morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-05-30
To: Day 6 Home
Miles today: 0.0

Hiking - Misc.In the last few days I've given some detail as what typical days were like. Today I'll cover a few of the atypical options.Shelters - there are Shelters all along the AT. Generally they average about 8 to 10 miles apart. Most are 3 sided wooden structures that could accommodate 6 to 20+ hikers. I did not like the shelters, preferring the privacy of my own tent. In shelters you get a space about 3 feet wide and 8 feet long, sometimes less if crowded due to bad weather. And you may get stuck on an upper level with a difficult climb up & down (problematic for nighttime pee trips). Generally the younger hikers seemed to gravitate to shelters and the older crowd to tents. They tended to be social circles with loud conversations oriented to the younger lifestyle. I spent 8 nights in shelters verses 32 in my tent. The rest were in hostels or motels.Hostels - they varied quite a bit. All were oriented to hikers. Most had a large room serving as a bunk house with rows of two levels of bunks. Most times they were reasonably comfortable except for space for your equipment(pack, boots, hiking poles, etc). Most helped hikers cover the basics they come to town for: a shower, clothes washer/dryer, resupply and/or shuttles to town for resupply. A few were really nice, clean and high class. They offered breakfasts, roomy spaces, etc. However hostels shared one problem with shelters - snoring. When you get a group of guys and gals sleeping in a room the chances of loud snoring are high. I didn't know initially but soon discovered my sleeping bag had a little zippered pocket on the inside. I learned quickly to keep a set of earplugs there for whenever the need arose.Hiker Camaraderie:In my AT hike I met as a minimum well over 100 hikers. I kept an iPhone list of hikers that I knew fairly well and have 77 names. There were probably at least that many more that I met briefly and/or didn't see the point of noting their names. Many of the 2nd group were quick one time meetings. The overwhelming majority of AT hikers are very nice people - friendly and helpful. It was my pleasure to meet so very many people I am proud to call hiker friends. On the trail the hike is a great equalizer. Doesn't matter if you're a company executive, a financially strapped student, a retiree, male or female, etc. You are just a hiker on the AT. In my case my best friend was a liberal from Massachusetts. We just agreed not to discuss politics. Lucky for him that I was a "Compassionate Conservative". Likewise, Paul Bunion was a very nice guy, dispute being a northeast liberal.
Date: 2014-05-31
To: Day 7 Home
Miles today: 0.0

FINAL THOUGHTSI anticipate this being my final entry of my 2014 AT Adventure. What started out as a real long shot (to complete the entire 2,185 mile AT in one year) turned out to be just that. From the beginning I knew all the vast array of stars would have to align just right for a successful thru-hike. Obviously the stars did not co-operate. And that is okay. It really is.With virtually no previous backpacking experience I set out. For over two months and 541 miles I lived my dream. I was able to witness absolutely stunning scenery that was the sole result of my personal effort to reach. I was easily out of my comfort zone and often struggling. But, it was worth every minute. To coin a phrase, "it was the hardest job I ever loved". I will always remember the joys and the struggles. And the many friends gained, especially Paul Bunion, my hiking buddy from Massachusetts for about two thirds of my journey.I was surprised and overwhelmed by the support received from family, friends and compete strangers who posted messages to my Trail Journal site. As I've said before; they were so very much appreciated and encouraging to me out in the wild. A sincere Thank You to all.And lastly to my wife of 43 years (as of a few days ago), Wendy. Without her agreement, her willingness to take care of everything at home and her total support, my dream never would have been more than a dream. So, now I am at home and acclimating to my former life. And I am happy with that. Physically I am happy that I lost 24 pounds getting me down to my lowest weight in several decades. A few mangled looking toes are returning to normal. A pain in my back is going away. However, I do have some issue with my left foot. It was hurting and somewhat swollen the last several weeks of the hike. That is still the case today even though I am trying to stay off it as much as possible since arriving home. X-rays this week ruled out a stress fracture or any other bone issue. Per doctors orders, we'll see if rest and soaking over a few weeks helps. If not, an MRI will probably be done. Will I ever hike more of the AT? Maybe more sections in the future. Or maybe another type of adventure (a long time dream of a 3 wheel motorcycle with a trailer for camping equipment and various weeks long journeys all over the country). Whatever the future holds, I absolutely loved my AT experience and will cherish it the rest of my days.I'd encourage everyone to go for your dream....whatever it may be. <Achin, over and out!
Date: 2014-08-26
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

