morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-02-18
From: N/A

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It's a fair question. In fact, nearly all Appalachian Trail resources and guides suggest that one aspiring to attempt a thru-hike develop a list of answers to the question: Why do you want to attempt an AT thru-hike? I suspect if you compared answers against other hikers, you'd probably find similar answers to the question. Some may respond with some off-the-wall reasons. I sort of categorize myself within the latter group. In my case, there is no single and simple answer to the question. I can tell you I don't expect to find the "meaning of life" on the trail. There are probably far easier ways to address that issue, rather than spending the next six months hiking up and down mountainsides. Further, I don't view my attempt as a "cure" for a mid-life crisis--if there even is such a thing. Maybe it's just easier if I check off the reasons why I want to subject my body to six continuous months of a crash-up-derby:1) I like to hike. Since the first time I put on the pack and hit the trail, I knew I found something that was completely right for me. And my first trip was fairly miserable (through no fault of my hiking partner). It's good I love this hobby--I'll be getting more than my fair share of hiking in during this calendar year. Additionally, I'm looking forward to challenging the limits of my physical, mental, and emotional capacities. I have it on good authority the AT will grant me this wish--and much, much more. 2) In a "Ted Talks" presentation, graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister brought up a (somewhat disturbing) point that still rattles around in my tiny brain: We spend the first 25 years of our lives learning. The next 40 years working, and the last 15 years in retirement. While I suspect the root of this idea-- particularly in American society--is probably several hundred years old, I don't subscribe to it. I'd much rather "borrow" time from my retirement years while the rest of my body is (relatively speaking) up to the task. I realize this is not a practical idea for most people in our society. And granted, I've heard of people in their 70's (and up) completing thru-hikes--which is truly awesome. For me, the golden opportunity is now. 3) Possibly for purely selfish reasons, the idea of spending my days concerned about hiking, shelter, food, water, and sleep sounds like something I'd enjoy. I know...careful what you wish for!4) The academic hiker in me is supremely curious about trail culture, and in-group relations among hikers. I'm hesitant to jump fully on board the postmodern bandwagon in sociology and psychology (with respect to self-identity and culture), though I think by immersing myself into this culture for an extended period, there may be an opportunity to explore some of these ideas. This is not much of a scientific endeavor, rather an exercise in gathering ideas for possible use at a later date.
Date: 2014-03-10
From: Springer Mtn

To: Hawk Mtn shelter
Miles today: 8.1

We had a beautiful day of hiking, if not a little hot. The 0.9 mile trip up to Springer MTN was fairly easy, and we were all rewarded with an amazing view. I hung around on Springer for about 30 minutes, then hiked the 0.9 miles back to the northbound starting point. The first 3 miles of the AT were a cake walk. The next 5, however were a different story. I met up with two hikers while undergoing a wardrobe repair, and hiked into Hawk MTN shelter with Cheryl and Aaron. They proved to be great hiking partners, and while the miles were moderately challenging, we put our heads down and ground them out. Upon arriving at Hawk MTN, we were greater with what looked like a refugee camp of hikers. I think we counted around 40 tents at the shelter, with another half dozen in the actual shelter. Everyone there was so mean and pushy. Ok, that's totally not true! The hiking community here was amazing. I actually managed to score my trail name at the first shelter: Hooch. This because I was carrying a pint of whiskey with me. When asked by another hiker if I was crazy enough to carry the extra weight with me, I responded, what's the point of hiking without having an after dinner tottie? Naturally, I shared what I had, which lasted less than 5 minutes. It's 8 pm here and I'm off to sleep. Goodnight!
Date: 2014-03-11
From: Hawk Mtn shelter

