morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-11-29
To: Befriending the Rocks
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

For many, the word ¢trail¢ conjures up a picture of a flat, peaceful path, winding aimlessly through a picturesque backdrop of blooming posies. Or it may bring to mind a straight, rutted country road leading to the home of someone¢s grandmother. Or then again, the word ¢trail¢ may evoke an image of a lengthy dirt lane snaking through the countryside. Whatever the image, the ¢trail¢ in our heads is more often than not much different from the Appalachian Trail.So when you tell someone that you¢re going to hike the Appalachian Trail, they often think that you are merely going for a long walk through the woods. Still, most of those who enjoy the outdoors would like to have the opportunity to hike along a scenic trail. What many who have never seen the trail believe, however, is that even though the terrain may prove challenging at times, really, after all, it¢s just a trail.Yes, at times it is just a trail. At others, however, it¢s much more. You see, there are a lot of rocks on the Appalachian Trail. And when I say rocks, I don¢t mean the kind you pick up to skim across a lake. Sure, there are some like those. But there are also sharp, jagged rocks, and trash can size rocks, and compact car size boulders. Some you have to climb over using your hands; some are knives edges, with drop-offs on either side of sometimes several hundred feet. You can slip on a wet rock and take a tumble or worse. Sometimes a strategic approach, for which rocks to step on in order to advance from point A to point B, is necessary. In fact, one state in particular is so noted for its rocks that it has earned the nickname Rocksylvania. While some rocks do prove challenging to navigate over or around, some may actually help you with your hike. There are stepping stone rocks over streams. There are also staircase rocks that make certain portions of the trail easier to negotiate. There are even occasionally chair-like rocks, jutting out of a mountain, that appear just when you need a place to rest.Rocks on the Appalachian Trail may indeed become my enemy; however, as I hike the trail I¢m going to try to befriend them. After all, why should we view them as adversaries when we will have to encounter them daily? Would you rather consider the rocks obstacles that hinder your advancement to Maine or as companions that quite often offer you a more direct route? Rocks perhaps at times will complicate my movement, but at others they may afford me one of those views that previously I¢ve only seen in pictures. Many a day, a rock has been a place to sit to enjoy a scenic vista and a peaceful interlude. The more we come to accept our daily duels with rocks, the more we will appreciate our walk along the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2012-11-30
To: Hiking the Rocks
Miles today: 0.0

After posting the picture of some Pennsylvania rocks yesterday, I felt like a sort of disclaimer was in order. Not all of the rocky Pennsylvania section requires the skill that is exhibited here by my long-time friend and hiking partner, Alton. After all, if an almost 60 year old, graybeard, with a walking stick rather than poles, and a brace attached to his knee, can negotiate these rocks unscathed, then most others should be able to do so as well. When we hiked this section back in 2008, neither of us had any misfortunes that I can recall.In reality there are some beautiful rock-free stretches of trail in the Keystone state. The section from the PA/MD border to Boiling Sprints affords some picturesque level stretches with a couple of picnic areas to walk through. Other than the Bear Rocks and the climb out of Lehigh Gap, with some exposed rock face at the top, much of the state is quite nice. Then again, when you hike with a positive attitude and are willing to accept the challenges of the trail along with its beauty, your accomplishments should supersede the travails. Most any day can be a great day on the Appalachian Trail. Thanks for all the hiking adventures we¢ve shared, good buddy.
Date: 2012-12-05
To: Above Tree Line
Miles today: 0.0

