ Grayson Highland ponies. I¢m not sure where the ponies come from, but these are a herd of ponies that roam free in the Grayson Highlands. I¢d hardly call them wild, though¢¦from what I understand they¢re quite tame and accustomed to human visitors. Between the ponies and the beauty of the area, this section is a favorite among hikers, and I look forward to experiencing it. I just hope that Tessa behaves herself with the ponies! My next mail drop and town stop will be in Atkins, Va. at mile 539.5: Relax Inn, 7253 Lee Highway; Rural Retreat, VA 24368. My ETA to reach Atkins/Rural Retreat is about 5 days, or June 18th: The weather in the coming days looks like it will be mild and wonderful. The days ahead are going to be great! Hopefully your days, too, will be filled with wonders! Happy Trails!
Date: 2011-06-15
To: You Call These Ponies "Wild"????
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a glorious day for hiking! The terrain was pretty rocky, but not too bad. The weather, however, was fabulous: just a touch of crispness in the air¢¦my favorite hiking weather.I spent yesterday hiking White Mountain. Practically the entire day was spent going up, up, up¢¦ The previous day was similar in terrain, so I got quite the workout. But I got to taste the fruits of my efforts today: I made it to the Grayson Highlands, and was greeted almost immediately by the charming sight of ponies grazing in the high pastures. I went toward them for some closer photographs, and they came ambling right up to greet me! Scratch took some photos of me petting a particularly delightful little colt who came sauntering up to us fearlessly, licking and nibbling at my legs (I suspect he was after the salt on my skin). It was a wonderful half-hour or so with the ponies, until it began to rain.We thought we¢d have at least a little more time before the bad weather hit, but the rains came on unexpectedly fast, and we had to make a mad dash out of the pasture and into the trees so we could set up our hammocks. Fortunately, hammocks go up quickly, and I soon had a cozy, warm shelter. I made myself a hot meal, then took a nap for a couple of hours as the rain fell gently around me. During that time, a white-tailed doe strolled by my tent, probably no more than 20 feet away. She seemed completely oblivious of me. It was a treat to watch her unawares. My campsite is beautiful. Naturally, there are trees all around, but what makes this area particularly beautiful is that it¢s a mixture of pines and hardwoods, and the pine needles make such a wonderfully soft carpet to walk on. Additionally, the floor of the forest is covered liberally with ferns. The effect is lovely. I wish I could share it with you. Tomorrow will be spent traversing the highlands. Grayson Highlands State Park, through which I¢ll hike, is only a few miles across, but the highlands themselves extend several miles, and I¢m looking forward to spending some more time with the ¢wild¢ Grayson Highland ponies. Until then, it¢s time for me to retreat to the warmth of my hammock for a good night¢s sleep. Happy trails!
Date: 2011-06-16
To: 500 Miles
Miles today: 0.0

I woke up particularly early this morning to nature¢s call, then couldn¢t go back to sleep. The moon was full last night (and this morning upon my waking), and the sky was as bright as if it were dawn throughout the night. The air was (and is) still quite crisp, and I am having some mild regrets that I mailed some of my cold-weather gear home. I thought sure I could count on warm days for a while. Oh well, I¢m only mildly chilled, and if I snuggle up in my hammock with my dear little Tessa, I¢m warm and happy enough.Speaking of Tessa, she and I are having a minor battle of wills here. As I told you before, she sort of manipulated me (and I allowed her to do so) into feeding her my food rather than dog food. After our home trip and her diarrhea, however, I decided to stick with a strict diet of dog food. It¢s been hard for both of us. She looks up at me with those beautiful brown eyes and I just want to give her whatever she wants. But I know that what she wants and what is best for her are two different things. What is best for her is dog food, so I¢m sticking with that. For a while I was carrying wet dog food in foil pouches for her, but she¢s been eating 4 pouches a day at 7 ounces per pouch, and that¢s just too much weight to carry. So I¢m forcing her to eat dry kibble. She looks at me with an expression that clearly says, ¢What, are you kidding me???¢ when I offer her some, but if she gets hungry enough (and I stick to my tough-love resolve), she¢ll eat it. She still keeps giving me these doe eyes, however, and I¢m feeling mighty mean. I still let her lick my peanut-butter container, though.Note to my Darling Pat: I haven¢t had a signal on AT&T or Verizon for days, so I have been unable to contact you. I¢m so sorry. I miss you, my love, and hope you and the children are well. I am so looking forward to hiking through the highland pastures and playing with the ponies today. I sure hope Tessa is on her best behavior. Yesterday I tethered her while I went to visit the ponies, but one of them went right up to Tessa to investigate. Tessa went ballistic. The pony seemed almost to be toying with her. I hope Tessa will restrain herself as we visit the ponies today.You know, today is a big day for me. I will be passing the 500-mile mark. I told many of you that I would consider my trek a success if I managed to make 500 miles. I will have met that goal today, but my goal now is to go all the way to Maine. I want to hike every foot of this trail. I¢ll never have such an opportunity again, and I mean to take advantage of it. Pat, thank you for giving me this opportunity. I believe it is the best gift you have ever given me. I only regret that in undertaking this adventure, I must be separated from you for such a long while. I miss you and I love you dear. Kisses to you. And Happy Trails to one and all!!!!
Date: 2011-06-22
To: Damned Rocks
Miles today: 0.0