To: Gooch Mtn shelter
Miles today: 7.7

I didn't break camp this morning until about 930. Much later than I had planned on. The first order of business today was climbing Sassafras MTN which was a mean climb. The view at the top was worth the effort. I started the day hiking with Aaron from the day before, but he quickly left me behind on the second climb (Justice Mtn) immediately following Sassafras. I personally thought this was a tougher climb, and by the time made it to he top (for another spectacular view) i was pretty beat. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your perspective) the rest of the way to Gooch Mtn shelter was mostly downhill, though I have to admit I was very ready to be done for the day. For dinner, it was dehydrated hamburger helper, which was not very good. It was however, hot and since I was starving, it went down easy. Another hiker was sharing peach moonshine, so I had nice, big mug full, which helped me sleep nicely. As fate would have it, the sound of rain on my tent woke me up at 3 am. I was awake long enough to zip the rainfly shut, the back to the land of the unconscious. When I woke up in the morning, I was rewarded with having practical everything I own soaking wet. As an added bonus, the campsite I selected the night before was a complete mud pit. So not only was everything wet, it was also covered in mud. It's sort of a bummer packing up a wet tent, though this is eh price to pay for 2 beautiful days of hiking. The trail giveth, and the trail takers away. Best to just roll with whatever happens!
Date: 2014-03-12
From: Gooch Mtn shelter

To: Lance Creek campsite
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: light rain

I managed to break camp at a reasonable hour this morning: packed up, breakfast on-board, and on the trail by 9am. Today's miles were actually not to bad, with only one short climb at Preaching Rock. Word on the trail was bad weather incoming, with the possibility of snow and temperatures around zero. I hiked by myself for much of the day, though a few hikers passed me along the way. I started the day in rain gear, and while it was a little cold, I quickly became hot under my rain jacket. I think if you asked most hikers, they would tell you they do not enjoy hiking with rain gear on. About 5 miles into my day, I couldn't take it anymore and ditched the raincoat. And of course, 5 minutes later it started raining. Rather than stop and put my rain gear on, I just kept going. My options we're get wet from the rain, or get wet sweating under the rain gear. It was an easy decision. Lance Creek was not as busy as I expected, though most hikers I talked to the day before indicated they were stopping at Lance Creek. I know a few pushed on a couple of miles to Henry Gap, and I suspect a few bailed out at Woody Gap for the prospect of a shower and a bed in Suches, Ga. Camping at Lance Creek was the best so far, and I hung out with a small group I hikers, Machete being one of them. Machete got his name because he was carrying an enormous machete that he convinced his girlfriend he needed. Naturally, he'd been threatening to throw it off a mountain for 2 days. He was a very popular guy that night, because he made good use of his machete chopping up small (dead) branches to build us an amazing campfire. This was very welcome, because not only was it freezing cold, the wind was blowing very hard. And we had sleet later in the evening. Had black beans and ham for dinner, which was amazing. I'm carrying a zero degree bag, and while it's heavy as hell it was a welcome piece of equipment tonight. I slept warm and well.
Date: 2014-03-13
From: Lance Creek campsite

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: light snow

I broke camp around 9am this morning. This included an oatmeal breakfast and a hot cup of tea. There was a thin layer or snow on my tent, though it wasn't enough to make the tent remarkably wet. Today marks the "dreaded" blood mountain climb, which has been the topic of much discussion (and hand wringing and teeth gnashing) amongst hikers for 2 days. To highlight, Blood Mtn is basically a 5 mile "up" hike, with the promise of pizza and chocolate doughnuts 2 miles down the other side. Honestly, hiking the miles wasn't that bad. The worst part of the Blood Mtn climb was the cold, howling wind that persisted all day. I'm not sure how long it took me to make the climb, a few hours maybe, though I was highly motivated to move by the freezing winds. The view from the top of Blood Mtn was worth the effort, and I opted for a quick (and very cold) lunch once there. About halfway down Blood Mtn, I met Lee and Terry, two day-hikers on their way up. When I told them I was thru hiking, they broke out a bottle of Wild Turkey. Me and my knees where grateful for a couple passes of the bottle. Before we went our separate ways, Terry gave me a tiny bottle of something like Hot Damn. Thank you guys for the great conversation, and the liquid pain relief. In Neels Gap, I was expecting a new charger for my phone, which I left at home. Unfortunately, the charger I had next-day aired to the outfitter, was the wrong one. While bemoaning my misfortune, one of the owners of Mountain Outfitters told me to check the hiker box (where other hikers dump unwanted gear) and sure enough, I found a charger that worked for my phone! Later that evening, while discussing dinner plans with other hikers, two ladies from the Blairesville Baptist church arrived, and announced they would be feeding us tonight. Dinner consisted of baked ziti, vegetarian ravioli, bread, salad, homemade chocolate chip cookies, and iced tea. I ate A LOT. I should mention, the people from the church group had no interest in swaying anyone from their present religious beliefs (or lack of), they were simply out to do something nice for others. These were some of the nicest people I've met. Thank you all, so much for the gracious hospitality! I think I've mentioned this before: the trail giveth and the trail taketh. Today, it provided everything I needed. Thanks to all who made my Blood Mtn day one I will not forget.
Date: 2014-03-14
From: Neels Gap