As is evidenced by the accompanying picture to this entry, I really did know absolutely nothing about backpacking on that first hike back in 2001. That day had begun with promise as the six of us headed north on the fairly easy Lincoln Woods trail. The old railroad bed afforded a flat and wide traverse for the first three miles of the day. In the coolness of the early morning, we even strolled down a side trail of about half a mile to a scenic waterfall. It was only after we reached the Pemigewasset Wilderness Trail and the climb began that our lack of hiking expertise became obvious.Alton and I quickly hiked ahead of the others, and then I hiked on ahead of Alton. After a while, however, I decided to stop and allow my buddies to catch up. When they finally arrived I was checking my pulse, something I often did when running intervals on the track. In fact, this hike was starting to feel more and more like a hard track workout rather than a relaxing walk. Noticing that I was trying to determine whether or not my heart rate had exceeded its limits, the others followed suit. There we stood, six would-be backpackers, left hands on right wrists, eyes clued to watches, wondering what our max heart rates should be. As the hours sped by, Alton and I again hiked ahead of Reg, Fitts, Doc, and Lindsey. When I reached what appeared to be a dead end to the trail, I shouted over my shoulder, ¢There¢s no more trail.¢ When Alton caught up, he looked to his right and upwards to explain, ¢I think the trail is up there.¢ So after examining our situation, we quickly realized that we were definitely going to have to do some real ¢climbing¢ to continue the hike. What we didn¢t realize at the moment, however, was what a spectacular view we would have when we experienced our first taste of ¢above tree line¢ hiking.Again, this picture is of me at that moment. Notice the attire of the ¢knows nothing¢ backpacker. Cotton Dockers slacks, 100% long sleeve cotton shirt, boots that were made for some task other than hiking, and not pictured cotton socks inside those boots. Also visible is a sheathed knife on a heavy leather belt, an army surplus one compartment backpack, with the aforementioned (prep. entry one) four man tent on top. And finally, there¢s the hiking stick that I had picked up a few miles back. I¢d never even heard of hiking poles. So here we were in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and about as ill-prepared as a hiker can be.So as I stated in my last prep. entry, I fully expect to begin this hike with more knowledge than the first, yet with much still to be learned. There is no doubt in my mind that I won¢t know all that I need to know to complete a thru hike. At least the gear that I¢ll be using this time will better meet my needs and provide me with the best opportunity to be successful. After all, we do learn from experience. And experience can go a long way to completing a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2012-12-16
To: Full Pack Practice
Miles today: 0.0

Last week I received an email from a former thru hiker who has been reading my journal. Bob was the same age when he completed his hike that I will be when I hopefully finish mine. I¢m definitely listening to some of the advice he has graciously offered. To begin with, he told me that he started hiking regularly with a full pack about a year before he left from Springer. With fewer than four months remaining before my departure, I decided that it was time to go for a hike.I retrieved the old Kelty Tornado from a storage room off my garage and loaded it with 32 pounds of hard cover books. At least that¢s the weight that the bathroom scale indicated. After adding a bottle of Gatorade and another of water, I shouldered the pack and headed for a nearby park. With the temperature in the upper 40¢s and a bright sun overhead, the day looked like the perfect one for that first ¢practice hike¢ in preparation for March.The hike began in a fortuitous manner as I spotted a shiny nickel before travelling the first one hundred yards. I bent down and picked it up, remembering days of youth when finding a coin brought so much excitement to a boy of ten. Those were the days when a found quarter would purchase a coke, a candy bar, and a comic book as well. So I pocketed the five cent piece, partly for good luck, but mainly just for reasons of nostalgia. If I had been on the AT, I might have left it where it lay, not wanting to add extra weight.As I walked toward the park through neighborhood streets, the pack felt odd at first. By the time I reached my destination, a little less than a mile from home, I was again getting accustomed to the added weight on my back. So for almost exactly three hours I walked on wooded trails. They were fairly flat, with only minor undulations along the way; however, my 8.6 mile walk proved to be a good workout. Twice I stopped for short breaks of about five minutes each, and I paused three times to speak with acquaintances who were also out for a stroll on a beautiful afternoon.Walking along a lake at various times while in the park, I asked a couple of fishermen if they were catching anything. One replied that he had just arrived but motioned to another who he said had a ¢bucket of fish.¢ I didn¢t stop to look, but I know that I would have, if I had been hiking on the AT. I look forward to chatting with locals along the trail, especially those who are sitting by a pond, lazily passing an afternoon.When I arrived back home and evaluated this first hike with a full pack, I was pleased to find that other than a little stiffness in my right hip, everything seemed to feel fine. Still, it was only 8.6 miles of rather flat terrain. But I was carrying over 30 pounds which is no small order. After I decide on a new pack and other significant gear, I¢ll hopefully get the pack weight down considerably before arriving on Springer. The day was a gorgeous day for a hike in the park, as I¢m sure many days will be when I start my walk on the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2012-12-21
To: The Shortest Day
Miles today: 0.0

