morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-03-31
From: Newfound Gap

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.4

Lesson of the day:If you set your cookpot on the wet ground before it goes on the stove, the leaves will stick to the bottom of the pot - and then those leaves will light off when the pot gets put on the stove. Adds excitement to the cooking process.Today I ran the ridges of the Smokies...it was like being in a wind tunnel up there....could not see far views because of the mist and fog - but that is a cool look all it's own.
Date: 2008-04-01
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9

I have been trying to see a bear. Today I woke up about 5:30 am and went out in the total darkness. I sat outside near the creekside trail. I was very very quiet - just sitting in the dark mist hoping a bear would come get a drink at dawn. Sat for about an hour and a half....no bear.Sun came up, so I got up and went hiking. Turned out to be a very clear day and got to dry out some and saw some great views.
Date: 2008-04-02
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: I - 40
Miles today: 9.9

Made it out of the Smokies !The shelter mice ate a couple holes in my new SmartWool baselayer shirt a couple nights ago....but now that I am out of the Smokies, I am allowed to tent again...Yes !My buddy Orval gave me directions for pick up...."Walk until you get to the River"...now, those are the kind of directions that I like.Got to Maggie Valley and had dinner with my friends Denver and Joetta. Joetta brought over a sewing kit so I could fix my shirt. I made a complete mess of the thing, so Joetta took over and sewed it up perfectly. That was so great to me - only a good friend would battle mice holes for you with a needle and thread.
Date: 2008-04-03
From: I - 40

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Let's talk Rehab.If you asked me yesterday how far I would hike today, I would have said 3 to 5 miles max. My legs were tired....but after a good meal of steak tips and a regular bed to sleep in...I was ready to hike and ended up doing about 15 miles.It all comes down to protein and the elimination of the mummy bag. If you do not know what a mummy sleeping bag is.....lie down, put your feet together, and your hands by your side or across your chest....then have someone duct tape you together in that position. Now sleep all duct taped like this and you will know what sleeping in a mummy bag is like. It keeps you very warm (important), but rough on the leg recovery process.Once the weather warms up some, I believe I will adjust my sleeping gear... but for now I rather make sure I am warm enough at night.
Date: 2008-04-04
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Deer Park Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: broken clouds

3 to 5 seconds....That is how long it takes to go from complete sunshine and clear skies to being fully enveloped in fog and misting rain.30 seconds...That is how long you have from the time you hear the rain, until the fog and rain chase you down.Today was the first time I was literally chased down by a fog cloud.....it was wild to see a fog cloud coming though the gap, just rolling in on me from behind. Man, that was so fun !This is why you have to make sure and take the proper gear anytime you hike in the mountains.Also - a big THANKS goes out to Pippi for helping me do a super quick set-up on my tent in the rain tonight. A dry tent is a good thing.
Date: 2008-04-05
From: Deer Park Mtn Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: light rain

WahOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooAHoooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWAOOOOOWAOOOOOOOOOOThis is what a coyote/wolf was howling late last night, about 100 feet from our tents. No joke.I have heard them before from very far away, but never up close and personal like this one.I do not know what he was saying but he was telling the news loud and proud, and he was right next to us.WahOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCoyote talk.
Date: 2008-04-06
From: Hot Springs

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Hangin' out in Hot Springs for a couple days. This is one town I have always wanted to check out, so I am taking the opportunity.Drying out my gear - I hung my bear bag rope inside the bathroom and threw my tent over it to help it dry faster. Hikers do some weird things....
Date: 2008-04-08
From: Hot Springs

To: Spring Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 11.0

Well it was time to leave the hot tubs of Hot Springs, and get back into the woods.   Let's do it !This is an honest town - when I tried to check out of the hotel there was no one anywhere around for me to pay....after about 20 minutes, I finally found a housekeeper and she said the owner will be gone for several hours...so I left her with a check and was on my way. I called the place later to make sure there was not a warrant out on me for leaving....but he said no problem he has an honest housekeeper.I love small towns.Let's HIKE !
Date: 2008-04-09
From: Spring Mtn. Shelter