To: Hogpen Gap
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Even though my stay at the Mountain Outfitters hostel was over at 0730, I somehow managed to jack around until 10am. The night before, I had planned to be packed and on the trail by 830. Then I realized I forgot to reapply stove fuel the night before. I probably had enough to make it to Dicks Creek Gap, but to be safe I tossed what was left of the 4oz can into the hiker box--along with a brand new iPhone 5 charger cable. I completed a light food resupply yesterday, which consisted of mostly lunch items. And when I say lunch, I'm talking protein bars, crackers, and snickers. Hiker math dictates that one can hike about 3 miles for every protein bar consumed. I've noticed that around 3pm I become sleepy. I was told by one of the former thru hikers at the outfitter that I probably wasn't eating enough throughout the day. With that in mind my am calorie load was a package of chocolate doughnuts, two cans of pop, a cup of coffee, a banana, and 1 protein bar. My pack weight after a "light" resupply was a wretched 37 pounds. It might not sound like a lot, but some of these climbs in Georgia are tough business. Georgia has been mostly up and down hiking, with an occasional straight trail--but not very often. The rhododendron lined trails here are often on straight, flat runs of trail, and are quite pleasant to hike. Tonight I opted to skip the shelter (1.2 miles off the trail each way of course) and took the advice of one I the owners at the outfitter, staying at hogpen gap. The water source here was a little dicey, and I had to filter it through a bandana before purifying it. Tonight I camped with "Truck," a 20 year-old guy from New Orleans, and a guy he's been hiking with, Fire Walker, from Michigan. These two guys blew past me on a down hike earlier in the day, running down the trail! Turns out these two guys like to talk about Classic American writers, a la Hemingway, so we stayed up late into the night talking American lit . They may be crazy for running down a mountain, but they held their own in intellectual conversation. Good dudes, really. In other news, my body seems to be holding up well to the abuse I've subjected it to--so far. I have a standard list of aches and pains, but nothing serious, and no major foot issues. I might not be cranking out 15 mile days yet, but I'm also injury free. Maine is a ridiculously long way away, so me (and my body) find the "ease into it" strategy acceptable. Time for sleep. Goodnight.
Date: 2014-03-15
From: Hogpen Gap

To: Site of former rocky knob shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up this morning around 7 to sunlight shining through the tent. The breeze beyond the the tent walls was brisk, but beyond that the forecast called for a beautiful day. I went back to sleep anyway. When I woke at 9, I was a little annoyed with myself at having slept away a couple hours of fine weather hiking. Still, I ate breakfast, had coffee, and split hogpen gap close to 10am. Today was a nondescript hike. The trail was mostly level, and without wild changes in elevation. Taken with nice weather, the trail almost seemed to extend an apology for the past few days. Naturally, I planned on taking advantage by pushing myself a little, aiming for Blue Mtn shelter maybe 11 to 12 miles away. Of course, getting off to a late start put me at a slight disadvantage. Around noon I stopped at Low Gap shelter for lunch and a water refill. I ran into a guy calling himself Maverick, (I didn't ask why) just leaving Low Gap. We briefly chatted about water purification systems, and he split. Lunch was a 30 minute affair, and I saw no one for the next few hours, until I passed Maverick refilling his water bottle from a natural spring. I told him I'd probably see him at Blue Mtn, and moved on. I didn't lose the trail today, but for the first time, I couldn't figure out where I was in relation to landmarks discussed in the trail guide. The biggest issue I had was not knowing (roughly) how close I was to the next shelter. It was around 430 in the afternoon AND I was getting tired AND I was hungry. To push on, or stop at the next decent campsite close to water? I chose the latter. I ate moms dehydrated spaghetti tonight (rehydrates very nicely) and then some ramen. A little cool out tonight, so I'm off to the sleeping bag a little early (~7pm). Goodnight all.
Date: 2014-03-16
From: Site of former rocky knob shelter