A new Hello to Trail Journal followers. This is my first post since 5/31 from home when I had recently concluded my 2014 AT thru-hike adventure. Well, now after 3 months at home I'm about to get back on the AT for awhile and gets some more experiences. This coming Sunday, 8/31, Wendy will be driving Trudger and I to the point on the AT where I got off near Marion, VA (at mile marker 531.2). We will head north from there.I first met Trudger very early in my hike this spring. He, Paul Bunion and I hiked together for about 2 weeks before Trudger had to leave due to an injury. Several weeks ago after keeping in touch periodically and me mentioning I was thinking about a Fall hike, he decided to join me. That is no small feat since he lives in Peru (spent most of his life in NY State). He will arrive here this Saturday. So what exactly is the plan? Darned if I know. Actually, I'd like to hike for about 2 months assuming my body and mind are up to it...and of course Winter weather holds off. Actually I'm more concerned with Hurricane activity than winter. If any do come along they usually hit our traget area hard with tons of rain. I expect the possibility of getting to and beyond Harpers Ferry, WV and possibly Harrisburg, PA (approx 500 to 600 miles).Hopes are the weather will be cool; but, not cold. Cool enough to avoid bugs and snakes and sweating like a pig. And should see at least some Fall foliage. I really don't know when the bears go into hibernation..suspect later (Nov/Dec).I am not quite in the physical shape I was in in March. It's just been too darn hot here to get much practice hiking in. I have been doing morning neighborhood walks; but, nothing with big hills and a backpack. That is until this morning when I went into nearby Hitchcock Woods with a 30 pound backpack for about a 3 hour hike. Plan on another such event later this week.   One thing for sure is that there will be fewer hikers this time around. All the 2014 thru-hikers (northbound) are well ahead of VA and nearly finished. Expect to see some Southbounders who likely started in Maine in June. Usually there are only a few hundred Southbounders each year vs the few thousand Northbounders. And the meetings are very short due to going in opposite directions..either a few minutes on the trail or one night at a sleeping site.So, please check in this site periodically as I venture out as a "Section Hiker" and no longer a Thru-hiker. I plan on daily posts as before (phone coverrage and battery life permitting). Achin
Date: 2014-08-31
From: Home

To: Chatfield Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: broken clouds

Phase 2 - Day 1Today 7.0 To date 7.0 milesWe left Aiken at 5:45 this morning. Trudger had arrived right on schedule at 6:25 Saturday evening. Wendy said goodbye to us at the Mount Rogers Visitor Center and we started hiking at 11:50. She is a doll for riding up and driving home.After seeing Wendy drive off, we did not see another person all day. I had expected it to be quiet on the trail this time of year. Sure glad Trudger is with me. We're figuring on 6 days until resupply thus creating heavier than normal packs. Both of us started out at 39 pounds, fully loaded.For two old and overweight hikers with heavy packs and temps in the lower 80's, we struggled a bit today. However we made it to the shelter at 5:15 and have settled in just fine. Both are feeling like we're a little worn out; but, no injuries, blisters or overly sore muscles. Good for us the hiking was not that demanding today (when is the last time you heard a hiker say that?). And forecasted showers did not materialize.For our buddy Paul Bunion, yes we took many breaks and had a leisurely pace - to both our pleasures. We wish you could be with us.So, all in all a good first day.
Date: 2014-09-01
From: Chatfield Shelter