To: Log Cabin Rd
Miles today: 5.3

Had a light hiking day to Hemlock Hollow Farm to pick up my mail drop. Great place to hang out in the mountains.My husband was nice and sent me People magazine along with my food. Yes! Reading the magazine I read about the famous people and their weight loss tips. Well, I have a weight loss tip for the famous people....it is called "EAT LIKE A PIG AND STILL LOSE WEIGHT". Just put 30 pounds on your back and start hiking up the mountains !I know I have lost some weight because I have to roll up the waistband on my pants or they fall down. I think I will have to get a new pair of pants in Damascus...if not, I will cut a piece of my bearbag rope and use it to hold my pants up like Jethro and ElleMae Clampett did in Beverly Hillbillies.
Date: 2008-04-10
From: Log Cabin Rd

To: Flint Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 16.0

Did you ever ride the front car of a roller coaster, get to the top and it looks like you will fly out into the sky ??That is how I hiked today. Up on a real rocky ridgeline that looks like it ends in five more steps - like you will be walking straight into the sky.Sky walker.
Date: 2008-04-11
From: Flint Mtn. Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: broken clouds

LIVIN' ON DUCT TAPE AND A PRAYERThe other day I dried my boots in hot conditions...causing some boot shrinkage and some tightness in fit. Yesterday I decided against wearing my liner socks to loosen things up.......bad decision...blisters have hit me for the first time.oh ow ooo eeee yaaa yiii aah waa waaThat is what blisters on your feet say while you hike. I covered the blisters with duct tape and headed for the next shelter (thunder-storms were coming in) and spent the rest of the day doing foot care. I was hiking on duct tape and a prayer.Great scenery along the way though.Back to the liner socks tomorrow.
Date: 2008-04-12
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Spivey Gap camp site
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: overcast clouds

What a GREAT day this was. Hiked all day long. At one point I was climbing and started to hear what sounded like a jet taking off. I am in the woods, not an airport, what is going on ???I looked up high in the sky following the noise - and saw a big mountain with no trees on top on it. A big bald headed mountain. I figured out that the wind is blowing so strong up there that it sounded like a jet taking off.I realized that one of the places on my route is named Big Bald Mountain. Woooweee, I think I am climbing that thing. I did, and it was loud and windy and fun. I pretended I was a Boeing 747 when I was on that big bald headed mountain.
Date: 2008-04-13
From: Spivey Gap camp site

To: Erwin
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: light rain

I was at a great camp site last night. A kind stranger even left some Sprite in the creek for us hikers. Let me tell you, after several days hiking in the woods, a cold Sprite is a wonderous thing. Thank you kind stranger.This morning I hiked down to Erwin, TN and will take my next rest break tomorrow.
Date: 2008-04-14
From: Erwin

To: Erwin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Taking the day off to do chores and heal blisters.Animals I have seen: Bat (sleeping in a tree), bunny, butterflies, lots of birds and hawks, squirrels, snails, dogsAnimals I have heard: Wild boar, coyote, owlsAnimals I have smelled: Bear (3 times)Fresh animal tracks: Bobcat (or some type of large cat), deer, bear, birds
Date: 2008-04-15
From: Erwin

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: clear sky

The upper elevations got snow last night...it looked beautiful.I actually hiked this section "backwards" today. I caught a ride to Indian Grave Gap and hiked back to Erwin. This was so I could carry just a day's worth of supplies and give my blisters a chance to heal, the have a chance to clean them up real good again tonight. Tomorrow I will catch a ride back up to the Gap and continue north again. Hike on.
Date: 2008-04-17
From: Greasy Creek Gap

To: Stan Murray Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

Mother nature tried to kill me today.If you look at the picture (taken a day later from another mountain) - I started about 3 miles behind all those mountains....then I climbed Roan Mtn (the one in the back), then climbed Round Bald, then Jane Bald (getting closer to the front of the picture)...finally half way up the closest one until the trail veered off.When I turned back the next day and saw all those climbs and how big they were, it blew me away knowing I did all that in one day - so I took the picture.Had my first night tenting alone - it was all good.
Date: 2008-04-19
From: Mountain Harbor Bunkhouse

