morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-04
From: Glencliff

To: Wentworth
Miles today: 9.8

I'm still at the Inn. Judy slack packed me to RT25A. We even met for a picnic lunch at 25C! It was an easy day. It felt nice doing better than 2 mph on the nice flat trail. Judy did trail magic for NOBO's while I chatted with some at Ore Mt shelter. All I hear is how bad the water situation is south of here. I may start carrying more than two liters.
Date: 2004-07-05
From: Wentworth

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: light rain

Beautiful satrt got bad quickly with rain up Mt Cube and over Smarts Mt. So wet all afternoon because of the wet foliage. Here with Lambswool and Fiddleheads. Amazingly I met them my first day on the Long Trail last year. Have to decide whether to stay in Hanover or not. I saw a big pile of bear scat today.
Date: 2004-07-06
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Hanover
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: broken clouds

Thanks to my friend Ruth Craig I get two nights in the fancy Hanover Inn. A rainy day day hike over nice trail to get here and into pure luxury. I've a king plus size bed in a suite with couch and candy, etc. The Trustees Suite I think. I washed my clothes in the sink and dried them with the powerful hair dryer. A hiker must be adaptable to his environment. Should I get room service? Its all included. But I don't want to be piggy.
Date: 2004-07-08
From: Hanover

To: Thistle Hill Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: broken clouds

Another rainy day most of the way today. The wet leaves and wet grass through the meadows keeps me in a soggy state. Got lunch at the West Hartfoed, VT store and then stopped here at 3:30. A lot of NOBO's here, all of them very nice and fun. Also met six section hikers today. A good wet day but I am seriously thinking about stopping for teh season and saving some trail for the future years. I think I've done enough for one season.
Date: 2004-07-09
From: Thistle Hill Shelter

To: Woodstock, VT
Miles today: 7.8

I met some former PCT hikers at VT 12. " How can you do the AT three times? It's a once in a lifetime experience!" They also had a truck. So here I am in overpriced Woodstock. Its a Walt Disney version of a Vermont town. It's preserved. I'm going home even thoughI'm healthy with no hurt feet or knees. The weather dried out. No rain in sight. Maybe I finally got bored with it. Convenientlt Judy can pick me up in the morning because its Saturday. I have no idea whether I'll finish this as a SOBO section hike or not. I met a guy who was doing his annual 2 weeks northbound and I know others like Tim Miller have done it that way too. Way harder than thru-hiking but perhaps the most common way to do the AT. Without the NOBO experience of discovery with others, and making permanent friends and getting to know many people over the endless weeks, the AT is missing too much on the southbound trip.
Date: 2004-08-08
From: Woodstock, VT

To: Stony Brook Shelter
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Back on the trail. A month off was nice but of course when home I miss the trail and when on the trail I miss home. What a surprise ? A day of passing two dozen northbounders. I fel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day telling the same story once again twenty times a day in short conversations and then start over again the next day. A few hours of rain in the afternoon but not too wet. Here with American Nomad and three NOBOS. All my age for a change. I'm not very tired but feel I dont need to be here. I think I like the idea of SOBOing far more than the reality. Just a few more climbs this week and there's nothing big left on the trail all the way to Springer. Maybe cheoh bald, but most southern mts on the AT are not difficult.
Date: 2004-08-09
From: Stony Brook Shelter

To: Cooper Lodge Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: clear sky

A very beutiful day. Cool and generally good hiking weather. Met many more NOBOs including some at the Long Trail Inn Pub where I had a big lunch and really a few too many beers for hiking. An easy walkup Killington. I feel at home again on the trail. The big but is that I'm envious of the North bound people who hike with good friends and get to share everyday. I'll make the most of this but will likely stop when I get to our house in South Wardsboro Vermont.It got amazingly crowded here. About six generic NOBOS. ALso a couple of short section hikers. Two vastly overweight people doing a shelter to shelter hike. An enormous amount of gear. They take all day to do a few miles. They get a lot of credit for showing up.
Date: 2004-08-10
From: Cooper Lodge Shelter

To: Minerva Henchy Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: few clouds