Today is December 21, the Winter Solstice. The temperature on Mount Washington is 17 degrees with a wind chill of -10. The place known for the ¢world¢s worst weather¢ awaits the arrival of warmer days and hikers. Those of us who hope to walk along its peak next summer sit in the comfort of our homes, contemplating the beauty of a wintery trail. In fact, snow covers much of the AT on this shortest day of the year. Three months from now, however, the Spring Equinox will be upon us. Many schedule their departures from Springer to coincide with spring¢s arrival. Even so, some will have begun their hikes earlier when the bitter cold of February and early March still lingers in the southern Appalachians. Whether beginning in the winter or spring, hikers can expect to encounter a variety of trail conditions as they proceed north. One never knows what might lie around the next twist in the trail. It may be a fallen tree that hasn¢t yet been attended to by a diligent trail maintainer. Or it could be a swollen creek, requiring a more concerted effort to cross. As obstacles present themselves throughout the hike, they must be faced with determination and grit.In his early 19th century poem ¢Ode to the West Wind,¢ Shelley states in the final two lines, ¢If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?¢ When we hopeful thru hikers encounter these ¢winter¢ challenges along the trail, we must heed the bard¢s prophesy. Sure, there will be difficulties on the trail, like there are difficulties in life. But just like in life, we human beings find a way to persevere, to overcome tragedies and minor setbacks alike. On the trail we will likely be confronted with some challenge daily. We will also be afforded all the wondrous beauty that nature has to offer.As we go through the season of winter as well as the ¢winter of our life,¢ we must move forward. There is no time to pause. We must plan; we must prepare; we must be ready to face the uncertainty of a 2180 mile trail with the same fortitude with which we face life¢s daily struggles. For just as surely as there is misfortune in our futures, that same misfortune which will momentarily or lingeringly occupy our present, will in time become our past.Today is the first day of winter, 2012. But as we view the cold, windy day through a window, we know that a warmer, equally as beautiful, day awaits. Winter is here and will be for three months. But come March 20, spring too will arrive. Shortly thereafter the trees will begin to bud, the sun will set later, and whatever the weather, it will be a good day to go for a walk on the Appalachian Trail. Yes, today winter is here. But as we potential thru hikers of 2013 wait, can spring be far behind?
Date: 2013-01-12
To: Where Do I Sleep?
Miles today: 0.0

Part of a backpacking experience in the great outdoors centers around camp life. After a long day of plodding through the wilderness (or hiking on the Appalachian Trail), the weary hiker arrives at a possibly pre-determined destination to set up camp for the night. He may choose to wile away the hours in the company of other pilgrims in an AT shelter or lean-to, or he may prefer the isolation of a remote tent site off the trail. Or perhaps he may decide to combine the two and set up his tent near a shelter. Whatever the camp preference for sleeping, all who backpack must find a place for rest when evening arrives.Shelters or lean-tos (depending on which state you¢re hiking in) are usually three-sided, wooden structures that may sleep anywhere from 6 to 18 or more. Some date back to the early years of the trail while others have been erected in the past decade. Even though shelters do not provide any of the amenities of a hostel or lodge, some can be quite comfortable. While some are only the three walls and a floor, others may come equipped with picnic tables and occasionally a bench on which to relax. Some have privies; others don¢t. A few even have wooden bunks which allow the earliest to arrive, refuge off the floor. Some shelters were constructed with two levels and a few are made of stone.If the exhausted hiker decides that he prefers the privacy of his own tent, then he is also charged with the task of finding the appropriate level spot, preferably located away from any dead branches hanging precariously overhead. The tent, of course, must be set up as well, which also means that it must be taken down the next morning. For most this is of little concern; however, for the novice hiker, set-up and take-down can require a considerable amount of time, at least in the early stages of the journey. Rather than tents, some hikers may prefer hammocks or mere tarps. Some even sleep in bivy sacks these days.Then when the opportunity arises, there is that other means of overnight accommodations¢¦..the hostel or more to my liking, the motel. Even though I love to hike, I¢m not that enthusiastic about sleeping in the woods every night. Realizing, however, that there will be on occasion three or more consecutive nights that I won¢t have any other choice, I¢m trying to make good decisions regarding which sleeping bag and what tent to include as part of my gear. Still, if I¢m within a few miles of a room with a shower, laundry, and restaurants nearby, I¢ll always opt for a night in town over another night on the trail.As the hike continues I¢m sure I¢ll get more accustomed to camping and just might eventually prefer a night in a shelter over a night at a Best Western. Then again, I might eventually prefer a Lipton side over a burger, fries, a soft drink or a milk shake. It¢s not likely that either will happen while I¢m hiking the Appalachian Trail, but I¢m going to try to keep an open mind and entertain all my options. After all, a rested hiker is a hiker more apt to keep moving on. And moving on is what I hope to do.
Date: 2013-01-21
To: Snakes
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I don¢t much care for snakes. In fact, that¢s an understatement. I don¢t care for snakes at all. That¢s why I¢m always on the lookout for what could prove to be my undoing when hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Even though I realize that the chances of stepping on a venomous varmint are rare, I still find myself a little unsettled with the thought. Although appearing rather innocuous while sunning on an outcrop adjacent to the trail, any rattler is one too many for me. Aside from the poisonous variety of those slithering pests, there are also a number of snakes of a harmless nature found on the trail as well. One of these is the black snake or black runner, as my father used to identify them. Considered a deterrent to the mice population at AT shelters, they possess the uncanny ability to ¢climb¢ into shelters in search of their prey. At one such shelter in Central Virginia, I sat at a picnic table facing the shelter and watched one of these black snakes perform just this feat. Watching the snake maneuver himself up over a stone step and into the edifice fascinated me initially. However, when I suddenly remembered that in a couple of hours I would be sleeping in the same shelter, I found myself feeling just a little unnerved. Then when I saw his cousin slinking beneath the shelter, my mind was made up to set up my tent in the shelter even though the night was warm.Before setting up the tent, I decided to remove the snake with my hiking pole. I was able to slide the pole underneath its belly, balance him on the pole, and sling the critter into the distance. It was actually an easy task the first time. What I didn¢t realize was that it would be one that I would have to repeatedly perform throughout the night, that is if I wanted my shelter to be free of snakes. At one point I walked to the side of the shelter to watch how painstakingly the snake was making his way back to my lodging. He first slithered up a tree that touched the corner of the structure. Then he transferred himself from the tree to the roof of the shelter before crawling across the inner rafters toward what I finally realized was his destination¢a nest of baby birds.So even though I knew that on this evening it was I who was really the intruder, I concluded that I would keep the birds alive, if only for the night. It proved to be a restless night indeed, as I arose almost hourly to remove what I assume was the same black snake from the shelter. I had to admire his determination and stamina. I¢m sure he was glad to see me gone the next morning.When I begin my thru hike attempt in March, I know that I will encounter many varieties of wildlife along the way. I¢m looking forward to bear and porcupine sightings and hope to see a few raccoons, beavers, and deer as well. However, if I can walk all the way from Georgia to Maine without seeing even one snake, that will be just fine with me. I know the chances of that happening are slim, so when a snake appears, hopefully I¢ll be able to keep my distance as he meanders into the woods on the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2013-01-23
To: Hitchin' a Ride
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

