morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-03-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

March 17. This is the day I was scheduled to fly to Atlanta and spend a couple days with Butch and Pat before heading to Springer Mountain to start our hike. Oh well. At least now I have the semblance of a plan for a later start.Last week I met with my Primary Care Doc and then went to the Trauma Clinic for a wound check and consultation. The consensus seems that ribs heal slowly. At six weeks they are about 50% healed. So, the recommendation is not to put myself in a position (like falling on a trail or skiing into a tree) to interrupt the healing process. I have an appointment for what I hope will be final x-rays and clearance for gradually increasing hiking activity on April 18.I bought a lumbar pack (that sounds so much more macho than ¢fanny pack¢) and have started using it on my daily walks. It does not apply pressure to my back and ribs. I will steadily increase the weight in the pack to somewhere around 18 pounds. The day after the six weeks from my crash, April 8, I will also start carrying a light backpack. I will gradually increase the weight in the backpack while decreasing the weight in the lumbar pack. Hopefully I¢ll be at full weight in the backpack (26 pounds) about the time I get the clearance. That will give me time to get back to nearly the level of conditioning I was at before I followed Linda into the trees. :-)My planed time line is:4-27         Fly to Atlanta.4-28,29   Final planning and equipment check with Pat.4-30         Butch drives Pat and I to a hostel near the AT where we stay overnight.5-1            The Hostel shuttles us to the trailhead. We start our thru-hike.I¢ll be making entries to this journal on an irregular basis some of which will be aimed at describing the trail and those who undertake the challenge of thru-hiking it.I think I¢ll take a walk. Beautiful day for it.ole slo
Date: 2013-03-20
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

My muse has instilled in me the notion that you must push yourself a little more each day in order to improve. I bought into this idea some time ago as results proved the concept. So you shouldn't be surprised that yesterday's walk incorporated an additional mile of distance and about 800 more feet of elevation than what I have done in the past several days. I decided to do this in order to push my pulmonary function. Did I prove the above concept? The jury is still out. My legs didn't have a problem with me carrying an increase to 18 pounds in my lumbar pack (love that term) but my lungs had a struggle keeping up with the added demand for oxygen in the thinning air.Neither of these results is a surprise; my legs weren't affected by the crash but my left lung was. I'll continue walking the same route for the next few days and see what happens. Tomorrow I'll 'probably start to work on the second most asked question by people who have heard of my planned thru hike. Also, I took pictures yesterday of the three major ski resorts within seven miles of my home. I'll try to figure out how to post them.Oh, did I tell you yesterday was a beautiful day for a walk in the hills? It's the last thing I thought of as I was falling asleep. Sleep well.ole slo
Date: 2013-04-23
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hi Everyone. This is Butch A.K.A. the son / logistics officer. In 1 week I will be driving Dad and Pat to North Georgia and dropping them off at the hostel in preparation for their "step-off" date of May 1. First let me say that as the time approaches it is great to talk to both of them and hear the excitement in their voice as they prep for this adventure. Pat has a pile of gear in his room that I wonder if it will all fit in his pack. Meanwhile the pile of backup supplies in my spare room grows daily.Dad will be here on Friday so that they can go over the final list and get last minute supplies i.e. FOOD.Yesterday Pat had a test run for setting up his tent in the front yard. It went well but he did learn the importance of clearing the spot of debris. THose little "Gumballs" under the tent are sharp.Let me say that I am looking forward to sharing their travels through texts and pictures for the next 5-6 months. If anyone has any questions please let me know.To Dad & Pat, I love you both and know this will be a fantastic voyage.As Dad says: Go SafelyButch
Date: 2013-04-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