Did I mention that this is the fourth time I've done this section of the AT?Twice Northbound on the AT. First in 2001 on the MA-ME aftre GA-MA in 2000. Then as pasrt of my 2002 thru-hike. I was here southbound on my Long Trail trip in 2003 and here I am again. My daughter Emily joined me here in 2002.Its very familiar. Coming off of Killington I met three, then six NOBOs but by lunch time non more. After eleven miles, I spent 90 minutes at the Whistle STop Restaurant in E. Clarendon VT. Half mile off the trail and well worth the trip. I took a to-go rollup with me for dinner. I was too full to eat the ice cream. Not a soole from ther is here and at 5:15 I'm alone. Nice cold water on a hot day. This is usually a mosquito farm but not so bad so far. Being alone here feels very SOBO. Later three NOBO women showed up and tented to stay away for the now more noticable bugs.
Date: 2004-08-11
From: Minerva Henchy Shelter

To: Lost Pond Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: heavy intensity rain

A huge thunderstorm last night. A real dounpour. Set up my bug net last night and tonight. No one here yet at 5:30. Top Knot ws here He had a pipe and moved on. Here now with "maried with children". Somehow I think taking trail names from movies and TV is very anti-spirit of the AT. There are more Yoda's and hobbits out here then we need by a factor of ten. MWC has done the entire AT over 14 years. He's doing the LT now as a section hiker. I have not been able to find my knife but resourcefully my spoon can cut cheese OK. I may not replace the knife at all and save the ounces. The stream here will lull me to sleep. Chased up the trail to get here by thunder but no rain as yet.
Date: 2004-08-12
From: Lost Pond Shelter

To: Spruce Peak Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: light rain

A great day hiking with an off and on drizzle. This is a four wall shelter with windows and a door and a wood stove and tables inside and out. Also a nice porch that is better than many shelters itself. It has the best spring on the AT as well. I really like it here. Talked to Sunset on the trail. A fellow 2002 thrhiker. also spoke with some folks who know Jakebrake from the trail this year in Georgia befor ehe got hurt. Everyone knows Half-moon but they dont know where he is. Off the trail? I'll be joining him soon.Gripe: Its not OK to have a watch in the shelter that Alarms in the morning. Its also not OK to have a watch that beeps every hour through the night.
Date: 2004-08-13
From: Spruce Peak Shelter

To: Kelly Stand Road- South Wardsboro
Miles today: 14.7

Rained all night and all day. The rainy day kept me moving over muddy trail at a good strong pace. No views today for sure. I got to Kelly-stand road at 1:00 PM. Tried Stephen at South Wardsboro but there was no answer. He's my bro-in-law and staying at our house for RR even though he lives in VT but in the "city" of Montpelier. I walked for five miles on the road until communications worked. Happy for clean bed, shower and dinner at Ricks Tavern. If I keep going I'l hit Springer 12/8/2004. Ugh. I'll stop here for now, go back to Boston. Perhaps a few more weeks worth later and back again to finish in 2005. It keeps me busy but not gone for too long at a crack.
Date: 2004-09-04
From: Kelly Stand Road- South Wardsboro

To: Story Spring Shelter
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: scattered clouds

A four PM start and here at 5:45. Spent time talking to an incredibly long winded hiker from CT. Its too bad. I really was interested in his travels but he simply was a terrible story teller. He also had a badly behaved dog who barked at everything and everybody. He ran over my new tarptent as well. The other foks here were all interesting AT or LT hikers. The AT guy better get a move on. He said he'll average 18 miles a day and make Baxter before the Mt is closed. God speed to him! I set up mt new tarpin the shelter because of the mosquitoes at 7 PM but they went away so it really wasnt needed. I'm not hungry at all so I'll just have a bit of gorp and eat breakfact in the AM.
Date: 2004-09-05
From: Story Spring Shelter

To: Mellville Maughn Shelter
Miles today: 17.4

I really felt great hiking along out here. The weather is overcast but cool. I "met" 32 hikers today. Most out for a Labor DAy trip but also an AT77 who was fun to talk to. Most of the hikers are in warm clothes, I'm one of the few in T shirt and shorts. When I stopped at this shelter it was cool so I put on long sleeves and my sleeveless fleece jacket. Here was a couple hiking the LT, he had done the AT99. He was fun to talk to also. Thats why I'm out here I think because there really are no other people to talk the AT talk with except on thetrail. I really have more fun at home with Judy. So I think I'll go home agin tommorrow simply because its so easy to.
Date: 2004-10-02
From: Vt 9