Shamefully, I took a day off today, and I've been mostly just sitting around, with the exception of running a few errands. My heart just wasn't in hitting the trail today. The rain is wearisome, and frankly, I'm just not feeling quite my usual cheerful self. I'mfeeling a littl blue right now. I'm not sure what it's about, but tomorrow is a new day, and the profiles suggest that I might have some easy terrain ahead. That will be nice. These past several days have been lots of R & R: Roots and Rocks. That kind of hiking mile after mile is rough on the feet, ankles, and knees. In fact, my friend Scratch had to get off the trail again yesterday, this time for good. He gave it his best shot, but his five weeks at home recovering from his tendon injury just wasn't enough. He risks permanent damage to his ankle if he remains out here, so he's headed back home, where he'll be put in a cast for about six weeks. Best of luck on a speedy recovery, Scratch! I wish you all the best. I had fun hiking with you for a while. The ponies were awesome, weren't they???One of my errands today was to Wal-Mart. Most of the little towns I've been in are lucky to have a decent grocery store, let alone a Wal-Mart, so I took advantage of the opportunity. My clothes are so filthy that I can't stand them, and no amount of washing will get them clean again! I've decided that I'm just going to start looking for the cheapest clothes I can find, wear them for a while and throw them away. That's what's been happening anyway...the discarding of clothes part, that is...not buying cheap. Until now. I'd been buying high-tech garments that dry fast, but they're expensive, and after a certain point I won't be seen in a stained shirt, so I throw it in a hiker box and get another expensive shirt. So today I bought a $4.00 t-shirt and a $7.00 pair of shorts, and I won't feel so bad about discarding them in a couple of weeks. See, I'm learning...slowly but surely. That's one of the things I hope my blog will do for a potential long-distance hiker: teach others, through my own trial-and-error. If this loony chick can do it, anyone can!Tomorrow morning I'll get back on the trail in Atkins, VA, where I got off yesterday. Scratch and I had been hiking together, but he was in a lot of pain, and when we reached a road I flagged a vehicle down to get us to town. Scratch was unable to hike any more at all. Sadly, he'll be boarding a bus from Marion and once again, Flycatcher and I are on our own. We'll hike from Atkins to Bland, where I'll resupply my food, then from Bland to Sugar Run Gap. My mail drop should be sent to Wood's Hole Hostel; 3696 Sugar Run Road; Pearisburg, VA 24134. That will put me at mile 617 (can you believe it?!?!). Currently I am at mile 539. Whew!I think I'll get lost in the bathtub here while I can. I'm feeling guilty about this unnecessary day off, but I needed it. I'm in a little funk, and I'm betting a nice soak in a bathtub will be just the ticket to get out of this blue mood. Too bad I don't have some bubble bath and a glass of red wine!
Date: 2011-06-23
To: Don't Bug Me
Miles today: 0.0