To: Moutain Harbor Bunkhouse
Miles today: 0.0

Took a day of rest with the animals.There is the coolest bunkhouse near Roan Mounatin where you bunk in the barn over the animals (goats and horses and cats). Don't worry, no smell - it is like an apartment up there....but you can hear the goats locking horns down below. Very good - I love animals, and this was a good place to be.
Date: 2008-04-20
From: US 19E

To: Walnut Mtn Rd
Miles today: 10.3

Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses.....or stop and smell a waterfall.Jones Falls - a short side trip and a nice place for lunch.Did a 10 mile slackpack today to relax and check out the waterfall. It rained a little bit too.I realized that rain and a waterfall smell different, even though they are both water.
Date: 2008-04-22
From: Dennis Cove

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: light rain

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink......Started with a cool waterfall......went all along the coastline of Wautauga Lake.....went over Wautauga dam.....(water water everywhere)then climbed the ridgeline and at the shelter the water source was a half mile down - even though you look down in the valley and see the whole lake (and not a drop to drink)I was tired, so I rationed my water tonight to make sure I had enough to last me until tomorrow's water source. Good thing I drank a lot when I was down by the lake.
Date: 2008-04-23
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: TN 91
Miles today: 11.4

Had a great view of the lake last night from my tent.Had a great show last night from a mouse. I think I must have set my tent on his highway or something, because he kept running up the side of the tent all night. I could see his silhouette since he was stuck on the outside...boy, he was working hard.Love the tent.
Date: 2008-04-25
From: TN91

To: Damascus
Miles today: 21.3
Weather: light rain

MADE IT TO THE VIRGINIA STATE LINE !Caught a ride out to TN91 (where I left off) and hiked into Damascus. The VA State line was a few miles before I hit town. This is the fourth state I have walked in so far (GA, TN, NC, VA). I have broken one pair of sunglasses and lost another pair...that is why I am squinting in the latest pictures. Need to get another cheap pair to wear.It was a fun day - even though I tripped and bent my Leki pole. No broken bones and the pole still works - so all is good....plus I know some smart guys at Mount Rogers Outfitters that have the skills and parts to help me fix it up when I get into town.
Date: 2008-06-01
To: Be Thankful Anyway
Miles today: 0.0

I have heard from several folks that they are wondering what the heck is going on - since it has been awhile since my last update......so I guess I should give you the news...I guess this is classified under "Personal Circumstances".....but I have had to postpone my A.T. travels for now. Very much a bummer - but I am determined to remain thankful for what I was able to do in the time I was hiking......and I will still hike in the future, because that is what I am - a Hiker (plus a Snowboarder and Dog Lover).I want to thank everyone......and say Hey to some of my trail buddys....Bananas - you are the coolest girl and your positive vibe is so contagious.Auntie Mame and V8 - You Go Girls, I am rooting for you both.Pippy - Thanks for the Blister advice girl - and say Hi to Hamburglar.Miss Priss and Pinky - What a memory getting across Max Patch in the late fog!Bronco - I bought a weather radio just like yours !Halftime - it is good to see that a hiker-man would seek out a church on Sundays, out in the middle of where-ever.Peacock and Daddy-o and Hottie - Great family, Peacock you will go very far in life I am sure of it.Orval - Thanks for the shuttles !All the supporters and journal readers - Thank you.And all the other cool people on the AT......it was great meeting you all !
Date: 2007-09-16
To: Finally getting started
Miles today: 0.0