To: Seth Warner Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Back again after another few weeks of Redsox baseball. Steep climb out of Bennington under are quicly darkening sky. The leafy treadway made the trail disappear and I got off thetrail three times for a few minutes. It was pretty following three sometimes yellow and sometimes red trail. The of cours ethe rain started in ernest but my Redledge pants and jacket did a good job of keeping me dry. I stopped sooner than I expected at this shelter because the rain and mud made for slow going. I continued with my bite sandels for this fall outing but they really are iffy in cold rain. Here tonight are Dad and Son fron LI NY. Nice people, son lives in Somerville so we talked the Sox talk for a while.
Date: 2004-10-03
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Bascom Lodge Mt Greylock
Miles today: 13.0

A very pretty clear day. No clouds, a bright blue sky and peak foliage. The climb down to RT 2 is easy going although there is a 100 yards of rock scramble to get down, which is OK unless its raining. I remembered the steep climb up th efirst peak of Greylock but after that its an easy gradual climd althoug you never see the nifty lighthouse on top until you are almost up to it. On this prime leaf peeping day Bascomb lodge was crowded even with the grill closed. Judy picked me up with in a few minutes of my arrival and off we went for another rest in Boston. I love this kind of hiking!
Date: 2004-03-08
To: A few thanks....
Miles today: 0.0

A Few Thanks Before I start.To Carla: thank you for putting up with the preparation messes and for doing my journals.to Uncle Bobby, Aunt Theresa, UnChuck, Aunt Theresa, and Uncle Joe: Thank you for letting me stay with y'all and for the transportaion to the trail. To Eric and Jeff at REI and Colin at H.T. thank you for all your advice and help.To Mom and Dad: Thank you for the support and understanding.To Micki and Scottie: Thank you for your time and effort with Post Drops. ( I expect gifts...hehe)To my Church: Thank you for your prayers and your fellowship.To my friends: Thank you for your support and encouragement to do this. To Mo & Jenny: Thank you for all your extra help with preparation.To Jesse: Thank you for your help with the house and for listening to my many plans.To Steve and Jesse: Thank you for your support at the gym.To T: Thank you for all the help with Grad School issues...I will finish my portfolio.To everyone: Thank you for taking the time to read this...God Bless.
Date: 2004-03-08
To: Why Through Hike
Miles today: 0.0

Why Thru Hike?   I just finished my final Test-Hike and I wanted to answer why I am thruhiking....this is the brief answer.Have you ever wandered through the woods aimlessly, lost for hours? Finally something you see is familiar and after much difficulty you re-establish your path. So much time and energy spent for such little return. This is how I feel: graduate school, girls, and my walk with God, are all one big aimless circling path¢¦and I am lost. All I long for is direction, yet following ¢my direction¢ is why I am lost in the first place. I need a path that is set and clearly blazed for me to follow, that is where the A.T. comes in.    I long to know the direction God has for my life, but how can I hear if I do not listen? How can I listen unless I first display discipline? Finally, how can I hear if others always distract me? Spiritually, my goal is to seek after God wholeheartedly, with true discipline. Physically, I want to walk a set path apart from life¢s distractions. Thru-hiking the AT is my venue to seek God without the normal distractions. It is also a place for me to prove that with his help I can achieve a goal placed before me no matter how daunting it seems. On my hike I hope to walk forward one step at a time enjoying my creator and his creation, until I reach the destination of my physical journey: Mount Katahdin. verses on my heart:Proverbs16: 9 ¢ In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.Joshua1:9 ¢ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord thy God will be with you wherever you go.
Date: 2004-03-08
To: 32 Goals
Miles today: 0.0