To: Campsite at Crawfish Trail
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Phase 2. Day 2Miles today 10.8. To date 17.8Forgot to mention yesterday, the miles showing up at the top of the journal are for my entire AT hike. In the body of the post will be just the section begun on 8/31.After a rain free night we were off at just after 8am. We both know that just starting out we should target about 8 or so miles a day giving our bodies some time to get used to the effort. However, from where we started this morning it was 18 miles to the next shelter. There were campsites in between at distances about 7 and 11 miles. We made the first one at about 1:30, so decided to go on. That would not have been a problem except that I missed in the guide book that there was no water source there. We were both low on water and the next source was not until the 2nd campsite. It was pretty warm and there were several challenging hills to negotiate. Obviously we made it. But we were out of water and quite thirsty and tired. I drank down a full liter as soon as we arrived. Try not to make that mistake again.A few special events today. We passed by an old one room wooden school house. I went inside to view, see pic. Second we stopped at the iconic "The Barn" famous for large Hiker Burgers. However, we arrived at 10:30 and they serve only breakfast until 11am. So we had omelets instead. And lastly we crossed Interstate 81. So, all is well and enjoying the hike. Trudger and I are doing well together.
Date: 2014-09-02
From: Campsite at Crawfish Trail

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: broken clouds

Phase 2. Day 3Daily miles 7.6. To date. 25.4We (unless otherwise noted, Trudger and I) had a hard climb right off the bat this morning going uphill for 1.7 miles. During the day we had a few other significant, but shorter climbs. There was a mixture of mountains and pasture walking today....some beautiful farm scenes. Crossed over many stiles today separating fields. With bright sun in the background the pic did not turn out so well.We're both struggling with uphills, me more so than Trudger. With no stupendous mountain top views, makes the climbs less rewarding than the earlier GA, NC and TN efforts.As far as wildlife we have seen some deer and a turtle. And Trudger saw a small snake.So far we've only seen a handful of other hikers. Much different than the mob of springtime through hikers.One bad thing about today, I set my tent up expecting no rain. About 9pm a thunderstorm hit quickly. My tent has 2 places to put extra stakes to pull out the sides further in bad weather. Of course, I did not think to put them in as I was gathering clothes I had hanging on tree limbs to dry out. As a result rain started coming in on the sides of the tent and I quickly had some puddles develop. Unwilling to go out in my only dry clothes to put in the extra stakes, I just laid there on my back for about an hour with both arms outstretched holding out both sides of the tent. A very fun experience. And boy were my as arms tired . In the morning it was not as bad as I was thinking. Some things were wet that I had to carry all the next day; but, no critical item.
Date: 2014-09-03
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: broken clouds

Phase 2. Day 49.1 miles today, 34.5 to date.It was a long day today....but, with some rewards. In the afternoon there was an almost continual climb of 4.4 miles with an elevation change of 2,080 feet. And it was a warm afternoon. The last 2 miles was out in the open with no shade through a narrow corridor of grassy spaces. I took a long break at a pond with a good water spring just above it and talked to Wendy for the first time. Trudger got way ahead of me and made to to the shelter about 2 hours ahead of me. Oh to be only 61 years old again. Tonight's shelter was one worth the climb, Chestnut Knob Shelter, see pic. It is a stone structure, 4 sides and a door that closes with a picnic table inside. And it is on top of a ridge with no nearby trees looking north and south. So we could look down into wide valleys seeing farms. Look into pictures to see views of sunrise, fog laden valleys, etc. We both think this was the best shelter so far from the start of the AT in GA. Was also nice to spread out my wet gears and clothes on the grass to get them somewhat drier.
Date: 2014-09-04
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