Earlier in the spring of this year our hiking team met at an IHOP in College Park, MD to begin planning for our 08 AT thru hike. Being known as the organizer of the group they looked at me and asked when I was going to begin my trail journal¢¦¢I¢m going to start it on March 30th¢¦ one year out from our start date.¢Three curious expressions stared back at me.¢So¢¦ you¢ve already started it?¢¢Uhhh¢¦ No¢¦ why? What is today?¢ ¢April 7¢¦?¢¢Really? ¢¦Wow, how did that happen!¢ So much for organized.I know how it happened. Life had been insane for weeks. In February my husband Greg had been accepted for a position in Colorado and we had gone into full gear prepping for a move. You would think after 20 years in the Marine Corps that a move would be no big deal. However, we had sat still in Maryland for eight years and had gotten out of the habit of moving. Plus we had spent those eight years playing hard and really doing little work on up-keeping the house. So I had done nothing for weeks besides paint and patch up all those little repairs that aren¢t that big of a deal¢¦. until you¢re trying to sell a house. Even though thoughts of the thru hike were still lurking in the back of my mind¢¦ I had no clue it was already April! Zip forward almost five months¢¦ Now I¢m getting settled in in Colorado and finally beginning to think seriously about prepping for our hike. Truth is though, I¢ve been prepping for the hike for years, its just time now for the final push.
Date: 2007-09-16
To: Plus two makes four
Miles today: 0.0

Then there is Tracy. Tracy had also talked over the years about one day doing a thru hike. Tracy¢s lists of adventures are so long and I wasn¢t sure she was really serious about the AT until Lydia set her date to hike.   Tracy now had a date to shoot for and a lot of planning and arranging to do in her life to be able to make it in 08. Tracy has her own trail journal, so I¢ll refer you to her for her story.Our fourth team member is Carolyn. Carolyn had been hiking with the Hikerchiks since our Shenandoah hike. She had planned her own thru hike a couple of years ago but got deterred because of family issues. Last year during one of our day practice hikes she came to Lydia and I and asked when we were planning to leave. We told her our goal was to do a 08 hike. Carolyn said that if we could wait to leave until March 30th, she might be able to go with us. That set our date. I believe Carolyn also has her own trail journal¢¦ so I¢ll leave her story to her.
Date: 2007-09-16
To: and then there was River
Miles today: 0.0

Our fifth and final member of our team¢¦ River. For ten years we had a collie named Cody. He was my best friend. Last summer we did a lot of traveling. One week I was in WV with the kids at a music camp when Greg called to say that Cody didn¢t seem to feel well, didn¢t want to eat or go outside. It was 105 degrees¢¦ no one wanted to go outside! I figured he just missed me. However, when I got home I could tell something was wrong. I took him to the vet thinking he just had a UTI and needed some meds. By five that afternoon I was driving home in tears with a diagnosis of cancer. The loss of Cody was hard on the whole family.About a month later Greg and the kids were out of town at a music festival and I was home alone all weekend. I felt miserable, after about two days I realized what was wrong¢¦ I needed a puppy! But I didn¢t have the nerve to break it to Greg yet. A couple weeks later Lydia asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said ¢A puppy.¢ She said ¢So do I!¢ ¢¦now to come up with a plan to convince Greg. Greg¢s first reaction¢¦. ¢I¢m not dog sitting for you while you hike for six months.¢ Okay¢¦ Then we need a trail dog. We began to research¢¦ what kind of dog would make a good trail dog? How old would it have to be before it can carry it¢s own pack? How the heck to you train a trail dog?! After researching the options we decided on a Golden Retriever. We found a liter nearby and after many visits to the puppies, just after Thanksgiving we brought home our little girl, River. She is a joy.We began right away introducing her to the outdoors, took her on short hikes at the nearby parks and eventually on a three mile of the AT near Washington Monument Park. She was so funny. We nicknamed her Popcorn right away. She was so excited to be in the woods, she was all over the place.   She got her first experience of her pack on an overnight south out of Harpers Ferry. At first she tried to buck it off like a bronco, but she settled in to it. That was also her first night in a tent. We had bought at Hubba Hubba thinking it would be a good size for her and I to sleep together. At that point she was so little we had way too much room. Her latest adventure has been the Idaho trip. Five days of hiking a tough trail. She and I took a down day at Twin Lakes after crossing the pass. Her paws really needed a little healing time after all the hot, dusty rocks. But by that evening she was raring to go again. She¢s going to make a great AT trail dog!So that is our team¢¦ Lydia, for her youth and vision, Tracy, for her experience and confidence, Carolyn, for her wisdom and humor, River, just cause she¢s so cute¢¦ and me, for my organization. Someone told us that no team larger than two had ever completed the whole AT together, but I believe we will compliment each other well. Hmm¢¦ well, we¢ll see.
Date: 2007-09-20
To: A Path Less Taken
Miles today: 0.0