32 GOALS (Some Serious Some Not)1. Read my Bible daily.2. Notice Nature more.3. Learn the joy of being quiet.4. Use ONLY ONE ROLL OF TOILET PAPER on the whole hike.5. Make at least 2 life-long friends.6. Live life simply and real...as the child of Christ that I am.7. Love God more each day..and be comfortable in him alone (not girls).8. Help at least one person out of a sticky spot.9. NOT LOSE ANY ESSENTIAL PIECE OF GEAR.10. NOT DIE!!!11. See a Moose (in the wild).12. See a Bear - preferably in conjunction with goal number 10.13. Lose 25 pounds (and stay that way when I return).14. Keep a POSITIVE ATTITUDE.15. Stay in touch with friends and family at home (sign my guest book).16. Seek what God would have me do upon return.17. NOT QUIT!18. Send Mom postcards.19. Shower at least once per week 20. Have church at least once on the trail.21. SKINNYDIP.....hehehe22. Laugh a lot.23. Try EVERY FLAVOR OF RAMEN.24. Hike my HIke (do not worry about what others think).25. Pass every white blaze (will re-evaluate in Virginia).26. Eat a WHOLE large pizza (2 Mediums would count).27. Prove John (my old boss) wrong. Then thank him for the motivation.28. Brush my teeth..........at least once (hahaha).29. SMILE30. Hike 30 miles in one day.31. Visit Arden N.Y> (Arden is the name of the town I grew up in).32. SUMMIT KATAHDIN!
Date: 2004-03-16
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

Miles from Springer= 14.7WOW, what a day! Last night poured and I barely slept past 3am (but I went to bed at 7:30 pm.). I broke camp by 8am and headed out. For 2 and a half hours I hiked by myself in the rain while talking and singing to God. It was AWESOME! To my right was a creek that I followed for abut 3 miles. By 10:30 am. I reached Hawk Mountain Shelter (5.1 miles from Stover) and its privy. *I still haven't gone number 2 in the woods I took over an hour break and met a few people. A girl from Chevy Chase- "Pegasus" and a guy with $70 to his name "Vagrant". I hiked out from shelter with "Gaya" and John. They were really nice but of very slow pace. I did most of the trail with "Happy Trails". There were 3 very steep climbs but by 3 pm. we had held a strong pace and reached a nice creek. I took about a half hour rest while water purified and hiked to Gooch Gap by 4 pm. with 2 girls from Indiana "Pucka" and "Subaru".Gooch Gap Shelter was full as well as most (all) campsites near the shelter. 4 of us found suitable tent sites a tenth of a mile up the mountain. I met 4 kids (all related) 17-21 (1/2 from Pensacola, 1/2 from Destin). Kery, Kelly, "Shart" and John. We played cards and swapped massages, it was sweet. I helped Kelly hang her bearbag and all of us sat around the fire until about 10pm along with Pegasus (the Marylander from Hawk Mountain.... tented next to me by 30 feet). Now I'm finally going to bed.Today was steep but doable and I did a great second day at 12 miles. I hope to do 12-13 miles again tomorrow. I have enjoyed hiking with Adam and "Happy" so far, but have no set partner. My legs have "chaffing". .. yuck!Gold Bond did not work, Vaseline did. It's time for me to read my bible and hit the hay. I can't wait for more fun tomorrow.-BEATBOX
Date: 2004-03-17
From: Gooch Gap Shelter

To: Base of Blood Mountain
Miles today: 12.5

Including the approach to Springer, I have now done 36 miles in 3 days. Right now I am basking in stars on the side of Blood Mountain, and all I can say is God is Awesome!! I feel lost in an immense universe so much bigger than I.I hiked with Pegasus, the girl from Maryland. She was great company and we will hike Blood Mt. early tomorrow (5am) in order to see the sunrise. From there it should be 2.5 miles to my first resupply point at Neels Gap. This is the point where people with 60 lb. packs send everything home, but my pack is 20 lbs or less right now. I just want a shower, to do laundry, and if I had a pizza I think I would die. I may buy a radio in Neels to hear the NCAA tournament... I may not though. Anyway I have to get up early so I will wrap this up quickly and then do my quiet time.One fun note is that "Happy Trails"(I hiked with him yesterday) seems to have hooked up with a female hiker named "Dutch", she is a jersey girl. I hiked past the Spring Break crew of Kelly, Kerry, John and "Shart" but will miss their crazy card playing at night.I can tell God has awesome things in store and more amazing people in my future. Before I crash (is 8pm) here is a quick poem:Sleeping on mountains under starsBasking in majesty all aroundNO hustle, No bustle, No zooming carsEnveloped in the beauty that does aboundNo big stresses, just time to reflectTime to see God, time to look insideAnd though I dont know just what to expectThere is no reason to lie, no reason to hideJust time to be real, and though I think of friendsI know I am right where I need to beSurrounded by splendor, and until this endsI'll keep enjoying the blesing this is to me.-BEATBOX
Date: 2004-03-18
From: Bear Mt