4;35amBeautiful full moon when I got to my condo parking lot to wait for the airport shuttle. I hope the sky was clear when you ran this morning and you could see it.What better way to start the trip of a lifetime. Of course I've been fortunate to have several "lifetime" trips over the past few years. I figured I'd be early and wait in my car. Here I stand in 28 degree weather waiting for the shuttle and remembering that I brought my car to Jack and Rhonda's last night to garage it for the duration. Did I mention it's cold.4:55amIt's still cold.A word about the trips mentioned above. About 2005 a friend convinced me to realize dreams rather than work for works' sake. That was a lesson the friend learned from the loss of a loved one. I give thanks every day that I am still able to do what I do.Rollback on time... 30 minute delay on the taxi way. Thank you Washington. Every time I leave I think about the incredible luck I had one morning taking a picture of Park City, from above 10,000 feet, which shows the resort where I ski.First time I got to try the earphones that came with my iPhone 5. I don't like them. No music on this flight. When I went to my Primary Care Doc last week for final clearance for this trip I told him my breathing had not returned to what it had been and it caused me to hike slower. He said that with the type of trauma I had it could take up to 9 months to return to prior efficiency. Pity poor Pat trying to hike slow enough so we join up every now and then. He'll have plenty of time to contemplate the scenery.I can't tell you how glad I am that Butch has agreed to support us. I hope he doesn't change his mind once he realizes months from now what he got himself into.How many people helped to get me here? Family, friends, Ski Patrollers, co-workers, health care pros. How many times over more than the past half century could the path to this "Someday" have been diverted.Everything I know about backpacking I owe to discovering WhiteBlaze.net in 2004. This AT centric website lead me to backpacking light.com and to trailjournals.com. These sites have proved to be unending resources for technical expertise and personal experience.Bought a new set of earphones on my way to baggage claim.Interminable wait at the Avis counter in Atlanta. Finally made it out of Atlanta and to Butch's home in Milledgeville. His Mom and his other Dad were there to see their Grandson Pat off on his grand adventure. We all went out for a great meal. In spite of Avis it was a beautiful day. I will post this in the morning because now I'm gonna sleep well. Hope you do too.ole slo
Date: 2013-04-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Butch dropped us off at the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega and abandoned us to all the results of our plans. He will have spent most of the day behind the wheel of his truck. Thanks Butch. Pat, Joe and I stayed here about seven years ago and the place is just as beautiful now as it was then. The fact that even the grounds don't show any time-wear attest to the hard work owners Josh and Leigh Saint do to provide a first class accommodation for hikers.Leigh took a photo of us beneath the sign in their living room which commemorates the mountain that is the southern terminus of the AT. We will leave here in the morning as soon as we finish our 7:30am breakfast and be walking by 9am. We had a good weekend doing last minute purchases and organizing. A couple more small things will be sent to Butch and he will forward them to us.I noticed dogwood trees blooming on the drive to there and talking with another hiker in the hostel there will be large patches of wild flowers in our first few days, especially flame azaleas. One of the silver linings associated with the fallout from the crash and starting this late is walking during the wildflower season in the southern states.Linda asked earlier if I was getting excited. Short answer is YES, but why give a short answer when...I think that during my recuperation and retraining I was so focused on getting back into condition that "the dream" was no longer in the forefront of my thoughts. That mindset to get back to where I was became all important. Suddenly, with one question, Linda refocused me on "the dream" and for the rest of the day my mind has been projecting a kaleidoscope of images that could happen tomorrow. Yes I'm excited and I'm going to savor every occurrence tomorrow. This is the last planning entry to this journal. Tomorrow will be the first hiking entry.Today was a good utilitarian day. Tomorrow will be a beautiful day. I hope I sleep well enough to enjoy every moment. I hope y'all sleep well also.ole slo
Date: 2013-05-02
From: Horse Gap

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 10.5

My first goof of this trip came at the end of the first day. After setting up camp late yesterday I laid down and worked on the journal for an hour. Finally, too tired to continue I figured I would save what I had and finish it this morning. Well, nothing was there. You know I'm still a digital dinosaur. The app I was using has a save button and a undo typing button. Need I say more. I will write and post today's entry then rewrite yesterday's. With a little practice I may figure this out.Today was not very eventful. We were both up around 6:30 and once I realized retirement hasn't made me smarter I was on the trail at 7:40. Pat beat me by 20 minutes.It was a gray day but dry until 3pm. We were going to stealth camp at Woody Gap. We arrived there about the same time the rain did. Lets see, set up camp in the rain or call and see if there was room at Hiker Hostel where we stayed a couple nights ago. There was and they picked us up along with three other soaked, cold hikers, Hank, Mike and Jess. Only Hank is going back along with us in the morning.Got some good pics of the Georgia straight-up climbs.Makes me think I'm ordering Jack Daniels at a bar when I describe the climbs that way.The best thing about the day was the flowers. Some the same as yesterday and some different and new to be. Beautiful. I will bid you to sleep well and I'm going to start reconstructing yesterday's journal.ole slo
Date: 2013-05-04
From: Neels Gap