To: Cheese factory site
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I was probably awake before the second raindrop hit my tent at 4am. I think once I realized my shelter wasn't going to blow away, the second bought that crossed my mind was packing up a wet tent in a matter of hours. Such a bummer. After these ideas came and went, the rain had a relaxing effect and I went right back to sleep. Because I carry a down sleeping bag, I pay extra attention to making sure my sleeping bag stays dry, basically at all costs. A wet down bag is about as useful as a screen door in a submarine. Oh yeah, and it's weight quadruples (approximately) when it's wet. Which meant I'd be carrying around a 20 pound a screen door if it got wet. Anyway. I worked out a breakdown process in my head before getting up and it worked out fine. Unfortunately, my tent was a wet and muddy train wreck. There was no way it was riding inside my pack, so it was strapped in to an exterior compression strap. It rained all day. Not really hard, but a cold, soaking rain in high winds. I had a chance to bail out at Unicoi Gap and sit the rain out in a nice, warm hostel. The shuttle was right there offering me a free ride. And I told the guy I was going to push on. I pushed on for about another 4 miles before the wind and rain REALLY started. I had about 2 miles to cover before the next shelter and it was already 430pm. I found a campsite with a good water source and tented. The correct response probably would've been to turn around and hike back to Unicoi Gap and get a ride into town (though I later heard that hostel hosted 40 people that night!). But poor decisions make for better stories, so I cooked dinner while sitting inside a wet tent. But before dinner, when I opened my pack, I noticed an inch of rain water in the bottom. Which is conveniently where my sleeping bag rides: at the bottom. I literally turned the pack upside down and dumped the water out. I figured if my bag was wet, I'd hike back to Unicoi, and sleep in a McDonalds bathroom if I had too. Incredibly, my sleeping bag was dry, even though he compression bag it lives in was soaked. Hooray for the Glad trash bag inside the compression bag! I stripped off my soaking wet base layer and top layer, and put on a dry base layer that I keep in a separate dry / compression bag. I was inside my sleeping bag by 7 pm. A special thanks to Judy at Lighthearted Gear: my tent took a serious beating during high wind and rain tonight, and it performed perfectly. Thanks for designing a light-weight, kick ass tent. My sleeping bag did get wet from condensation inside the tent, but there wasn't much that could've been done about it considering all the variables. You know what the worst part of this day was? The slow understanding that tomorrow morning, I'd be putting on those cold, wet, smelly clothes simmering in a tent corner!
Date: 2014-03-17
From: Cheese factory site