Phase 2. Day 510.0 miles today, 44.5 to date One of those days that never ends. Day starts out with a downhill, then about 5 miles of a fairly flat ridge walk and then a long 1,400 foot elevation drop. According to the AT Guide book I carry - looks like a relatively easy day. But, it did not go that way. Many smaller hills ate our lunch as we both struggled. And the last hour or so we were trying to beat impending thunderstorms. We almost did. I stopped to put the cover on my backpack but did not bother with my rain jacket. The rain actually felt good and I was only in it for about 15 minutes. With the rain going on I slept in the open faced shelter. And kept thinking about the sign at the shelter saying there had been bear activity there. But, all turned out OK. Actually Trudger saw his first bear earlier today. As most experienced hikers tell, about all your going to see is his backside running up into the woods. As he saw it facing him about 70 yards up the trail he yelled "BEAR". By the time I caught up, it was gone.
Date: 2014-09-05
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Bland, VA via Laurel Creek at VA615
Miles today: 4.8

Phase 2. Day 64.8 miles today. 49.3 to date.Started out the day knowing we were calling it quits. Both are tired, sick of everything being wet and most importantly struggling so very much with the uphills...even small ones. We both are thinking our days of being successful AT hikers are over. We're not kids anymore.We covered a lot of ground today in a relatively short time. We made it to a beautiful Laurel Creek about 10:15 and waited for a shuttle driver to give us a ride to the town of Bland. We're here at a motel and have already had a welcomed meal at DQ, had showers/dry clothes and are awaiting our BBQ Chicken pizza and dessert calzone for dinner. Then working on travel arrangements to get to our respective homes.Will do another posting upon my return home to wrap up my AT adventure for this year...and probably forever.
Date: 2014-03-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

After several years of dreaming about hiking the Appalachian Trail my thru-hike is right around the corner. I have one more leisure day (frantically running errands and making sure I have crossed all my t's and dotted all of my i's), one more work day, and then the annual Ocean View St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday will serve as my big send off. Sunday my parents will drive me down to Georgia where we will spend the night in the town of Helen. I plan to check out Helen before departing to get a feel for the layout of the town as it will also be where I pick up my first food mail-drop. Monday morning we continue on to Amicalola State Park, where I will hit the approach trail en route to the AT's southern terminus on Springer Mountain. Despite the constant feeling that I am forgetting something crucial for a successful thru-hike I am ecstatic and can not wait to begin.
Date: 2014-03-14
From: At home

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Just got done with my last night of work. I have all of my gear packed, finishing up vacuum sealing my first couple weeks worth of food, and trying to get my trail journal and fund raising information out to everyone who wants to follow along with or support my adventure. The only problem is that I think my mind started hiking several weeks ago, leaving my body here to navigate its way through the motions of everyday life and trail prep on its own. Everyday that passes my mind feels further and further detached from my immediate surroundings. Today it was all I could do to hang on to a train of thought for more than a few seconds, and this feat was only accomplished a few times with a large amount of effort. While there should be racing thoughts of what last minute preparations I could be attending to in order to ensure a certain measure of success in my early days on the trail, my mind is swamped with a rather incapacitating wave of excitement and anticipation that makes focusing on even minor tasks quite impossible. I'm afraid that if I don't start hiking soon my thoughts will have gotten so far ahead of my body that I will never catch up to them! With any luck and a swift pace I should be able to catch up to my mind and firmly reinsert it into my skull somewhere in the Smokies. Or maybe its gone forever... only time will tell.
Date: 2014-01-19
To: The planning continues...
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Being the equipment junkie that I am, I have been working on my equipment trying to figure it all out. I'm getting closer, just trying to tie up the loose ends. I have been working on what to use for keeping a journal while on the trail. Seems like there are tons of options soooo much technology these days, it's actually mind boggling. I'm thinking of going with a wifi type smart phone, there are just so many my head is spinning!!! I'm getting dizzy!!!
Date: 2014-01-29
To: "Support Angels"
Miles today: 0.0