To: Whitley Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Total hiked: 6.7When I woke this morning I tried to post yesterday's journal. All of it but the first two paragraphs had disappeared. Aha... There seems to be a pattern. That app has now disappeared from my iPhone. I managed to rewrite and post the entry before leaving the hostel. I also went to the outfitter store which is part of the little complex here at Neels Gap residing in a CCC building made of stone. The AT passes thru the building. The only place where it does so on the route to Maine.Yak, who works at the outfitter, was kind enough to "shakedown" my backpack. They go thru all the stuff being carried and point out what isn't needed and what should be added. Yak said it was the easiest shakedown he ever did. All he could recommend is that I didn't need a small roll of packing tape (1.7 oz) to seal my bounce box because I can get tape at the post offices along the way.Mike followed me and he was able to send ten pounds of unneeded stuff home. Jason reduced his load by two pounds.The day started gray and cool so I wore my "sleeping" long john bottoms under my hiking shorts. Similar to yesterday, light rain was expected and yesterday it didn't soak my shorts.Today's weather can be described by adding "ER" to yesterday's report: cold...ER; windy...ER...; wet...ter. By the time I reached the Ravens Cliffssection I expected the downpour to turn to sleet, the wind was gusting strong enough to stagger me and the cold had started to be uncomfortable.The second half of the hike out of Neels was very rocky and with the rain and mud I looked at it as being treacherous. As such, I was very cautious and deliberate in foot and pole placements. No saves for the poles today, but not as fast hiking either. When I got to the shelter around three in the afternoon there were already six people there in various levels of repose in their sleeping bags. They had covered the front of the three sided shelter with tarps and were settled into their sleeping bags. They graciously started moving their gear including sleeping bags and pads to provide room for another soaked and frozen traveler. In my book that makes them all Trail Angels.I learned a few things during the course of the night. 1. Romove all wet clothes including underwear before getting into the sleeping bag like it says in everything you read. You won't warm up otherwise. 2. Don't compromise a warm layer being saved for just this type of event. 3. If the sky looks graywhen you start out, wear your rain gear starting out. It is a lot easier to take off gear you don't need than to talk yourself into putting it on while conditions are terrible. I said all along that hypothermia was what I considered the largest peril I would face on the trail. I feel fortunate that I narrowly dodged that frozen bullet this time. Another challenge was that my quilt was incompatible with my sleeping pad. The quilt has been replaced.I saw at least four types of beautiful flowers I would have made pictures of on a nicer day. I hope you slept well even as I he'd to work at it.   ole slo
Date: 2013-05-05
From: Whitley Gap Shelter

To: Hog Pen Gap
Miles today: 7.7

38.6   total miles I think I told you about the group at the Whitley shelter last night and how great they were in accommodating me. Well, they were up and packing well before 7am. They also were taking down the wind breaking tarps and packing them. I was still in my sleeping bag and had decided to stay the day right there. Suddenly it dawned on me I would be stuck for 13 daylight hours in a shelter open to the still strong wind with nothing to do or read.OK, plan B... Make a good breakfast and get to the next shelter then hunker down. Remember, it's gonna stop raining someday.By 8:45 they had all left for a total of three different destinations and I was heading out with intentions of getting to Low Gap shelter. On the uphill climb back to the trail (which didn't count as miles hiked) the weather started to get to be as bad as yesterday. When I got to Hogpen Gap it didn't take much to convince myself to call for a shuttle to a hostel and try to fix the sleeping bag and long john issues. I had to walk back and forth to keep from shivering g while waiting for the shuttle.On the way back to Hiker Hostel the driver stopped at the Neels Gap outfitter so I could get the sleeping bag problem resolved then dropped me at the hostel. Tonight the hostel shuttled four of us into town and I was able to get cotton pajama bottoms to sleep in. The only cotton in my pack, it is sure to stay in its water proof bag, and last nights' second major issue was solved. I brought back supper and even a six pack of Yeungling to share with other hikers.i spent time washing and drying clothes and trying to rearrange the stuff in my bag.The most beautiful part of the day was seeing a patch of blue sky on the way back to the hostel from town. Annie was right... The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow. Sleep well. :-)ole slo
Date: 2013-05-06
From: Hog Pen Gap

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: light rain

50.5 total hikedI woke this morning to the jarring sound of an alarm clock. I hope one of my bunk room mates forgot to turn down the ringer rather than expect all of us to wake up, which is what happened.Another great hostel breakfast. They have a lock on the recipe for waffles and old fashioned oatmeal.Today was the easiest hiking yet for the first ten miles. No trip hazards or slip hazards. Some of the ups were pretty steep but but the trail was smooth. No rock steps. I have come to realize I do better with shuffling baby steps than rock stairs with 10-18 inch risers.Remember Andrea the young woman who started with our hostel group he first day? Her Trail Name is now Raven. She was walking with Trail Runner Razor. Trail runners work for the ATC and patrol a section of trail and watch for unsafe situations, coach hikers in Leave No Trace hiking. They report maintenance needs such as the several large trees blown down across the trail during the storm two days ago.As easy as the first ten miles were the last two were pretty tough. There were sections of trail covered with all sizes of rocks up to duffle bag sized. Some were unstable and proved a challenge. While plodding along watching for every foot plant I remembered that two days ago in the raging storm with my head down for miles I thought that next ski season my ski instructor friends are going to grow hoarse shouting " Keep your head up!".Those last two miles were made tougher by my being tired already and I went slower than I usually do. I thought of the mantra "you need to push yourself every day in order to improve".Near the end of the day I met Rojo and So Far So Good. They were going a couple miles further to Unicoi Gap. So Far is proud of the fact she is a sixty year old woman from Kansas and told me to put it in my journal.When I got to the shelter it was full. What really annoyed me is that I had to ask of the group there three times if there was room before one of them acknowledged me. I guess their mothers never taught them manners.I am camped near the shelter and I have my tarp set up in storm mode because it is supposed to rain.. It takes a little longer to set up this way and you must contort yourself to get in.I think I told you I would take a picture but I forgot. Lets see if I remember in the morning.There were some small beautiful waterfalls along one section of trail today. Sleep well. :-)
Date: 2013-05-07
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: scattered clouds

