morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-07-24
From: Manchester Center

To: Peru Peak Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: light rain

Well I have a new name for Vermont. It is Vermuck! Never have I been in a place where I have waded through such black nasty, swampy, much! Exce[t in 2005-it was there during that hike also. I ask myself over and over again, why am I doing this to myself again? I really must be a little crazy in the head!The trail today was relentless. Huge climbs out of Manchester Center withrocks, roots, and much that never let up. To make it even worse, the trail was very wet from the previous nights' rain. This had to be one of my most miserable days on the trail yet!I did not leave until around 11 this morning and did not arrive at this shelter until around 5:30 P.M. I saw only one other hiker and the trail offered no views, just foliage on a very narrow trail. Vermuck is known as the long green tunnel and it is sure that. I am glad to be at the shelter this evening. I am tired and lonely and in for another long day tomorrow. Until then, goodnight!
Date: 2007-07-25
From: Peru Peak Shelter

To: Minerva Hinchey Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: clear sky

Wow! Another long day finished! I had originally only planned to go to Greenwall Shelter, but found out from a South-bounder that the water source was not good at this shelter. It was also .3 mile off the trail so I was not going to chance a shelter with no water. I ran out of water just before the trail to this shelter. So I headed down the mountain to find the next water source. The next shelter was 5.2 miles away so I was hoping to just fill up with water and find a camping spot along the way. I was tired and really not looking forward to another hard climb over Bear Mt. However, there were no decent campsites to be found, and over Bear Mt. I went. Very, very tough for me after already having done around 14 miles in very hot weather. I made it though and was happy with my milage, but was thoroughly exhausted by the time I arrived at the shelter. Ziola was also there, along with another group of young people who were tenting just beyond the shelter.Ziola and I thought we would just stay in the shelter, but I soon found out that the mosquitoes also like to hang out in there! They were horrible! I found myself up at around 10:30 P.M. and setting up my tent inside the shelter to ward off these pesty insects. Looking forward to tomorrow morning as I only have around 3 miles to go to the Whistle Stop for breakfast! Yahoo!!
Date: 2007-07-26
From: Minerva Hinchey Shelter

To: Vt. 103
Miles today: 3.3

Only 3.3 miles today! I met a fellow in the Whistle Stop Restaurant that was going to Rutland, Vt. and decided then and there that I had had enough! I had taken another hard fall coming down from the shelter and knew that ahead of me was some of the most rugged sections of trail to be traversed yet. Killington peak was not something that I wanted to climb again!And so, to make a long story short, my 2007 trek, has ended. I elected to get off the trail and go home and let my body heal up. My back hurts, my ribs still hurt, both knees are banged up, and I have just had enough. My heart is no longer into this hike and it is no longer fun, but instead just hard work!Maybe someday, I will replenish the desire to come out and finish the trail, but never will I attempt another thru-hike! I admire anyone who is able to do this; they deserve all the credit in the world!I wish to thank all of you who offered support to me while out here on the trail. You have all been so wonderful!!! But for now, I am so looking forward to going home! Dorothy is coming to pick me up and I should be home sometime Saturday evening!! Thanks again to all of you!! Best of luck to my friends who have the stamina to continue on! I will uphold you in my thoughts and prayers!!
Date: 2007-01-10
To: Why Do It Again?
Miles today: 0.0