I¢m very fortunate to have several of what I call ¢personal support angels¢ on board to help me with encouraging support as well as logistical support and advice. This trip or any long distance adventure would be much more difficult without some help from home. It¢s really hard to sell a 6 month journey away from home to your loved ones, and 6 months is a long time. My number one support person is my wonderful Girl Friend Susan. She is going to be there for me with all types of support, from mail drops, to words of encouragement on a dull day. I have to say she puts up with a lot of my antics, since this isn¢t my first adventure. My Mom who is 87 is also a big part of the support team. She has always been there for me with words of wisdom and encouragement, not to mention her wonderful baked goods. The other person I need to mention is my son Bryan, he is a big inspiration for me, he is young and has lots of young ideas, and he always has good advice and he good at helping me reason things out. I¢m very appreciative of all this support, it means a great deal to me and it is a factor in the success of this journey. I also want to pre thank everybody that stumbles or has stumbled into my guest book and has left me words of encouragement. I¢m not usually this serious in my journaling but this support is very important to me!      Thank You All!
Date: 2014-02-06
To: Reinventing Yourself
Miles today: 0.0

Every time I go on a long distance adventure it always seems as though I'm reinventing myself. It¢s probably because there are so many changes that take place, before, during, and after the trip. For this trip a major change is closing the small bicycle/outfitter shop I have been operating part time since 2007, located in Cheshire, MA. I have mixed feelings about it, but the thoughts of another thru-hike have overpowered the thoughts of keeping it open. So I guess this is the beginning of my reinvention. It seems like every time I go through this reinvention I always come out of it a better and more knowledgeable person, change is good. For this trip I will also have to leave a full time position I have held for 3 years, but again the excitement of another long adventure outweighs the job and benefits, it seems as though less is more in this case. When I hiked the A.T. in 05 I thought I would figure it all out while I was hiking and come back with my life all reinvented, but I enjoyed the challenge and the thrill of it so much that I never spent any time figuring anything out for my life after the trail other than what my next adventure would be. I think what happens is the adventure is the cleansing part of the reinvention, the rest will come after the trip is over, things tend to fall in place easier when you have a clear head. So I think this is the way I¢m going to look at this trip it is the cleansing stage. It will be nice to purge out all the negativity that comes with being a member of society. It is nice to drop out of the rat race for a while and I think it is necessary for any reinvention to be successful. I always try to remember when I¢m out there, what is the alternative to being on this adventure? The answer is different for everybody, for me, the answer would be, (besides being home with my loved ones) back to the rat race, laws, taxes, rules, crummy bosses, the list goes on, so it is easy for me to stay positive and focused for the duration of the trip.
Date: 2014-02-12
To: The gear set is complete!!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: snow

After months of research and trial and error I have successfully replaced all of my gear, except the WM sleeping bag (what else is there!!). I was able to sell all of my old/extra gear on EBay, which financed all of the new gear. Like for every adventure everything is going to be on trial and error for the first week or two until it all gets put through the true A. T. test. I really tried to reuse some of my gear that I previously used on my first thru-hike but I think I¢m a ¢Gram Freak¢ now, the stuff was just too heavy.For my 05 hike I started with 35lb fully loaded pack with the winter gear and all, and was in the mid 20¢s when I finished. For this hike I was shooting for 17lb base weight which will be roughly a 25lb fully loaded weight. It looks like my base weight is going to come in at about 16lbs and change. I think I can deal with it. My body weight is also 25lbs less than it was on my last thru-hike, so in the end I will be coming to the A. T. with 35lbs less to deal with then I had in 05. When I switch over to summer gear the whole kit should come in at around 14lbs. base. I try to carry 3-4 days of food max and 2L of water for the duration of the hike, which means you, have to go into more towns for resupply. I will probably only do about 3-4 mail drops if that many. I forgot to mention that Henry cat is not part of the gear as much as he wanted to be! I¢m cat sitting for my son.