morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-05-27
From: Iron Mountain Gap

To: Greasy Creek Gap
Miles today: 4.2
Weather: clear sky

I got back on the trail today. As you can see, I didn't go very far, but I didn't start until after 1 pm. After my mom's funeral and visiting with family, my sweet St. Mike drove me all the way back to the back of beyond, where he had picked me up on Friday. We arrived at Iron Mountain Gap which is in some of the prettiest country I have ever seen, and it was a beautiful day, too. I climbed the hill above the road and turned around and watched him pull away in the Jeep, to go back down the long country road, back to the highway, then to the interstate, to begin his long drive back home, without me. I wanted to run back down the mountain, waving my arms and shouting for him to come back. But I didn't. Then I realized I still had my phone, and I could call him after he got out of sight, and he would come back. But I didn't. I wondered why in the world I was letting the best man in the world drive away from me, and what was I doing standing on a lonely mountainside by myself. But I turned around and kept trudging up the trail. My plan for the day was a modest one, just over 6 miles to the next shelter. That distance was easy and I had plenty of time even though I planned to walk very slowly. I walked and I trudged, nothing seemed easy. But more than that, nothing seemed interesting, or adventurous, or magical, like it always has. I didn't feel like I was "hiking the Appalachian Trail", with all its mystique. I felt like I was dragging myself up a path. A path to what? I couldn't have answered that question, or what I was doing there, or where I was going, or where I wanted to go. At just over 4 miles, with 2 to go to the shelter, was the turnoff to go to Greasy Creek Friendly, the hostel I spent a few days in last week, when I was undergoing another loss of will. It's the hostel where I got the call that my mom had passed away. I had warm feelings for Connie, the owner, for the hostel itself, and for the wonderful hikers who were there with me last week and were so kind to me that they didn't seem like strangers. I didn't even hesitate at the turnoff. I didn't make a decision to go back to the hostel, there was no decision. My feet just turned off the AT and onto the side trail. It was .6 miles to the hostel, and I don't remember second-guessing my path. I just walked it, and finally came to the hostel, opened the back door, and walked in. Connie was there, standing in the kitchen as usual. There were a couple of new hikers there, one I had met earlier on the trail. Connie seemed to understand why I was there, and didn't question it. I sat down at the table and Connie got the Mello Yello that I had left in the refrigerator. And I knew I had some thinking to do. I will have an update for you tomorrow.
Date: 2013-06-16
From: Greasy Creek Gap

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 1.9
Weather: broken clouds

I'm back on the trail! We left home early this morning to make the 300 mile trip that it seems like we have been making a lot lately. We stopped to go to mass along the way, then on to Johnson City, then to Unicoi, to Buladean, then we pulled up to the Greasy Creek Friendly early in the afternoon. It was good to see Connie again and do some catching up on trail news. She says the norovirus is not eradicated yet. She had three hikers throwing up in her house last week.The weather was nice, mid 70s, but I really felt the humidity, especially after I started hiking. I said my goodbyes to Mike and Connie, and started up the trail behind her house. It's 0.6 miles from there to the trail, and it felt longer. My pack is lighter without the winter gear, so it felt light to me, but the 2 1/2 weeks at home have made me soft. Walking felt hard. Any ideas I was harboring about bypassing this first shelter for the next one, which is only another 7.6 miles, fled quickly. I couldn't believe the temp was only in the 70s, I was hot and sweaty. What will I do when the thermometer reaches the 80s? Or the 90s?! I was huffing and puffing, out of breath, while walking very slowly, sauntering really, on easy terrain. Maybe tomorrow will be easier. So I was glad to come across this little shelter. I got here at about 3:30. What to do with all the remaining hours of daylight? It was so quiet. My overactive imagination kicked in and I started imagining rabid bears and serial killers. Oh dear. I'm usually not easily scared but this--seemed scary! How far is it back to Connie's? I started weighing the comforts of her little house against the shame of quitting for a third time from the same location.But instead, I got busy. I walked around and scouted out the area, then I walked down the blue blazed trail to the creek and got my water and filtered it. When I got back to the shelter I realized that there were no bear cables, so I hung my food bag up high in a tree. Then I gathered firewood and laid up a fire, but didn't light it yet. I taunted the North Carolina bugs that are flying around but not bothering me with my Bug Voyage spray. I debated with myself back and forth--hammock vs. shelter. The hammock is much more comfortable so it should be a no-brainer, but I've come to realize I don't mind sleeping in shelters as much as I thought I would, and I kind of like having a roof and walls. Plus it's easier.I really was nervous about being alone though. I just felt uneasy, and even though I told myself I was being silly, I still felt spooked. I was just about to start a sudoku puzzle and I was reconciled to staying alone when--I wasn't alone anymore! Two very nice older gentlemen, section hikers, joined me, and I have to admit I was happy to see them. Darrell and David are from North Carolina and hike a section of the AT every year. I do appreciate the company. Maybe tomorrow the hiking will be easier.
Date: 2015-05-02
To: Back on the trail tomorrow!
Miles today: 0.0