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: overcast clouds

As predicted, trading out my warm sleepwear for cold and smelly hiking clothes was a bit unsavory. Again, I had to think about a pack up process before I hopped out of my warm bag, and into wet clothes. That is to say, when the wet clothes went on, I had to start moving fast to get warm and stay warm. For breakfast, I opened up a package of instant oatmeal and dumped it in my mouth. Tasty. I didnt sleep that great last night, as I knew my sleeping bag was getting a little wet. I think down bags can handle SOME dampness without a problem, but this was a concern that I thought demanded near constant monitoring. So, I'd wake up about every hour, wipe down the tent walls with a bandana, and go back to sleep. All while the wind and rain hammered my solo tent. Oh yeah, and my thermarest sleep pad has a small leak somewhere. It'll hold me for a few hours, then I'd have to add a bit more air. The deal here is, you don't want your body in direct contact with he ground, because your body heat will not warm the ground. Again, it rained all day. Mostly it was just a cold, steady rain, but sometimes it rained so hard, I'm sure it was coming down sideways. I was seriously considering pushing into Dicks Creek Gap, which would have been about a 12 mile day, but also involved a bed and a shower when I got there. Instead, I ended up stopping at Deep Gap Shelter for the night. My pal Truck, and about 16 others decided to stop short of the gap. I'm quite certain I had the extra 3.5 miles in me, but getting to town late seemed like a waste. I'd rather get there in the morning and enjoy a full day of town food and amenities. This proved to be a good decision, as we all had a blast at Deep gap. The shelter will sleep 12, but we somehow managed to squeeze in 15, shoulder to shoulder. This was probably not a bad thing, as the temperature dropped to the mid 20s. Before we went to bed, Nick from Boston was trying to come up with a trail name for his hiking partner, Anna. Hiking might not be Anna's cup of tea--she was fairly upset about the rats nest her hair had become. I will give her credit for being a good sport and a real trooper though. Anyway, Nick had a few ideas about a trail name for Anna, but the one I liked was "Cyborg." Why you ask...?We were standing around a campfire (yep, in the pouring rain) discussing our various food fantasies. I've been on the trail for 8 days, and the prospect of pizza and beer for me was a serious motivator. I mean, it meant SO much to me, that it consumed most of my brain processing power. I'm not alone on this, and we all spent a fair amount of time discussing in painful detail the foods we were craving. When Nick asked Anna what she was craving her response was, "Well...nothing." Then he accused her of being a cyborg. Something tells me the name won't stick though. Okay, off to sleep. There's actually a procedure to get all of us in the shelter, so it's time to sign off. 'Night all.
Date: 2014-03-18
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Dicks Creek Gap
Miles today: 3.6

One great benefit to sleeping in a shelter is not having to pack up a tent. For whatever reason, this seems to significantly reduce pack up time. Well, for me it does.Nick and Anna were up before dawn so they could catch their 9am shuttle to a hostel. The rest of us were up and out shortly after. Truck had somehow managed to acquire "real" moonshine from some day hikers a few days ago, so he passed the bottle around and we all took a little sip to shake off the morning chill. Yeah, this stuff was like drinking unleaded gasoline, and I was definitely warm. I should mention, since my sleeping bag was wet, I did lose a little loft last night, and it was damn cold in that bag for a few hours. For once, I was grateful to be sleeping in close proximity to mostly strangers. I hiked the 3.6 miles to Dicks Creek in short order, and that included starting the day with a brutal climb up Powell Mtn. These climbs still kick my ass, but they are slowly getting easier. I stayed at a brand new hostel, Top of Georgia hostel, owned by sir-packs-a lot (Bob). Bob is a hell of a nice guy, a triple crown hiker ( AT, PCT, and CDT) and a really humble person. TOG just opened a few weeks ago, and it seemed to me they had their act together. Work for stay MAY be possible at TOG, but I wouldn't count on it. Otherwise $25 will get you a bunk, a sillystupidgreat shower, and your laundry done by the staff. Bob has a wealth of backpacking knowledge, and is the kind of guy who won't talk down to you if you have a question. I had a great stay at TOG, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to potential customers. I got in at 1130 am, and caught a ride from TOGs shuttle (free with stay) into town. My first stop? Daniels steakhouse and all you can eat buffet. Two salads, 5 pieces of fried chicken, two helpings of cream corn, two helpings of mashed potatoes, two pork chops, and 4 glasses of sweet tea later...I was full.I'm off to try and dry / clean my gear. Everything I own--except this phone--is tragically wet and dirty. Until next time...
Date: 2014-03-19
From: Dicks Creek Gap

To: Dicks Creek Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I'm taking a zero (no miles) in Hiawassee, GA today. I caught a ride to a Holiday Inn Express via the Top of Georgia shuttle. The Holiday Inn promises whirlpool bathtubs, and I'm looking forward to logging some time in one. Also, I'd like to thank everyone who has signed my guest book. It's a major morale boost to hear from friends and family from home, including my extended family in central Missouri. I miss you guys. As for journal updates, this will be the last one for 4-5 days, when I expect to be in Franklin, North Carolina. I don't expect to zero until I reach Bryson, NC., but we'll see how it's going. Also, I'll try to do a better job of getting some pictures posted. I just found an app that works well with this site, so it should make getting pics uploaded easier. It looks like I can't get a ride out of Hiawassee until around noon tomorrow, so I'll be logging a Nero (a near zero). Now, about that whirlpool tub...I hear it calling my name. Goodnight all.