Returning from a three month trip to Alaska with backpacks, my husband (Larry)and I were remembering the experience when he popped the question. Do you think we could hike the AT? I had been telling him about the Hike of '86 for five years. That hike was 25 years ago and we are now closing in on 60. I had already... been there, done that... and my body wasn't 38 this time. I anguished over the idea for days reliving the cold, the wet, the hunger, aches and pains and total exhaustion. Aches and pains I have just getting up in the morning. Larry is thin and strong (even with his own aches and pains), but I'm thirty lbs. overweight, out of shape and suffering with foot problems. I must be crazy to even consider it. Then I remember the sights and smells of the Trail. The new life of spring rising from the forest floor and turning brown, deadlike trees into a landscape of green. The music of birds, rushing water, wind in the trees and the snoring of strangers turned comrades and friends in a crowded shelter. These memories and more began to overtake the fearful doubts and unbelievably I was considering the possibility. But the question of my poor feet still lingered. Then I recalled the nightly complaints of fellow hikers and my own hiking for five weeks on a badly sprained ankle. Hope springs eternal! My body can do it again, not the whole trail in six months, but at a slower pace, shorter days with less miles and rest days in each town. This time we will be section hikers. Eight months split in two years and only 1100 miles each year. We are retired, the hard push of life is over and so will be that hard push to Katahdin that I made the last time. So that's how the decision came to be and we leave May 1 this year for the adventure of a lifetime. This time I have someone to share it with that loves the outdoors and will be there when I need someone to lean on and encourage me to take that next step and the one after that too.
Date: 2007-01-10
To: Getting Ready
Miles today: 0.0

The decision to "do it" is made. Now the preparation begins. I strongly believe in lots of preparation and then handle the unforseen when it happens. I have begun to workout in the gym to strengthen my feet, legs, stomach, back and arms. Last time I let this happen on the trail.I ordered AT movies and data books, set up a spreadsheet and planned our progress day by day to Harper's Ferry and into Maryland. I'm still revising that as I read the journals from last years hikers. I would love to go light, I know I can't leave town with 50 lbs anymore, but I'm hoping that sharing the load will allow me a few luxuries such as camera and weather radio. I'm aiming for packs that weigh between 38 and 42 lbs. Our three man tent and Coleman propane stove are hard to part with after serving so well in Alaska. We won't be needing winter weather clothes or heavy sleeping bags with our late start.Clothes have been purchased and packed away for the trip. New heavy stiff- soled boots are waiting for me to begin the break-in six weeks before we leave. Our hiking boots will be the only footwear we put on our feet during that time. That includes going out to dinner, shopping or to the movies. Our beach booties will be camp shoes and I'm carving and sanding on the hiking staffs.Shopping in grocery stores takes hours now because I get side-tracked in every aisle looking for new meal ideas. In '86 food options were oatmeal, granola, mac & cheese, p-nut butter, rice and GORP. Now the choices seem endless. Foil packages contain tuna, chicken and salmon. Thankfully, dried beef still comes in jars and only needs repackaging. It appears that towns now cater to hikers, so I will be sending a few mail drops and purchasing most food as we go. Larry is trying to gain 15 lbs before we leave. I watch him eat ice cream, cookies, potatoes etc. knowing this will be important in the beginning until his body adapts to the new diet and exercise.The days go slow as we anticipate what lies ahead.
Date: 2007-01-10
To: Choices
Miles today: 0.0

Preparation seems to be all about "choices." Rash, informed or personal...choices. The latter being the reason there are so many...choices.Tent or shelter, filter or chemical, alcohol or gas, I could go on and on. From boots to poles and everything in between. To "slack pack" or carry it all the way, so it goes. I remember in '86 the first 30 miles of the trail and in each shelter there were the discards of poor choices. Everything from alcohol and powder for feet, pots and trowels to wearing apparel could be found. Hikers were struggling with 60 lb packs. Today, information makes for better choices. Still it comes down to personal choice. I won't carry a cell phone, but this time I will carry a weather radio. We chose super small walkie-talkies over whistles. We will tent rather than sleep in shelters. We snore. I will start out with two hiking staffs in hopes to avoid the sprained ankle I had in '86. This time I won't leave them on top of Mt. Katahdin.Meal choices are exciting. No Mountainhouse for me, although they were the primary dinner source the last time. I plan to make pancakes some mornings, carry spices to dress up rice and macaroni, drink Baileys in Cuban expresso and still enjoy warm chocolate pudding around a fire.
Date: 2007-01-11
To: The excitement builds.
Miles today: 0.0