I am getting back on the trail to hike the next 100 miles from Dennis Cove Rd, where I left the trail two years ago, to Dickey Gap near Troutdale, Virginia. I am so happy and excited (and yes, a little nervous) to get back out there. I am overweight and out of shape, so this will be a real experiment! Can it be done? We shall see. The reasons I think I can do it are that the terrain is a little easier on this part of the trail than the sections I have behind me. Virginia is not flat, but the elevation profile in my guidebook looks a little less like an EKG in V tach and a little more like V fib. Also, since I'm giving myself two full weeks for this section I can take some shorter days.My pack is heavy, though, with seven full days of food to last me to Damascus. Last year I went back and hiked that 14 mile section from Lemon Gap to Hot Springs that I had skipped in 2013, so I feel better knowing that I am not really a yellow blazer after all. I am officially a section hiker now, not a thruhiker, a realization that hurts a little, and is a relief at the same time. When I complete this section I will be up to 516 miles, only about 1,600 miles to go! It should be full thruhiker season around Dennis Cove now, so I expect to see other people on the trail and to have company at the shelters in the evenings, which is a comfort. I have been enjoying town life for so long that I think I will feel uneasy in the woods, at least in the beginning, if I am alone. Mike is driving me to Hampton today and will hike the first two miles out of Dennis Cove with me, and spend the night at the shelter there with me tonight. Then tomorrow---off I go! Wish me well!
Date: 2015-05-04
From: Watauga Lake

To: Wilbur Dam Rd.
Miles today: 4.2

I ended up enjoying myself last night at the hostel, in spite of the "trail shock" I felt after rediscovering the difficulties of hiking. I love the camaraderie of the other hikers. I slept poorly because the hostel cats kept running in and out through the metal storm door at the foot of my bunk. CRASH! As one would throw itself at the door. Then BANG! as the door slammed shut behind it. Nevertheless,I woke up excited for another day of hiking. I packed the Green Monster and joined the other hikers crammed into the back of the truck for the drive to the lake. I would be the only hiker going north,everyone else was doing the slackpack section I did yesterday.Before I started I said this hike would be an experiment,a test to see if a person could start hiking in poor physical conditioning and still manage to hike the trail. Well,the results are in,and the answer is: yes, it can be done, but it's not a good idea. Stay tuned and you'll see why.I started walking on the trail around the lake. The air was cool, the lake was lovely, and the pack was comfortable on my back. The trail was flat around the lake and I didn't see any bears, although this was the "bear activity" area. I also didn't see many other hikers. It was quiet and peaceful and I was a happy hiker. I passed through the dam area and was just about to start the long uphill climb to Vandeventer Shelter when it happened. The trail was rocky, and my ankle turned as a rock shifted under my left foot. OUCH! When the stars receded from my vision I rolled the sock down to look at my ankle and there was a lump the size of an egg under the ankle bone. I stood up and realized I would not be walking up to Vandeventer Shelter. Using my trekking poles to support as much weight as possible, I hobbled back to the closest road crossing,and called for a shuttle. I went back to Dennis Cove Rd, but I went to Black Bear Hostel instead of Kincora. I remembered it from 2013, it's where my last hike ended. I hope it doesn't end here again! I came here because it's cleaner and less claustrophobic than Kincora. If I have to stay for a day or two it will be more comfortable. There's a little room called the Bear's Den with a comfortable couch, a tv with a DVD player, and a stack of movies. Another injured hiker named Square Peg is here, and we're sitting side by side on the couch, each with a leg up on a chair,ice packs on our respective extremities. The Bear's Den is now an infirmary,and I am a frustrated,impatient patient. I'm just hoping my ankle is good enough to walk on tomorrow. That sound you hear is me gritting my teeth.
Date: 2015-05-05
From: Black Bear Hostel