I¢ve found a quiet little glade in which to make my camp. It¢s beautiful here. The birds are settling in to roost for the night, and the crickets have just begun to chirp. I can hear a bullfrog calling for a mate somewhere in the distance. I¢m camped right at the edge of the forest, and I can see a beautiful, rolling pasture just beyond the trees. The sun is beginning to set over the pasture, and there is a sense of serenity here. I¢m in my own little world, just me and my Flycatcher. It¢s both peaceful and lonely at the same time. Thank goodness for my little Tessa. She does wonders to keep loneliness at bay, and she makes me laugh many times each day.Tessa was a stinker to the ponies. I think I forgot to mention that. I had to tether her to a tree away from the herds when we went up to meet the ponies. She snapped at a newborn colt, and Mama didn¢t like it one bit. Mama whinnied with agitation and the whole herd took off running. My only thought was, ¢Thanks a lot, Tessa.¢ But the herd didn¢t go too far, so I tied Tessa up and Scratch and I had fun petting the ponies without my little monster¢s interference.Today¢s miles were very gentle. Yes, I only did about five¢¦I¢ve been feeling sluggish these past several days. But I¢m psyching myself up for a big day tomorrow. I¢m trying to challenge myself to do the most miles I¢ve ever done, just to see what I can do when I really put my mind to it. I need to shake my mood and make some good miles, and I intend to do just that. If the terrain remains as gentle as it was today, and the weather permits, I should be able to make good time.The bugs are getting increasingly worse. I think I must wipe gnats out of my eyes at least half a dozen times each day, and I¢m not exaggerating. They actually fly into my eye and onto my eyeball. They don¢t hurt because they¢re so tiny, but it IS irritating. I¢m a mouth-breather when I walk, so I also tend to inhale several bugs each day. It¢s just one of those things you never think about until you have to live it. It¢s annoying, but unavoidable. When it gets really bad I wear my head net, but I really don¢t like it. I can¢t see nearly as well when I wear it.
Date: 2011-06-30
From: Home Visit

To: Texts from the Trail
Miles today: 0.0

9:33am: Six miles to Trent's grocery. Water, food, laundry, a charge for my cell phone and mp3. Life is good!9:41am: Three miles away from the 600 Mile mark10:12am: Guess what I found...water!3:29pm: Made it to Trent's grocery. Had two Diet Dr. Peppers and three slices of pizza. yum! Sadly, their water pump broke so no water for a shower, laundry, flushing, etc. Darn. Oh well, what's one more day without bathing? I don't think I can smell any worse than I do now. Even Napoleon wouldn't want me. At least I am getting a charge on my cell and mp3.4:59pm: Still at Trent's They got the water working and I'm just waiting for it to heat up. In the meantime I am watching some nearby horses, a bee flitting from flower to flower, a redwing blackbird in flight...so much simple beauty all around me.
Date: 2011-07-01
To: Mini Update
Miles today: 0.0

Unfortunately, I have a very limited time in which to use the Internet, so this post will be brief. I am using the hiker computer at Wood's Hole, and I have only a half-hour's use allotted to me, so I'll just get to the nitty-gritty. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to post more extensively on my own computer, but for the time being I have no G3 (is that the right term?) access on my own computer, so I'll post an abbreviated update today, and post more detail when possible. Mostly this will be info for Pat, as I have no cell signal here either.Pat, don't send me any more food for a while. I have too much, including dog food. You can send my other items to the post office in Newport VA, which is about 50 miles from here. (Hold for AT Thru-hiker Tami Vanderwilt; Newport, VA 24128). If my new phone doesn't arrive soon, that mail-drop spot will be too early. In that case, send it to Red Roof Inn; 3231 Lee Highway; Troutville, VA 24175. Amazingly, there is nothing between here and Troutville with regard to hotels or hostels, so I am about to undertake about 83 miles without a hotel stop. With the warm weather, I ought to be nice and grungy by then. Eighty-three miles without a shower! Woohoo, bring it on!I have much to tell, but I'll not even attempt it under these circumstances. I'm going to post to my own computer now, then when I get a signal I'll upload it. In the meantime, Happy Trails to one and all!P.S. I took a zero because I needed to get new boots, which is why Spot wasn't working today. You'll see me back on the trail tomorrow.
Date: 2011-07-02
To: Back on the Trail Soon
Miles today: 0.0

I'm at Wood's Hole Hostel, waiting for breakfast. I have an extensive blog post started on my own computer, and I'll be able to send it out to you within a few hours, as I get near a town. In the meantime I am alive and well and enjoying life! Tessa is on my lap with her head resting on my arm, making it very difficult to type. After breakfast I'll head to the post office, then back here for my gear, and finally, back to the trail. Look for a new post sometime before lunch.
Date: 2011-07-03
To: Procrastination
Miles today: 0.0