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: light rain

WOW, what a day. Before I begin, let me start with a bad joke:What do you call a hiker with 2 trekking poles taking lithium?Bi-polarI woke up at 4:30 am and hiked Blood mountain with "Pegasus". Awesome Pictures! Then we hiked down the mountain to Neels Gap; my first sign of Civilization in 4 days and my first drop point.Neels Gap is a famous hiker stop where one can cut weight (from backpack) and eat real food for the first time. I arrived at Neels and attempted a few phone calls at 8:30 am. I picked up my maildrop (more food), bought a paperback John Grisham book, and bought some cards. I ate 2 cokes, a cheeseburger (frozen microwavable), a small pizza (frozen microwavable), a turkey sandwhich, a hunk of cheese and gatorade. I threw out my nasty iodine covered waterbag. I took a HOT shower and did laundry. I may have scared some people with the yell of delight as I applied maximum strength goldbond. The feeling of "clean" is SO NICE. One fun note is that the laundry room is through the door to the ladies room. When washing my clothes, all I wear is my parka and rainpants. I appeared to step out of the ladies room with no socks and full raingear and these 2 women stared me down like i was a pervert. I swear I was doing laundry. At 12:30 (after a 4 hour break) I left and said goodbye to Adam, Happy Pegasus, Dutch and others who had all trickled in past that point. I may be the only one of our pack who stayed at Gooch Gap 2 nights ago who did a not stay the night at Neels.Instead I hiked 10 miles further, but it wasn't too hideous. I was alone for my first 5 miles, then I hiked with a nice ex-Air Force woman named Sweet Leaf who is 44. She hiked slower than me, but it was ok because I was exhausted. We reached the Low Gap at 6 and as always the shelter was full so I tented. This is a shelter where a man once awoke to a Black Bear strattling him. When I arrived I was tired to the point of giddiness. I met other hikers Tom, Heather, "Walk Lightly?" and "Night Walker" and some others. I told jokes and stories in my delirium and had others rolling. Night Walker let me check his radio. MD won in basketball! YAY. By 8:30 I finished my sausage and cheese dinner from Neels Gap and went to bed. I miss people, especially talking to my Dad about basketball. I love it out here though. I have time to talk to God and time to meet others too. My pace is faster than most, but I am listening to my body and will stop when I should. To my friends: I love you!! I should be in the Smokies in about 10 days; everyone says they are beautiful. I have another long day tomorrow though, so GOODNIGHT!BEATBOX
Date: 2004-03-19
From: Low Gap

To: Trey Mountain
Miles today: 14.9

I am about to sleep in a shelter for the first night. I awoke this morning to find taht mice had invaded my trailmix (now they are doublebagged). I slept 9 WHOLE HOURS which is by far the most I have so far. I walked with Heather, Ted and "Walk Softly". Heather actually studied "Baltimore" at Johns Hopkins in referrence to the cities Health problems. While negative, it was still fun to remember home. The first 9.5 miles werent so bad, but the last 5.5 were intense (we sleep in-tease (tents)... ugh). After 7 miles Heather went to a shelter. After 13 "Walk softly" and Ted set camp. I was determined to climb Trey Mt. today though, and at 5:30 I reached the top. It was AWESOME, you could see in every direction- WHAT A BLESSING. At the Trey Mt shelter I met "Mother Nature" and "Smoke Stack" who are leaving on a thru-hike in 10 days. I met Red and the girl he hiked with as well as "Just-Do-It", all 3 of these people are also solid christians which is cool. I am reading my Bible and looking at Joshua and John. The Israelites slept in tents too I pray a lot for my family and for God to give me guidance. I really feel him guiding me though. I need to sleep because Im pooped (its 8pm). Some final thoughts are listed below:1. I feel half nasty/half part of nature when pooping in the woods2. I saw a spider that looked like a violin back, oddly I was not scared3. I saw flowers for the first time today (bluebells)4. I miss my friends and family but am meeting interesting new people daily5. My feet have yet to have a blister (knock on wood)6. I really felt like I was in a great rhythem for the first tiem today7. I can now identify Pine Trees, Rhododendron, Mountain Laurel, and Blood Root; and I hope to learn more plant names8. I smell WRETCHED despite a shower just yesterday -- EWW GROSS!! And I dont know when I will shower nextMy eyes are shutting involuntarily now, so - love y'all and good night-Beatbox