morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-08-04
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Another successful trip up to Len Foote. I left the parking lot about 9:30 and arrived 2 hours later. The weather was cool for this time of year and I was in a cloud all the way. Very foggy and damp but not raining. As usual I enjoyed visiting with all the staff and joined them for lunch. What a great bunch of people. Just as I arrived it started to rain and rained for about two hours delaying my departure back down till about 2:15. By then the rain had stopped and I only got a little tree rain on the way down. No pain what so ever in my knee.I have made reservations at the Montgomery Homestead Inn for the night of the 29th and then I will head out on the 30th. I am getting excited and am ready to go. Reed and her friend Cathy are going to drive me up to Damascus where they will stay for a couple of days and do some hiking and biking. Thanks gals...I appreciate it.Counting down the days till I can start again.
Date: 2012-08-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Since my last post I have made several trips back to Len Foote and each time I have felt stronger. No problem with the knee.Today Jarhead and I decided to hike the stretch of AT from Woody Gap to Neel Gap. About 11 miles. We have done this several times before. I thought it would be a good test of my knee in real trail conditions and Jarhead thought it would be a good test of his foot since his operation.After positioning cars we headed out from Woody Gap at 9:00. The terrain was pretty easy and the weather was perfect; cool and dry. However, rain and thunderstorms were predicted for the afternoon. After hiking about an hour we came to a fork in the trail. Both the left and right fork were white blazed. We did not remember this and couldn't decide which fork to take. Finally we decided to take the left fork. It seemed to be more heavily used and the blazes seemed fresher. I wasn't too sure but Jarhead seemed confident so off we went. Nothing seemed to look familiar but we continued to see white blazes. After another hour of so we met a south bound day hiker who said we were on the correct trail so that made me feel better. We passed Lance Creek which we both remembered and stopped for a rest and snack. Later we stopped for about 15 minutes to eat lunch but moved on quickly because the sky had darkened and we didn't want to get caught on top of Blood mountain in the rain, especially if it was lightening. At the base of Blood mountain we came to the Freeman Trail which goes around Blood Mountain and intersects the AT on the other side. We had never taken it before so we thought it might be a fun trail to take and we wouldn't have to worry about getting caught in a storm on the top of Blood Mountain. WHAT A MISTAKE THAT WAS. Firstly the trail was overgrown with weeds and then it was just one rock scramble after another. It was very slow going and at times it was difficult to find the trail. We had assumed it would just be a "walk in the park" compared to going up Blood Mountain. NOT!!! It seemed to take forever to get to the Northern intersection of the AT but we finally did and at that point we were less than a mile from my car. The rain and storms never did arrive so we stayed dry. Well not really since we were drenched in sweat.As bad as the Freeman Trail was I am still glad we took it because it gave my knee a really good workout and I was pain free the entire day. Also my first day back on the AT will be a 12 mile day so I wanted to see how long it took me to do the 11 miles. We did it in 5 hours. That works out to about 2.2 miles per hour. Pretty good I thought. 13 days till my return to the trail. I am getting excited.
Date: 2012-08-23
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I took another hike up to Len Foote earlier this week and this time I carried a little more weight. I still haven't worked up to a full pack but I felt good all the way and can tell that I am getting my groove back.Today Jarhead and I drove up to the Springer Mountain parking lot and headed North. Destination Long Creek Falls. I carried my regular pack rather than a day pack and increased the weight to about 20 lbs. I will leave next week on the continuation of my hike with 25 lbs so I am almost there. The day was beautiful. Cool and sunny unlike the last time we hiked this section at the start of our AT thru hike when it was cold and foggy. The hike went well and when we got back to the parking lot there was a hiker there who had left this morning from the base of the falls at Amicalola, climbed the steps, taken the approach trail up to Springer and then to the parking lot. All with a 105 pound pack. That is not a typo. He is headed to Neel Gap. Apparently someone has bet him $500 that he cannot do it. He is determined to make it. I can't even imagine. Sassafras Mtn, Justis Mtn, Blood Mtn with that weight.I am completing my list of things I have to do before I leave and should be ready to go on Wednesday. I hope Hurricane Issac's cooperates. It looks good at this time. I will keep my fingers crossed. One more training hike on Monday, rest on Tuesday, Drive up to Damascus on Wednesday and off on the trail Thursday.I am excited.
Date: 2012-08-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well today was my last training hike before returning to the AT. Things did not go exactly as planned. Jarhead and I headed up to Len Foote on the AT approach trail about 9:30. I once again had no pain in my knee but my legs were really tired on the uphills. Once we got to the top of Frosty Mountain we stopped for a break and the sweat was just pouring off of me. I usually don't sweat that much. Could it have been that party Friday night, another Saturday night and one more on Sunday night. NAW. Couldn't be. At any rate we made it up to Len Foote in less than record time but we really were not in a big hurry. About a quarter of a mile before Len Foote I crashed to the ground. It was one of those one minute you are walking and the next you are on the ground. I don't know what happened but of course I landed on my knees and elbows. I couldn't believe it. I stayed down for a few minutes and then Jarhead helped me up. I seemed to be alright although I was worried about my knee. Other than scrapes and bruises I seem to be ok. I think I will know more tomorrow. I couldn't help think that if I re-injured my knee two days before returning to the AT I would probably open a vein. LOLWe ate our lunch at Len Foote, visited with the staff and then headed back down the mountain. My legs felt like they each weighed 100 pounds. After a couple of breaks and drinking a lot of water I began to feel better and the remainder of the trip went well. Not one of my better trips but I did put in the miles and hopefully that will pay off when I return to the trail.It looks like the hurricane is going to cooperate so we are heading to Damascus on Wednesday and I will start hiking again on Thursday. Wish me well. PS On some earlier hikes Jarhead was having some pain in one of his toes that was operated on in May. He had wrapped the toe with a pad and tape. Coming back from a hike last week it was bothering him so he took the bandage off. Problem solved. He has now done several hikes pain free. YEA
Date: 2012-08-29
To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I am on my way to Damascus. Re-start my hike tomorrow. I thought my pack weight would be 25lbs but it is 30 lbs. I have 2 extra pounds of food since I will not resupply for 5 days. I still hope to get it a little lower as I go along getting rid of some things that I don't need. You would think that I would already know what I don't need but there is always something else.
Date: 2012-08-30
From: Damascus