I am really getting excited since I have posted this journal. As you can see the card is completed and this morning I awoke mulling over the problem of the camera. The photography is always a huge part of all our travels. We lugged the camera bag all over Alaska, so I have been putting off making the final decision about it on this hike. It was a poor idea for two reasons. First, the weight and then the possibility of damage. While talking my concerns over with Larry I suddenly came up with the answer. The light bulb nearly exploded over my head. Fifty of our Hawaii pictures were taken with a disposable underwater camera and they were not all taken under water. Some were from the shore and some were taken in the rain during a kayak tour. These pictures were all terrific. Now I had durability and protection from the elements plus a great reduction in weight. But what if they were hard to find along the trail? This presented another problem. I jumped on the internet and ordered 20 cameras. Larry is still laughing. Now, of course they will require more drop boxes along the way. Oh well, I might as well include foil pkgs. of tuna, chicken and salmon, contact lenses, etc. etc. etc.... I suppose before all is said and done we will be involved with one of those "bounce boxes" too.The tiny walkie talkies were an easier decision. Larry and I will most likely hike at different paces. His stride eats up the ground while I practically hobble along behind. Even though he promises not to leave me, I know it's difficult to constantly wait for someone. I'm hoping we can become comfortable, hiking apart on easy trail, while we stay in touch vocally. The weather radio is also tiny. It weighs slightly more than the battery. Works great and answers the question, "Anyone know what the weathers going to be tomorrow? Is this rain going to stop?
Date: 2007-01-13
To: Losing Sleep
Miles today: 0.0

I lay awake thinking...thinking. Whose going to be my transcriber for this journal? Who will take care of my plants? I start every other sentence with, "Guess what I thought of?" Larry just laughs, he listens well. Now that we will be sending more boxes (because I bought 25 underwater disposable cameras)and dealing with a "bounce box" along the way, I'm considering buying the tuna, chicken and salmon in foil pkgs. to include in the boxes. I'm concerned they may not be found in small towns along the trail. So we are going to try out some hiking meals before we purchase. I have warned Larry that camp meals at home never taste as good as they do after hiking. We will have to eat them outside around a campfire, sitting on a log holding a drink with dirt and bugs floating in it to get the real effect. We live in a motorhome full-time and have a campfire most nights, but it isn't like camping. In Alaska I watched Larry make a fire in a drizzly rain that had been coming down all day. I was amazed. The fire made me forget it was wet and cold. That's the picture displayed on our personal cards(see previous page). Larry's the type of person that just picks up and goes. He can handle anything that comes. Let's just pack up and go! is his motto. I am entirely the opposite. I first gather all the reading material I can get my hands on. This time the movies were very informative and entertaining. Then I sit with maps, data books and computer spread sheet. Every mile is added, each days journey researched and noted. Town stops are cataloged with number of meals needed until the next town, motel or hostel and number of zero days in town. It lists chosen campsites or shelters and the water source. I have read last years trail journals to gather info on terrain and water sources and adjust our hiking miles accordingly. Now I'm entering each day onto a calendar page for each family member to track along with us. This way they will know when to expect our phone calls and where to start looking for us!
Date: 2007-01-17
To: Change is good.
Miles today: 0.0

I have fought this, but it was inevitable. My Larry can't live without Chloe and she would be miserable without him. She loves me too, but they have a rare bond. I can no longer keep her from joining us on the trail. No groans please. I strongly believe that children should be seen and not heard. This goes double for dogs. She has had 7 years of obedience training and is extremely well behaved. We will be tent camping primarily although Chloe's presence in a shelter will be mostly unobserved. As much as I love dogs, I have zero tolerance for those that misbehave and are a nuisance. She will bathe every day at the end of the hike the same as we will and sleep between us never approaching anyone unless permitted. My only regret is that her smell will keep all bears and most other animals away. Not skunks though. Thankfully her small size (20lb miniature schnauzer)will require a small amount of dry food beefed up with our rice or pasta. My drop boxes are increasing in numbers daily. Her food will be portioned out between boxes along with the foil pkgs of chicken, tuna and salmon. More about that in the next journal entry. I will shave off her beautiful hair and let her grow back on the trail. She won't care. Airplane tickets from Orlando to Atlanta are out. Now we will drive the Mini RV (we have two RV's) to as close as we can get to Springer and store it for 4 months. Arrange for a shuttle to take us to Amicalola Falls and the start of our journey. We will remain a family and with Chloe along the adventure becomes complete. She is always along on our hikes and it was terrible thinking of leaving her behind on this one. Now I must go back over our town stays and choose lodging that allows a dog. Then look into arrangements for boarding her while we go through the Smokies. What next!!!
Date: 2007-01-17
To: Food selection
Miles today: 0.0