Or maybe it¢s the route less taken¢¦ whatever. Our plan is to begin our hike on March 30 at Harper¢s Ferry, hiking south to Georgia. From there we will either fly, or do an east coast road trip up to Maine. (details to be work out) Hopefully by early to mid July we will begin our second half at Katahdin and hike south, finishing at Harper¢s Ferry sometime in October. I didn¢t come up with this plan. It was the route Carolyn planned to hike a couple years ago. When she explained it to us, we thought this sounded like a great idea. We would be starting and finishing near home. (or it was near home until we moved across the country!) It also seems like a good choice for the weather. We will be beginning on a trail we are very familiar with from our section hiking. By the time we hit the Smokey Mts. we should be through all that nasty snow they have in early spring. By the time we get to Maine, if we are on schedule, we will be starting south about the time most of the SOBOs are getting on the trail¢¦. but we will be half way through. I think that physiologically, heading south as it starts getting cooler in the fall will be a big help.So¢¦. Are we flip flop hikers or southbound hikers? ¢¦or SOBO flipfloppers? Hmmm¢¦ As for support along the trail, I think we are going to be doing great. Greg¢s folks have an RV in Cosby in the Smokeys. His mom¢s first response to hearing we were hiking was that she would be our support when we get there. My uncle in PA was quick to offer a pick up and showers when we hit their area. We have friends in NC and GA, not to mention all the folks back in MD. Several of the Hikerchicks have said that they will join us at various points and hike along. Greg is planning to take some time off and meet us for the start out of Maine. ¢¦either he is nervous about us being in a ¢hundred mile wilderness¢ without him   ¢¦.or he¢s just jealous ¢¦or both!
Date: 2007-09-25
To: thinking about food
Miles today: 0.0

I read somewhere that you shouldn¢t prepare too much food in advance of your hike because your tastes may change. Then last year while day hiking we met a couple on the trail who had prepared a large number of meals in advance but still found they were having a hard time maintaining enough calories. So, I guess it¢s a personal preference thing. I prefer to go with over preparing. I figure if I pull out a meal I¢m not in the mood for I¢ll be able to find a fellow hiker somewhere who¢ll take it off my hands. I¢m really trying to think carefully through what kinds of dishes to dehydrate. On our trip to Idaho I found that I tend to lean toward the same types of dishes¢¦. Everything was the same texture. On the last night out the dish I had made turned out to be WAY too spicy. I had substituted a spice for something the recipe called for that I didn¢t have and it was too much. Tracy¢s meal on the other hand she felt was too bland¢¦ so we mixed them. Her dish had noodles and peanuts in it. I was really surprised at how nice it was to have something crunchy. So¢¦ as I¢m picking meals to work on for the thru hike I¢m trying to keep that in mind¢¦. Different textures¢¦ different seasonings¢¦   hopefully it will all turn out good.So we finally got started today. We divided the food prep with Tracy. She is prepping 90 meals, though I believe about half of hers she bought from Mountain Home, and Lydia and I will do 90 meals. We looked through our cookbooks and picked nine recipes, multiplied by ten and made shopping lists. Today we started with a spaghetti dish. With the two of us working together, using the food processor to chop, the first batch went pretty quickly. Now we are slowed down waiting for the dehydrating process. If we can get one recipe done a week we¢ll have plenty of time to spare to think about breakfasts and snacks. I also found some recipes for dehydrated ¢salads¢¢¦ that may satisfy my need for something different. Those recipes say they only keep for six months in the freezer so I¢ll wait until the last minute for those. Yeah, I know we¢re going to want to buy food along the way. I¢m counting on a steak and baked potato every now and then. But, we¢ll be prepared so we don¢t have to unless we want to. If anybody out there has some good recipes you¢d like to share, I¢d love to try them!