58.6 total hiked. I woke at 6:20 to another gray day and packed up my 29 pounds of worldly possessions. As I was leaving the shelter area at 7:15 Raven came up to say hi and ask about Patrick. She had arrived at 6:30 last night and set up her tent a couple hundred yards away from mine. The day had apparently not been fun for her. As I walked along I could see through the newly budding trees the clouds laying low in the valleys. It reminded me of the hike to Machu Picchu. I didn't even try for a photo because of the trees. In a week or two this will be part of the long green tunnel the AT travels through.The poles scored a big time save a few inches from touchdown due to a mud on rock slip. As good as my NBs are they still need the help of a watchful pair of eyes. I have broken each step into three phases: look; pick a spot; step. When I was crossing the road at a Gap Jason was being droppedOff by the shuttle from Budget Inn in Hiawassee. Mike and Jack the pup were taking a zero day. A zero is when a hiker hikes ZERO miles for the day. On 5-5 I took a NERO, a day where I hiked nearly zero miles.I took a picture of a creepy crawlie that I think is a millipede. It's body was massive compared to any one of the many legs it is graced with.Heard an airplane for the first time in a week. A rude reminder that the contemporary world is not very far from this glorious wilderness.The first opportunity for pictures of surrounding mountains. Trees or clouds have been limiting or obscuring views since we started.When I got here at Tray Mountain Shelter Adam, Charlie and Patrick from Huntsville, AL along with their friend Chase from Memphis were already here. Shortly later Ken and Vida from Palm Harbor, Fl came in. The boys took the liberty of reserving a space for Raven who they knew would be in later. Larry from TN arrived and tented near the shelter. He is finishing a section hike of the entire AT which has taken him seven years. He will be done when he gets to Springer. Now that is stick-to-ittiveness. After a while he took some of us on a short nature walk and held an impromptu boring lesson. The most unique specimen he pointed out was a pale yellow trillium.This won't surprise you, I was the first in bed and destined to be the first up. The most beautiful part of the day was the three vistas from the top of TrayMountain. The first of many I'll be telling you about over the next 2,000 plus miles. Sleep well. :-)ole slo
Date: 2013-05-10
From: Hiawassee

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Hi everyone this Butch. Dad has limited cell coverage at this time, so I'll fill in what I know. He left Hiawasee this morning and at 2:50pm completed the GA section of the A.T. as he crossed over the GA/NC border.I think he's at the Muskrat Creek Shelter at 79.3 miles from where he started. Apparently he has the shelter to himself tonight. He or I will update this when he has better coverage later. I too want to thank everyone for the entries in the Guest book and on my FB page. As he said, Dad see's them and they really make his day. B Safe
Date: 2013-05-10
From: Dicks Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: light rain

81.4 total hikedThere are uncountable numbers of acorns along the AT from Springer to here. The trail is often referred to as The Long Green Tunnel due to the leaf canopy hanging overhead in season. I will always think of it from now on as The Cathedral Of The Oaks.Big breakfast at the Cafe. I can't remember the last time I couldn't finish a meal. So far I have succeeded in my battle against calorie deficit.There was a mix up on the shuttle back to Dicks Creek Gap today but it was solved by Gene who picked me up at the motel and delivered me to where I got off the AT yesterday. We discussed the tax advantages he has had from retiring in the area.Met the Adkins family from Central FL. Mom, Dad, two daughters and a niece. We played leap frog for a while.Met Dad Phil, Daughter Mckenzie and their dog Killer who must weigh no more than ten pounds.Saw another patch of the tiny white violets. Larry from TN says they are probably Canadian Whites. I call them Fairy Violets.A guy passed me who I later saw talking with a girl. They both later passed me and signed the register here at this shelter. She is walking, very fast, the Eastern Continental Trail from Key West to Newfoundland.I didn't see anyone between 1&6pm. It was nice to be able to think of this as a real wilderness with no body around for hundreds of miles.