As a child I remember hearing stories of my Uncle Dexter who was purported to have hitchhiked all the way from California to his home in south Alabama. A career navy man, with a sailor vocabulary in tow, he would also regularly hitch from his base in Jacksonville, Florida back to his Alabama home as well. So from an early age I had a fascination with hitchhiking even though I was regularly warned as I reached the driver¢s license age that I was not to ever pick up a hitchhiker, nor was I to ever engage in the sinister practice myself. On a morning in late May of 2004 I was about to go against my parents¢ warnings and become an Appalachian Trail hitchhiker.Alton and I had decided that for our first really long section hike we would cover the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts. After flying from Atlanta to New York, and taking a taxi to Grand Central, we boarded the Metro North Railroad for Wingdale, NY. Wingdale, the closest town to the New York/Connecticut border, was still over 3 miles from the trail. We knew this because for this hike we had finally purchased AT Data books. What we failed to consider was the distance from the Metro North train stop to the center of Wingdale.So as we stood on the platform, wondering if there were taxi¢s in Wingdale, a young lady pulled up in a rusty red, slightly damaged compact car. Approaching the car reluctantly, we asked if she would be willing to drive us to the Wingdale post office. We explained that we were hikers and planned to hike all the way to Vermont. Looking as if she really doubted what we were telling her, she asked as she opened the passenger door from inside the car, ¢You¢re not going to kill me, are you?¢ We assured her that neither of us had ever entertained the idea of murdering someone. We simply wanted to pick up some supplies in town and head for the trail.Fortunately the distance was not too far, because within about 10 seconds of entering her automobile, we both realized that she was more likely to die from the cigarette smoke within her vehicle than by the hands of a would be murderous hiker. She did make a point to mention that after dropping us off, she had to pick up her boyfriend after he got off work. Still we were grateful for the lift and thanked her appreciatively when she dropped us in Wingdale.So before even setting foot on the trail in Connecticut, I had hitched my first ride as an AT hiker. Over the course of the next two weeks I hitched a few more times. Once was with an attorney in Great Barrington, MA who even offered to take us by McDonalds for breakfast before returning us to the trail. In fact, over the years I¢ve had some very positive experiences with those kind enough to offer a ride to a dirty, smelly, and sometimes wet hiker of the AT. When I start my thru hike this spring I¢m sure I¢ll often rely on friendly folks willing to offer a ride.