To: Black Bear Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

I don't think my ankle is sprained. I sprained an ankle about 10 years ago, and I felt and heard a definite pop when it happened, and there was immediate bruising as well as the goose egg. There was no pop this time,and no bruise, just pain and swelling. So I'm hopeful that this will heal enough to hike on quickly, or at worst that if I go ahead and hike in spite of pain that I won't damage it.Having said that, and very reluctantly, I took a zero today. I waited around all morning, icing the ankle, trying it out every so often with short walks around the compound, hoping each time that maybe THIS time it wouldn't hurt so much. I watched a couple more movies with Square Peg. I hated wasting the time, and I hated spending any more money, but as the day wore on I realized I wouldn't be doing any hiking today. I met a lot of hikers today, as yesterday's hikers left and a new group arrived. I envy them their ability to hike out at will, and I'm hoping for better luck tomorrow.
Date: 2015-05-06
From: Wilbur Dam Rd.

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 4.7
Weather: light rain

Today was the day. The ankle hurt, but could bear weight. At least it could bear weight more easily than my soul could bear another day off trail. Seriously,though, it was more like soreness than acute pain, so I packed up and shuttled back to Wilbur Dam Rd. I was at the mercy of the shuttle driver in respect to time so I couldn't get an early start, but I was grateful to just be back on the trail. The trail today was a hard one, all uphill, and the temperature was high again. I really don't like hiking in heat! From here on out I will get an earlier start in the mornings and try to get more hiking in before the day heats up. But for today, I just had to pace myself, go slow, apply sunscreen, wipe sweat, and baby my ankle as I labored to climb the 1,329 feet up the apparently unnamed mountain topped by Vandeventer Shelter. My goal for the day was a paltry 4.7 miles, but I thought it was a good test of my ankle.I did struggle, but I persevered and the ankle held up. I reached the shelter early enough to consider pressing on to a campsite 3.7 miles further on, but I decided not to push it, and set up camp at the shelter. Other hikers drifted in, some went on to the campsite, and some stayed, until we ended up with a nice friendly group gathered around the campfire swapping trail stories. The cool evening air was a relief after the heat of the day. We had a glorious view from behind the shelter of the lake far below, with blue-green mountains as far as the eye could see. A tiny mouse ran around our campfire, from log to log, and the hungry hikers joked about adding roast mouse to their various meals. Eventually the sun went down, which signals bedtime, and the hikers retired to the shelter and to their tents. I'm writing by headlamp, yawning, absolutely worn out by my short but incredibly difficult hike today. Hope tomorrow's easier.
Date: 2015-05-07
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: Iron Mt Shelter
Miles today: 6.8