I went to the nearby town yesterday and tended to mail drops, resupply, etc. Upon returning to Wood's Hole, I was persuaded to stay for yoga, which was awesome! I LOVED it! Then, I was persuaded to stay for dinner then night-hike to Doc's Knob. It was such a great experience! We all pitched in, communal-style, and made pizzas in an outdoor brick pizza oven. (Pat, I want an outdoor pizza oven too!) After that amazing dinner, we listened to stories around a fire circle. We heard about the rich history of Wood's Hole, which was fascinating but too lengthy to get into here. Perhaps later...Anyway, by then it was 9:00, and nobody felt like night hiking, so we decided to stay one more night. (This place is amazing...wait until you see the photographs, and you'll see why I fell in love.) So here I am, having a cup of fresh-brewed coffee, made with beans roasted here on a cast-iron wood stove, then I'll regretfully bid this place adieu and be on my merry way.To sort of justify my extended stay, I have met a potential new trail family: two beautiful boys and a beautiful girl, all of whom are young enough to be my own children. They've invited me to hike with them, and I like their company. And the young woman, Grandma (because she walks with a pair of canes instead of hiking poles) can help me check for ticks! It's a comfort not to be alone. The group is definitely a tight trio in which I'll always be an outsider, but just to be near a group provides a little peace of mind and a lot of nice companionship in the evenings (people rarely hike together; it's quite an individual pursuit, but we meet often at shelters, water sources, scenic vistas, etc.). So if our pace is compatible, I'll enjoy hiking in their vicinity for a while.I couldn't get a signal in town to post my blog entries that are stored on my computer, so those will have to wait. I'll have much to share when I am able; meanwhile, my allotted time on the hostel computer is limited so I must go. My coffee is nearly finished, my pack is loaded, and the trail awaits. I wish you well!
Date: 2011-07-05
To: What's Next?
Miles today: 0.0

Angus and I will be back on the trail sometime tomorrow. I don't know what's in store for us, but it's sure to be fun. After all, if we can laugh in the face of our own prospective deaths, and in the face of death that is at least a week old, everything else should be gravy, right? At any rate, with the bad weather being forcasted, I have planned a short hike tomorrow...only to the first shelter, just 7 miles away. First, Angus will take me to pick up some mail drops in nearby towns (a chick with a ride is very attractive right now), then we'll hit the trail in true hiker fashion and face whatever happens, come what may. But we'll be making shelter with the first raindrop this time, and we had dress rehearsals in our luxury hotel room last night, so we're ready to face ANYTHING! Angus and Sunshine are a team not to be reckoned with. These two grandmas rock! There'll be no knitting or baking around here...there are trails to be conquered, trials to be faced, mountains to be summitted. Watch out world, the Grannies with Attitude are headed your way. Don't mess with us!
Date: 2011-07-09
To: Homeward Bound
Miles today: 0.0

I'll make my way home today, and I should arrive there later this evening. I look forward to seeing my loved ones and friends! I look forward to donning a fresh set of clothing each day instead of wearing the same set of dirty clothes day after day. I look forward to the five jets on my shower. I look forward to flushing toilets and ice cubes whenever I want, soft pillows, real food, cold fresh milk from the 'fridge...I left home as an overweight woman. I return as a small boy with breasts. I am now wearing a size four, and I am SO excited! Darn, I'm going to have to go shopping for a whole new wardrobe. I HATE that! Friends, I need some volunteers to come shopping with me and help me to pick out stylish and becoming new clothes. I need someone to steer me away from the frump-wear. Any volunteers?I had such a lovely dream last night. All of the trail friends I've made were gathered together at the same campsite, and one by one they came up to me to wish me well. Friends, I surely do hope our paths cross again. If not, I wish you all the best. You are, each and every one of you, remarkable people. You have touched my life and I hope that I, in turn, have done the same for you. Happy Trails and best of luck! Katahdin awaits you! You can do it!!!!
Date: 2011-07-10
To: Maine Awaits After All
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Just a quick update...my family all want me to return to the trail to see this adventure through. They just needed a little TLC, which I intend to lavish upon them generously. So, I'll be making plans to fly with Tessa to Maine after a week or two here at home, then I'll hike south to where I left the trail. My family is amazing to let me go. Thank you, my dears! I love you all so much!