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: light rain

Our trip up to Damascus went well. In addition to Cathy driving her car she also packed a lunch for us. Thanks again Cathy. We arrived at the Montgomery Homestead B. (Bed but no breakfast). It was good to connect again with Susie and Gaines the proprietors. Today after a hearty breakfast I headed out on the trail and Reed and Cathy went to bike the Virginia Creeper Trail. I almost postponed my hike to bike with them.My day was not at all what I expected. In the first place I scheduled a 14.7 mile day. Secondly I had a 2000 foot climb and at the end a 1000 foot climb. I found very quickly that I was out of shape. It was hot and I was immediately soaked with sweat. My energy level was down and toward the afternoon I got a little queasy feeling. I made sure I was drinking plenty of water and ate as much as I could choke down. I had a couple of good views in the morning somewhere around Iron Mountain. I made pretty good time to Saunders Shelter but still was feeling lethargic. For awhile I was on the Creeper Trail and at other times was parallel to it. The day began to drag on and I didn't get to Lost Mountain Shelter until after 7:00. A 10 hour hiking day. I think this might have been my longest hiking day time wise.When I arrived at the shelter it was empty and I quickly setup. I had noticed the last few miles that I was getting some chaffing on my inner thighs. When I got my clothes off I found that I had some really bad heat rash and it was pretty tender all around the inside of my thighs and other places. I powdered everything good changed into dry clothes and called it a night.
Date: 2012-08-31
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: scattered clouds

The battery on my phone was dead when I woke up. I have a spare battery but wanted to save it in case of an emergency so I am writing this several days after I hiked this area. Can't remember too much so It will be brief. I woke up this morning at 6:30, ate, packed up and was out on the trail by 7:45. My clothes did not dry at all last night and I hate putting on wet clothes but what are you going to do. My hike today would be 12.2 miles but started with a 2000 foot climb up to Whitetop Mountain. The discomfort from my chaffing continued to bother me and pretty much spoiled the day. I stopped at Buzzard Rock for a break and re-powdered the tender areas. I have never had this problem before and I am wearing Under Armour underwear. After a little downhill I then had a 1000 foot climb up to the side trail to Mt Rogers, the highest peak in Virginia. My legs are dead so I didn't take the 1/2 mile trail to the top and I am glad I didn't since I talked with some hikers who did and they said there was no view from the top. I got to Thomas Knob Shelter around 6:00 and there was no one there either. As I was setting up a couple arrived. I would say they were in their late 50's or early 60's. It turns out that they have only been married for three months and met on eHarmony. I thought they were going to be in the shelter with me but they were tenting about 100 yards away as were some others, so no company in the shelter tonight. They did come back and visit for awhile after dinner and that was nice. When I got cleaned up and into some dry clothes my chaffing had worsened and it now was on other parts of my body. BUMMER.I decided that since it was painful to hike I would try hiking just in shorts and no under pants. Maybe that way I can get some air circulation and minimize the rubbing. This is not what I had envisioned my first two days to be.
Date: 2012-09-01
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: Old Orchard Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I only had a 11 mile day and that along with going commando (no underwear) I had hoped that my energy level would be a little better and my chaffing would improve or at least not get worse. Alas it was not to be. It was nice to have a shorter day but the painful chaffing in several areas persisted. I went through Grayson Highlands State Park where there are wild ponies. I had hoped to see them but never saw even one. I did stop at the Scales livestock corral where there were some campers set up and some horses in the corral but no ponies.When I arrived at Old Orchard shelter around 3:30 there were two girls sitting at the picnic table and a guy sitting in the shelter. The girls (Cheyenne and Cameron) are freshmen at Appalachian State College and were doing a class project on thru hikers and the Appalachian Trail. They had done some backpacking before but were basically novices. They were fun to watch and great to talk to. The man was a 37 year old, StrayDog, and was also interesting. As best I could determine he is basically a dropout from society. He has a college degree and has a lot of experiences under his belt but just chooses to be a "minimalist". He says he will never work a regular job again. He had completed a thru hike he started last year and is now doing the rest so that he can say he will have thru hiked it all in one year. In about 45 days he will finish. He stayed in the shelter with me and the girls slept under a tarp about 25 yards from the shelter. When I went to clean up and change clothes I found that the chaffing had progressed to the point that I was actually bleeding and it appeared that a little infection had set in at one site. I just can't believe this is happening. I am in a quandary as to what to do. In my plan for the first week which I have been able to maintain so far, tomorrow would be another 14 mile day. There is a shelter 5 miles from here and I am thinking that I might just go there tomorrow and then 9 miles the next day rather than doing a 14 mile day. I am about 37 miles away from Atkins where I can resupply and get cleaned up. That is about 3-4 days away depending on what I decide to do tomorrow.
Date: 2012-09-02
From: Old Orchard Shelter