HARD. Y'all, this is freaking hard. Can I do this? Ok, I totally believe that I can, but do I want to? Is it worth it? Do I want it bad enough? I'm sunburned, bugbit, coated in sweat covered by a layer of grime, I smell like an old locker room, and my ankle is swollen and ouchy. Laying in the shelter I pull my top quilt up over my face to block possible sounds of the bear that was seen just outside of our campsite, but I can't stand my own smell when confined like that, so I stick my head out from under the quilt, convinced the bear would smell better. Ugh.Ok, let's recap the day which led to this crisis of will. I got the early start I've been wanting, hiking away from Vandeventer Shelter by 7 AM. When I hiker the 3.8 miles to the campsite I almost went to yesterday afternoon, I was SO glad I didn't! On the elevation profile in my guidebook it looks like a gentle, gradual uphill, but the reality was much harder, at least for me. I thought my lungs would burst, huffing and puffing. Other hikers passed me like I was standing still,like I wasn't giving it all I had, every step. They would say, "Dude, it's only 26 miles to Damascus! We can be there tonight!" It will take me at least 3 days! There's a skinny girl carrying a 45 pound pack and apparently never breaking a sweat.Anyway, I labored on, as the day warmed up. The scenery continues to be spectacularly beautiful. Water is not as plentiful as it was earlier on the trail, and I'm losing tons of fluid through sweat, so it's important to always be cognizant of how far it is to the next water source, and how much water I have left in my bottles.   I was more than happy to arrive at the shelter, and harbored no illusions about walking any farther, even though it was early in the afternoon when I arrived. A bear was seen just down the hill from the shelter, and was still lurking around the edges, so I slept in the shelter. There were only four of us in the shelter, but there ended up being six or eight tents and a couple of hammocks around the shelter, and the bear evidently decided our paltry, nearly empty food bags were not worth facing that many hikers for. He wasn't seen again.It was another pleasant evening around the campfire, and I decided that's my favorite time of day.
Date: 2015-05-08
From: Iron Mt Shelter

To: Shady Valley, TN
Miles today: 4.6

While lying in the shelter last night the idea started playing around the edges of my consciousness that I didn't have to walk all the way to Troutdale. I am having such a hard time that the thought of stopping in Damascus instead sounded heavenly. Without really thinking about it the decision was made, and my two-week hike became a one-week hike. I woke up with a sense of relief. Then I got my guide out to plan my day's hike. I saw a road crossing coming up in less than 5 miles.....and just like that, I knew it was over. Time to go home. I nearly flew the 4.6 miles to the road, painful ankle and all. I made the best time I'd made all week. I got to the road,arranged for a shuttle, and made it to the bus station in Bristol in time to get on the afternoon bus home. On the long ride home I was able to process my experience, and here's what I know:There are three factors that led to the shortening of my hike. The heat, my ankle, and being out of shape. I believe that if I had had any two of the three factors I could have completed my planned 100 miles. But with all three factors at play....well, it was one too many. When I felt an excitement at seeing the road crossing on the guide page I realized I wanted to get off more than I wanted to continue. Then, as soon as the bus pulled out of the station I was sorry and wished I was still hiking. Sitting here in my comfortable home I'm thinking about all the campfires flickering along the trail, and I wish I was sitting in front of one. But, I'm home, and home I'll stay for a while. My hiking will be confined to spring and fall now, no more hiking in the heat. Next time I head out (and there will be a next time!) I will get in shape first. I learn something every time I get on the trail, even if it's only what NOT to do!
Date: 2015-09-17
From: Abingdon Gap Shelter