Food is all consuming on the AT. From am to pm, you think about food. Spotting an eggshell creates daydreams of eggs in all forms. Same goes for Pepsi etc... Anything fresh is a delight be it berries or wild onions (ramps). It is almost impossible to imagine the emotional and physical importance food takes on when you are sitting at home just a room away from the kitchen. A crying jag can be brought on by the fear of not enough cookies to last until the next town. At home I don't even eat cookies. In '86 I tried a freeze-dried steak from the local outfitters. It looked and felt like painted cardboard. Ater soaking it for an hour and then frying it up I have to say it was delicious. At home I would have thought it was insane, but on the trail only the cost was prohibitive. Maybe that's why they are no longer around. Here is my list of food. Breakfast: Grits and dried beef. Oatmeal or cereal with powdered milk. Pancakes with btl. margarine and honey and instant coffee. Lunch: PopTarts, granola bars and trail mix. A good breakfast will allow for a smaller lunch. Dinner: Pasta, Lipton rice sides, Idahoan Mash Potatoes mixed with tuna, chicken, or salmon in individual foil packages. Dessert is warm instant chocolate pudding, cookies and/or cuban expresso with Baileys. Drink will be coffee, tea or water during the day. We may carry some spices to jazz up the mash potato meals. We visited Wal-Mart this week and purchased all of the above dinner items. This week we will be experimenting on the taste and quantity of each. If we like them the meats will be bought and included in the drop boxes. Pasta and rice will mostly be bought as we go except in very small towns. The Baileys will be shipped along with divided amounts of Cuban coffee. Next entry is chosen clothing. I will tell it like it is.
Date: 2007-01-17
To: To wear or not to wear.
Miles today: 0.0

First let me explain the difference between thru-hikers and townies or weekenders as we called them. Thru-hikers learned a certain trail etiquette. A persons space was respected and everyone changed from hiking clothes to dry camp wear immediately upon reaching the shelter, especially if it was raining. At first, modesty ruled. You hid in the woods to change, then you began to find a fairly large tree to get behind, then you hung your poncho up in the corner of the shelter. It always fell down just as you were completely naked. Soon you observe that thru-hikers turn their back on you while conversing, giving you the necessary privacy to strip out of wet hiking attire and thankfully get into dry warm camp clothes. When it's raining outside and the shelter is crowded just what else can you do but go for it. Townies have not learned this privacy rule so a hard stare and the offer to sell tickets to the show is most often necessary to get them to turn around. The next scenario is behind the shelter. The same shorts and top is worn each hiking day. In the Appalachians they rarely dry overnight and must be put on the next day just as they are. Like a wet bathing suit, you get the idea. You save this last detail until the last possible moment before leaving camp. Running behind the shelter seems the easiest and most proper thing to do, but needless to say you are rarely the only one back there. No matter you just go to it. The morning is chilly and damp so one doesn't hesitate when it's time to change and go. That being said, the putting on or taking off of underwear is troublesome and I feel unnecessary. Underwear is more weight, more to pack, more to wash and more to dry. After the rain your outer clothes will dry but your underwear stays damp at best. This holds true if you jump in to swim somewhere. Guys and Gals, "Let 'em swing." Think about it and leave it at home, it will save you the postage of mailing it home later.
Date: 2007-01-17
To: Summer clothes
Miles today: 0.0