To: Timpi Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: light rain

I slept pretty well last night but it was painful when I moved or turned over. I got out of camp by 8:00 and was at Hurricane Mtn Shelter by 11:15 5 miles away. I have about decided that I am going to have to get off the trail again and just call it quits for this year. I always said I would hike till I was hurt or no longer having fun. I am hurting and not enjoying my hiking. So, my new plan is to hike on and try to complete the 14 miles and then the following day hike 11 miles to Partnership Shelter. Just 1/10 mile from the shelter is a Forest Service headquarters building and a visitors center. Hopefully I can get a shuttle back to Damascus and then impose on some of my friends to come get me. I completed the 14 miles and am at Timpi Shelter by myself. It is a nice shelter with water nearby.
Date: 2012-09-03
From: Timpi Shelter

To: VA 16 - Visitors Center
Miles today: 10.7

I wanted to get to Partnership shelter as soon as I could. I forgot today is Labor Day. I don't know if that increases or decreases my chance for a shuttle. I got out about 7:30 and fortunately had some pretty benign terrain for the 11 miles. I guess I was like the proverbial horse heading to the barn because even though my pain level was about the same my energy level seemed to be up and I was able to get to the visitors center by 1:30. There were two sweet old ladies who worked in the visitors center. I say old they were about my age. LOL They gave me the name and number of Mr Rogers Outfitters in Damascus where I could call for a shuttle. I tried my cell phone but the signal was too weak. There was a phone that hikers can use but when I tried it it was only for local calls, mainly calling for pizza delivery so I went back in to talk with the ladies. They said they were not allowed to make long distance calls on their phone. I offered to pay for the call but they still said they couldn't do it. I guess I looked pretty dejected because one of them looked at the other and said "it's a holiday maybe we can make an exception" The call was made and an hour later the shuttle arrived. While I was waiting outside one of the ladies came out and asked if I liked watermelon. I said that I did and she brought me a big plate of watermelon and a salt shaker. That has got to be the best water melon I have ever tasted. Thank you ladies.Tom, the shuttle driver and I had a great conversation on the way to Damascus and he dropped me off at the Montgomery Homestead Inn where I had stayed last May and last Wednesday night before I started my hike. I thought they would not be full on Labor Day night but I didn't know so I called Susie and asked if she had a room. She said she did and would be right over. When she arrived a few minutes later and got me checked in she looked me in the eye and said - "Would you like to go to Dawsonville (Home) tomorrow." I said you are kidding me and she said no she and her husband were going down tomorrow for a few days and then flying to Maine for a vacation. Once again the trail Gods are looking after me. If you remember last May when I arrived here her husband Gaines was going down and agreed to take me home and now the same thing has happened again. I just can't believe it.There was only one other room taken that night; a mother and her grown son. She had biked the VA Creeper trail and he had day hiked a little on the AT. He hiked the entire AT last year. After a shower and washing off 5 days of sweat and dirt and blood I felt much better, I was sitting out on the porch when Lynn and her son Jeromey came up. They joined me on the porch and we talked for awhile. Later they invited me to join them for dinner and we all went out to an all you can eat Pizza and Salad place. It was a nice evening but we all were tired and crashed early.
Date: 2012-09-04
From: VA 16 - Visitors Center