To: Damascus, Virginia
Miles today: 9.9

No bears during the night, nor even any raccoons, which a previous thoughtful hiker had warned about in the shelter log. There was a very loud owl calling somewhere close in the night, with a piercing call that snapped St. Mike instantly awake, headlamp flipped on, though. And there were several small chipmunks running around the campsite while we ate breakfast, no doubt impatient for us to leave so that they could come look for leftovers. We got a later start than we would have liked. I slept in, having had trouble falling asleep, and then we had to go down the steep 0.2 mile path behind the shelter to get water, and back up, carrying the heavy bottles. But eventually we were all packed up and back on the trail, heading north to Damascus. Other hikers are few and far between, in spite of the great hiking weather, but we did meet three sobos on their way to Springer. Good for them! They were in excessively good spirits, with now less than 500 miles left and finally out of Virginia, which they had been in for the last 500 miles. Two of them were together and "only" doing a long section (Harpers Ferry to Springer, 1,000 miles!) but the other fellow was a thruhiker, now 3/4 of the way through his journey. Six and a half miles into the day's hike I passed a milestone--a state line! I left Tennessee, finally, and entered Virginia!There were no other real landmarks on this part of the trail, and few water sources. Our packs were heavy with all the water we had gathered, knowing there would be no more for over eight miles. The day warmed up, and soon I was sweating. It was sort of a slog, to be honest about it, and I really had to work to hike it. My feet, ankles, knees, and groin muscles were aching. I knew that this would be an easy section if I were in shape, but I'm not, and it wasn't. Nevertheless, I greatly appreciated the ability to be out there at all. As I told St Mike while I toiled along, just because it's hard doesn't mean it's not good. If it was easy, everyone would do it, and it would have less value. I love the scenery, the fresh air, the beauty and stillness of nature. I appreciate that I am able to do something so magical, that so many people would like to be able to do and can't, (and that probably many more people don't want to do at all.)But although it was indeed wonderful, so was limping into Damascus at the end of the day, and collapsing on the mown grass of the tiny park where we set up our tent and sold soap and lotions two years ago during Trail Days. I lay on the grass, my head on my pack, bare feet soaking up the sunshine, while Mike went and got the Jeep. The sight of the beloved Jeep coming down the street was almost as magical at that moment as the views from the mountaintop. We'll be spending the night in a motel, on a real bed, and I will have an icy cold Mello Yello. And then I will start planning the next leg of my hike, which will take me over the 500 mile mark. It will likely have to wait until spring.
Date: 2020-05-09
From: Damascus

To: Dickey Gap
Miles today: 53.4

This entry is just a placeholder, written long after the fact, to make my total trip mileage correct. I walked this section in two separate pieces, in 2019 and 2020, but I didn't journal them. The 2019 hike ended with me in an emergency room with a kidney stone! Ouch! Not one of my favorite hiking menories!
Date: 2021-04-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hello Family and Friends,Welcome back to Trailjournals.com! I'll be getting back on the trail next week, and I'm so excited about it! Since it's been awhile (and I don't expect you to read back all the old entries!) here's a brief summary of my AT hike up to this point:April 1, 2013 I started at Springer Mt, Georgia, expecting to walk the entire (at that time) 2,180 miles to the other end of the trail, Mt. Katahdin, in Maine. Instead, my hike ended on June 23 of that year, at 416.7 miles. It seemed that I lost the will to hike when I lost my mother, who died on May 23, 2013.  In 2015 I got back on the trail and hiked another 50 miles, ending at mile 466.8. All of this I journalled.From 2015 to the present I have hiked a couple more sections, and unfortunately I did not journal them. I really wish I had! I had some wonderful adventures and met some fabulous people but since I didn't keep a written record I'm afraid I will have forgotten more than I remember. I hiked another 53.4 miles on the trail, taking me into Virginia, past the 500 mile mark, and through the Grayson Highlands with the beautiful wild ponies!  On another trip I did a section out of order, starting in Harper's Ferry, WV, and ending at PenMar Park on the Maryland/Pennsylvania line, for another 40.6 miles. This brings my total mileage to 560.8.What has happened between 2015 and now? Well, I've gotten older, gained more weight, and had a total knee replacement in 2016. My fitness level is entirely suspect. Evidently I haven't learned from past experience! I intended to start two weeks sooner, but worsening low back pain sent me to a chiropractor, where I learned that my new left knee is 1/4 inch longer than my right knee. This isn't enough that I would notice the difference in length, but my back has spent the last couple of years trying to compensate for this discrepancy. The xray was actually a little alarming, L4 and L5 look like they've had a difference of opinion with the rest of the vertebrae and jumped out of line. So I delayed the start of the hike for a couple of weeks for a series of chiropractic treatments aimed at getting the two wayward vertebrae to kiss and make up with their brethren, and move back home. We'll see how that goes, but I'm optimistic. I plan on short mileage days, a slow pace (snort- as if I otherwise might have turned from tortoise to hare!) and a pack as light as possible.  St. Mike, the patron saint of slackpackers, will be there for the first few days to make sure I get off to a smooth start and that my back is holding up. If all goes well, the initial plan is for a one-month, 200 mile hike. Wish me luck! Watch this space, I will definitely journal this new adventure!