Leaving May 1st will mean that winter clothes will not be necessary. Here is our list: three pairs of outer socks, three liners. Two shorts and two tops. These should be very light and quick drying. One set is worn each hiking day no matter what. The other is saved for town. One long pants and one long sleeve shirt for night camp wear after bathing. Misquito net head cover. One Frogg Toggs rain suit with hood. This will be worn for warmth or rain. Beach or swim booties for camp or crossing creeks. Hiking boots. Laundry will be done wearing rain suit if necessary to wash everything else. Each of us will have a camp towel and disposable dish towels will be supplied in each drop box. I am starting to save 1/2 toilet paper rolls for the drop boxes. In this way we each keep our own roll handy. I played with the idea of no drop boxes this time, but they make life so much easier. The one size box with the fixed price no matter what it weighs makes it easier to pack, label and stamp than years before. We plan to keep very close to the schedule so PO stops should not be a problem.
Date: 2007-01-19
To: Hiking with Chloe
Miles today: 0.0

Today was the day I told Chloe she was hiking the AT. She misunderstood and ran to put on her leather. A trip usually means riding the Harley which she dearly loves. Today I also started my research into boarding kennels around the Smokies. I happened on a website article entitled "Hiking with Fido." It was very informative and well written. A must read for anyone taking their dog along. The vet that hiked the AT with his two dogs in '88 covers everything from encounters with porcupines to heartworms. He named a product for toughening the foot pads which I will begin 4 weeks before we leave. Larry runs a mile with Chloe each morning so she is in good physical shape. She's too small to carry a pack, but the addition of her food is something we will handle. The disposable cameras arrived today. All 25. Instead of being disposable they are reloadable. I guess this means we will only need to use half of them this year and that leaves half for next summer. We can reload and use them until the flash battery dies. Then you throw them away. They won't be good enough for distance shots, but those I can get off the internet. I will mostly take pictures of life on the trail with the cameras. I told Larry I am devoting two whole days this week to the AT planning. That means I only leave the computer for nourishment. I like to immerse myself into the planning without interruption. In this way my concentration stays totally focused. I will be making arrangements to store the little RV as close to the trail as possible for the four months. A list needs to be made of items for the drop boxes, when and where to send them. Camping and water seems to be somewhat of a problem in the Shenandoahs. I am still researching and making decisions on each days travels through there. It's hard to imagine doing 20 mile days sitting here in the living room. I know the terrain gets easier so it's not impossible. I know all the young athletic hikers out there are reading this and laughing. I also know that 60 is going to happen to all of them...at least they better hope it does.
Date: 2007-01-19
To: Sad news
Miles today: 0.0

As you can see by the picture, I told her she could not hike the Smokies. I am still checking with kennels in the area. She is very well behaved and we have left her with my mom a number of times. She stayed with her for the three months we were in Alaska and had the run of Mom's whole campground. Therefore, 7 days boarding shouldn't be too hard on her. I would think she will be happy for the rest. Larry would probably yellow line the Smokies just to avoid leaving her, but I'm too much of a purest for that. I'm still debating with myself over slack packing. Trail Journals was just what I needed to regenerate my enthusiasm and push away my 60 year old anxiety. The questions still reside in the furthest recesses of my mind, "Can my body do this again? Do I still have what it takes to go on day after day? What about my balance, coordination and uphill strength? What if I fall again?" I tripped and fell walking on a sidewalk in Alaska. I smashed up my face pretty bad and busted out my four upper front teeth. I shoved the teeth back in as straight as I could, applied pressure to stop the bleeding, held ice to the outside and sucked on pieces of ice while we shopped for groceries and then proceeded to spend the last two weeks in Denali which was the two best weeks of the whole summer and I refused to miss them. I now have $5,000 worth of new teeth in a permanent bridge and I'm a little protective of them to say the least. A fall on the trail will probably not knock out my teeth, but I no longer feel like, "It can't happen to me" anymore. I will be hiking with a staff for better stabiliity. If I had had the staff in Alaska, I never would have fallen.