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I got a good nights sleep but woke up about 5:30 and couldn't get back to sleep so I got up and read for a while and then got dressed and made some coffee. Lynn and Jeromey had already left. They had a long ride back to their home and wanted to get an early start. I walked down to Cowboy's for breakfast. It still hurts to walk but at least I know I don't have to walk 10 or 15 miles.Susie got there about 9:00 to start cleaning up the Inn before she left and said they would pick me up around 10:00. I helped her strip beds and gather up towels and she got the laundry started and then left to do some errands. She returned and picked me up and we went to her house to pick up her husband Gaines and we headed out. I still can't believe how fortunate I am that they were going to Georgia today and were willing to take me. I really enjoyed the trip down and got home about 4:00. Thanks again Susie and Gaines. I owe you big time.As I write this I have been home a couple of days. My wounds are beginning to heal and the infection is subsiding. I have gone from painful to just a little uncomfortable. I think I made the right decision getting off the trail. My wounds would have defiantly gotten more infected had I stayed out.I will not return to the AT this year. My Thru hike is done. I of course am disappointed but that's the way it goes. Hopefully next year I can resume where I left off and section hike the remainder.I would like to thank again all the people who followed my adventure and especially those who pledged to make a contribution to the R.E.A.D. program. I am sorry that I didn't do more miles so that I could have gotten more of your money. LOL I did make it 25% of the way so I am proud of that.Until next year.Granbob
Date: 2012-09-05
From: Home

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Just a brief update. I have decided that the problem I had on the trail with chaffing and heat rash was actually a reaction to the permethrin which I had sprayed on my shirt and pants. It is supposed to repel ticks. I had never used it before and I should have hiked in those clothes some before going out on the trail. It is the only thing that makes any sense since I have never before had chaffing or heat rash. I should not have tried something new and untested. My bad....and I paid the price. I will know better next time.
Date: 2012-02-22
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Hello and welcome to my trail journal. A few months ago I knew nothing about the Appalachian Trail, had not even heard the term "thru hike" and certainly never considered hiking over 2000 miles. Working in the sandbox as a military contractor for the past 4 years and not giving much thought as to what I would do when returning home ¢ the door is wide open. After we pulled out of Iraq, I made the decision to do an extended stay in SE Asia, and Asia is where I met the gentleman that gave me, my introduction to the Appalachian Trail. Its funny really because not only was he European, he was a very drunk European and also he had no experience with the trail, it was only a dream of his to do a thru hike. Nevertheless he sparked my interest as he talked about his dream and it soon became my own dream. Researching the web, I come across this site, reading through the journals sealed the deal. Initially, I planed for a Mar 15th start date and began ordering my gear from overseas. Since returning home family and friends have beat me over the head with the spontaneousness of the whole event and I have compromised by pushing the start date up to Apr 1st so that we all have more time to adjust/prepare for my departure to Springer Georgia. Now I have a whole month to plan, should be more than enough time as i'm not doing mail drops, don't care how long it takes (need to finish before BSP closes), most of my gear is already here and having been overseas all this time everything at the home front is already set up for me being away. I'll try to get a gear list up in a couple of days.See you on the trail,Greenhorn
Date: 2012-03-02
To: Day at Cedarfalls
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a test,  to make sure I really wanted to go through with this.  I have put off purchasing my flight to Atlanta, because I wanted to do one really tough walk, so that I can see exactly what I'm getting myself into. I drove up to Petit Jean state park to hike both the Boy Scout trail and the Cedarfalls trail, 14 miles total. I hiked, or you could say, slid my way down the canyon to  cedarfalls,  (it is nearly straight down) yo-yo'ed back out and  looped the Boy Scout trail. Not sure of the actual elevations but I can tell you, there were some steep ups and downs, almost no flat areas, I would say about 1% of the trail was flat. My Pack had all my gear +4 days food and 2 L of water, wearing the same clothes and shoes that I will have on the A. T.  trying to imitate, as closely as possible, the experience that I am about to dive into head first. Without further ado, I can tell you, it kicked my butt. The weather was perfect, that wasn't the problem, the problem was my feet, the last 5 miles felt as if I was grinding them into hamburger with every step. I had to stop and take a break, to catch my breath, on almost all of the climbs. If a day in Georgia is worse than what I went through today, you can forget it, I want no part of it. Truth is today was awesome, a real challenge, I even had to finish the last couple of miles or so in the dark  with my Blackdiamond headlamp - yeah I was way overconfident and it took me way longer than I thought it would. In conclusion, I know that I reached the limit of what I can do today, at least until I get my trail legs, but I also know that that limit is good enough, to pull this off.  As tough as it was, at the end of the day, I knew, more than ever, that I wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail.