morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-10-03
To: The Verdict is in
Miles today: 0.0

I have firmly decided, in my mind yet, that I am going to hike the A.T. in the summer of '09. I don't expect it, but anyone who wants to join me is welcome. I had to change it from the summer of '08 to the summer of '09 since I have to start the trail in early March or April. I will still be in school in March of '08. So March or April of '09 it is.The trip is just over two years away now, and I am more excited about it than ever. Nothing shall stand in my way. muAHAHAHAHAHA!
Date: 2007-06-30
To: Gear Review
Miles today: 0.0

After carefully reviewing all of my camping gear that I have been using for all of my life, I have come to a brutal conclusion. I really can't take anything that I already own. I need all new equipment. This isn't because I don't want to be seen with a hand-me-down pack or a borrowed sleeping bag. It's because the gear that I use for my weekend hikes and camping wouldn't last a month on the trail. Not only that, but my equipment is very heavy. On my last hiking trip (for 4 days) my pack weighed almost 35 pounds. I know I was carrying a 3-person tent (my wife and brother were with me), but that's still crazy considering I wasn't even carrying any cookware. I do plan to take one or two things that I already own. A pair of Salomon boots that my brother gave me. And although they are already broken in, I might have to trade them up on the trail because they might be a half size or a full size too big for me. I don't plan to start the trail with them. I'm going to get another pair of boots (as I'll probably wear through at least one pair of boots, most likely two on the trail) to start the trail with and break them in long before I leave. I do plan to take my Thermarest Foam sleeping pad. It's very light and still in great condition. I hate to not take the Thermarest inflatable sleeping pad my brother got me for Christmas, but it's a little too heavy. My MSR WhisperLite stove and fuel bottle are also in great condition. I thought about getting a SVEA or a alcohol stove, but I don't need to spend the money on the SVEA and I need to boil more than water so the alcohol stove won't provide enough heat (also, if I ever want an alcohol stove, there will be plenty of coke cans around). I also do still have my aluminum cookware from when I was in scouts. It's a little old and will need some serious scrubbing with steel wool, but it should work. Other than that, I will need all new gear to reduce weight, increase durability and ensure that I can stay dry (for the most part). Budgeting, ugh! Research and new equipment, YEAAA!
Date: 2008-09-04
To: Not long now
Miles today: 0.0

6 months and 23 days to go. I'm finding more and more that...I STILL CAN'T WAIT TO GO!!! I'm very excited. I've got phase I pretty much planned. Phases II - V have yet to be planned, but I've still got plenty of time. My gear is coming along. The last large pieces of equipment that I don't have yet are my tent and my backpack. The invitation is still open to anyone who wants to take a journey.
Date: 2008-12-13
To: 14 Weeks
Miles today: 0.0

3 months and 14 days. 14 weeks. Now comes the nervousness. Did I plan correctly? Are my knees going to hold? Still very excited though. I've got my tent (Big Agnes Seedhouse I). A little bit more than I wanted to spend, but from everyone I've talked to if you want a freestanding solo tent it's pretty much the Seedhouse or the Hubba. I hope to have the pack I'm going to use before or just after the first of the year. Other than that, I only need small clothing (non-cotton base layer bottoms and another pair of synthetic boxers). I plan to take all my gear to Walasi-Yi at Neels Gap to have them review my equipment and help me pick out the right backpack. Haven't really moved on planning since the last update as I got promoted at work and I've been working a lot. It'll get done (it had better)!
Date: 2009-01-10
To: A Little Disappointed
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I got some disappointing news a few days ago. My brother, who has probably been wanting to go on the trail for longer than I have, will not be able to go on the trail with me. I know that he is more disappointed than I am, but I understand. He is not in a position right now to leave his responsibilities behind for six months. I was suspicious all along that he wouldn't be able to come, but I was still hoping.Even when he was planning on coming, I wasn't depending on him coming on the trail with me so it doesn't really affect my plans. I am still a little sad. I think that having him there would make many parts of the trail more special.I will miss you on the trail, Joe.
Date: 2009-01-17
To: Gear Update
Miles today: 0.0

A few weeks ago I took my equipment to Mountain Crossings at Neel's Gap to do an equipment shakedown and get advice on a new pack. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome (for the most part). Winton (the owner and yes, it is Winton not Winston) reviewed my gear and commented on my being "ahead of the game." He added a few things that I hadn't planned on yet. He advised me on getting a lightweight baselayer for hiking and using the middleweight set for sleeping. He convinced me to get an alcohol stove as opposed to using my WhisperLite. I wouldn't normally have gotten one, but it was pretty inexpensive ($25). He also gave a thumbs down to some of the gear I already had purchased such as my SteriPen UV water purification system. He advised that the model (regular) I had purchased was not really designed for hiking and break fairly easily in a pack. The Traveler model is designed to be a little more rugged, but Winton suggested I just use AquaMira (chlorine dioxide based chemical tablets). I am going to take AquaMira as a backup and construct a hard plastic case for the SteriPen. And I got my pack. YEAAA! It's a ULA catalyst. Very lightweight with plenty of room for my stuff. We packed most of my equipment (we left out some things like my camera, stove, etc) with a bag to simulate food weight and it totaled only 18 lbs. I was very excited and will be expecting a total pack weight about 25 lbs (summer weight) once I add my other gear and water. It was an expensive gear review but well worth it.
Date: 2009-03-28
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: moderate rain

Started on the AT today. Poorly. Left the house later than intended. We (Joe, Amanda, and I) met my dad at Neel Gap to drop off Joe's car (he is coming w/ me till then). Dad drove us all to Springer Mtn despite the uncertain route we took (about 17 mi on USFS 42). Started the hike up to Springer summit (south of the parking lot) around 1 or so. Springer was soaking wet b/c of the copious amounts of rain in GA over the last few days. Could almost kayak back down. We met the Springer Mtn caretaker. He had to have been in his 80s. He took my name and other general information. After taking some pictures on the summit, we began our sloppy journey back down. Northward. Joe and I said goodbye to Amanda and Dad. I had a hard time saying goodbye to Amanda. Joe and I continued north and made great time. Joe spoke about his desire to hike the entire AT w/ me. He and I were working out the logistics, but I don't think he'll do it. The rest of the hike was soggy as well, but not as much as Springer and the rain held off until we got to Hawk Shelter and got our own shelters set up. We arrived after only about 3.5 hours. I hope that Joe's shelter works for him. He is just using a tarp as a cover and a hammock. He's got lot's of room under the tarp, but the wind is blowing mist in on the open side of his tarp. As for me, my tent is keeping me dry, but some stuff got wet trying to get it out of the rain. I came up with a few rules for myself tonight. 1) Always keep my Gerber, camera, GPS, headlamp & water bottle with me after setting up camp (especially in the rain). 2) Don't camp in the rain if possible. 3) Drink more water than you think you need. I am also still working on my packing system. I need to improve unless I want to be cleaning my gear after every rain. Also had 1st Trail Magic today. Little girls were passing out apples on Springer Mtn. Many Sleeps - The Springer Mtn caretaker, Very old, Nice, From ME, Hard to understand. Mountain Squid - AT volunteer at Springer Parking Lot, Nice, Full of information, Joe is jealous of his yellow/black OR hat. Chris - did not get his trail name yet, from OH, went to Kentucky U, hikes very fast, Joe likes his hammock & tarp combo. Anyway, I'm tired and going to sleep now (10:00 PM).
Date: 2009-03-29
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We got a late start this morning. Joe didn't sleep much last night, and it took me a long time to get packed up this morning. We didn't end up leaving the campsite till almost 11. We were the last ones out. We kept up a good pace though and made it to Gooch Mtn Shelter around 3-3:30. We passed a young lady we saw at Hawk Mtn the previous night and found out her name is Sunshine. We also passed a number of people who left the shelter long before we did. The hike today seemed a bit longer than yesterday, but that may be b/c my left knee started to hurt again (I injured my knee a few years ago on the trail). I don't know how it's going to hold up, but it seems to hurt the most when I just start moving. BTW, my tent performed very well last night, but I need to get better at organizing my stuff once I'm setting up camp. Joe wanted to continue from Gooch, but my knee was really starting to hurt. We set up in the shelter and ate dinner. The rest of the night has been uneventful. We hope to leave early in the morning and get a full day of hiking in tomorrow so we can reach Blood Mtn by tomorrow night (12 mi). That will make up for my short days yesterday and today if I want to reach Damascus on time. I miss Amanda a lot, but being able to talk w/ everyone helps. Tina (Sunshine) - from MD, worked at Edy's ice cream shop. Boonga - older lady, just going to GA/NC line. Jessie's Girl - hiking w/ Boonga, not sure if they're related, has a son in the Navy. FIDO (F&%! It, Drive On) - fast hiker, from ME, leap-frogged with him till Gooch (he kept going). The ATC Ridgerunner - didn't get her name, very friendly, works for the ATC. Too many others to mention, but all seem friendly and talkative for the most part. . Supposed to be sunny tomorrow. Fingers crossed. Going to sleep early to be able to get up early.
Date: 2009-03-30
From: Gooch Mtn Shelter

To: Neel Gap
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Not going to write much tonight. Headed out around 9. Made it to the top of Big Cedar around noon & had lunch. Kept hiking w/ Geronimo, Tim & Jigsaw to Neel Gap. Left knee hurts a lot today, but found that slowing down helped a lot. Right knee started to hurt on Blood Mtn descent. Joe gave Geronimo, Jigsaw and I a ride into Dalonega (Tim stay @ BMS tonight). Picked up knee braces for Geronimo and I. Went to Wendy's for dinner. Having a hard time moving around but made up a lot of miles today. Ran into FIDO @ Neel. Plan to shower and do laundry tomorrow morning before leaving Neel. I hope to keep up with Geronimo now that Joe is gone. Geronimo has the same knee problems as I do. I miss Amanda still, but I've found that having someone else to talk to distracts me. Plus, I got to call her and my parents from Joe's cellphone. It was very good to hear her voice. Tim - from upstate NY, only hiking to NC or TN, steady pace, doesn't like to stop and take breaks, has hiked all 46 peaks in the Adirondacks. Jigsaw - from MA, works in construction, has 2 daughters (10 & 13 I think), only hiking to Deep Gap, NC. Geronimo - 51, retired from the Army, lives in KY, has similar knee problems, is hiking to northern PA. Crazy Horse - has done many thru hikes (8?), thinks bears are overrated. Guns - friends with Crazy Horse, retired from the Navy, also thinks bears are overrated. . Going to bed (10:00).
Date: 2009-03-31
From: Neel Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: light rain

Got started a little late this morning (10:45) after a shower & laundry @ Neel. Geronimo, Jigsaw and I got about 2 miles from Neel and Geronimo's knees started to hurt really bad. Jigsaw and I continued on after waiting for about 10 minutes. We came down into Tesnatee and a Lilburn church group was doing some Trail Magic. I had some bottled water and a Milky Way bar before it started to rain a little bit. We started up from Tesnatee and into Hogpen Gap to finally end the section where I injured myself a few years ago and the disaster hike of Dec. '08. The hike between Hogpen & Low Gap was considerably faster than expected. We actually got a spot in the shelter even though we got there around 5. The rain was fairly light and we were setup in the shelter before the rain really started. Splice and Cous Cous let us know that Geronimo turned around and headed back to Neel. It was good to know that he was going to make it back. The knee braces helped a little bit, but not as much as I would have liked. I missed Amanda a lot today, especially in the morning. The 2nd half of today was better though b/c it was much faster. People I met today: Turtle - from New Orleans, done almost 2000 miles of different sections on the trail, also has a knee and ankle injury. I met a few others, but I don't remember their names. I love you and miss you, Amanda. It's supposed to rain tomorrow. Ugh.
Date: 2009-04-01
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up to heavy rains before dawn. Luckily, by the time Jigsaw and I left the shelter, the rain had stopped. However, it remained misty and foggy most of the morning. The first part of the hike was pretty easy (except for the hike down into Unicoi). There was a group of Trail Angels in the gap with hot dogs, candy, soda, water and more. We has a couple of hot dogs, some chips and water. I also got a card and I'm planning on helping out when I'm done with the trail. The hike up from Unicoi (1.0 mi) was the hardest hike so far. It wasn't the steepest, but it was steep and very long. Luckily, the rest of the hike (4.3) wasn't as hard, but overall, it was the hardest day of hiking so far. We made it to Tray Mountain shelter around 5. There was still space in the shelter and we were able to setup easily. The view north from the top of Tray Mountain was awesome. We had a fire built outside the shelter as the sun had come out a few hours earlier and began to dry everything off. I met a lot of people at the shelter and had some funny conversations around the fire. My left knee didn't hurt as much today as it has been, but it still hurt and my right knee is getting worse. Hopefully, they will both get strong before I injure myself. I still miss Amanda a lot and wish she was here with me. People I met: Butch - from PA, hikes a lot, is on a slow thru-hike, stopped smoking to be able to hike more. Tom - from Israel, his trailname (Tom) is his daughter's name, speaks English pretty well but has a heavy accent. Other people I met but can't remember much about: Umemployed, Homeless, Nature & K-Bar (both from MA & hiking together, but met on the trail), Rugged Shark. A few others, but I can't remember their names. I love you and miss you, Amanda.
Date: 2009-04-02
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: moderate rain

The rain was very heavy last night and most of my stuff was damp in the morning. Jigsaw and I were the last to leave the shelter this morning, but not the campground. The enitre day hiking was cold, foggy and wet. Thank God it didn't rain more than a light sprinkle (and it was @ the end). The hiking was mostly downhill & sloppy today. The trail on Springer was wetter, but today was much muddier, especially from Powell Mountain down into Dick's Creek Gap. It was definitely the most depressing day of hiking so far. For most of the day, I couldn't see more than 100ft in front of me. The rest of the day, I couldn't see more than 100 yds. All views were blocked today. Even Jigsaw considered quitting today even though he only has one more day or so (but to be fair, he has had a cold since he started). However, when we realized how close we were to Dick's Creek and the Blueberry hostel, our moods perked up a little bit. We (Jigsaw, Shawn Bird (no trailname), Tom (from Israel), myself and an unknown guy) hitched a ride on the back of a live tree hauling truck 3.5 miles down to the Blueberry Patch Hostel. We met the caretaker (Gary) and he was explaining how the hostel worked and the unknown guy almost got into an argument w/ Gary over a ride into town. Ass. I'm glad he continued hitching. The hostel is pretty nice and Gary is really cool. He washed & folded our laundry for us, then he let me drive his car into town so we could eat and go shopping. He and his wife grow blueberries and are going to cook blueberry pancakes & sausage for us in the morning. I got to take a showerand I'm going to sleep on a "matress" tonight. It will be pretty tough to leave. Butch also made it here to the shelter, and there were already two girls here (Kristin & Tori) who are trying a thru-hike. Shawn is a little nervous about the breakfast in the morning b/c Gary wants it to be a fellowship kind of thing, and I think Shawn might be a little uncomfortable with that. Oh well. I missed Amanda a lot today on the trail. Going to bed. I love you, Amanda.
Date: 2009-04-03
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

The breakfast this morning was excellent! Gary and his wife served us homemade everything (most of it made from scratch). Pancakes w/ blueberry jam, sausage, cheddar biscuits, scrambled eggs & OJ. I don't think they slaughtered hogs to get the sausage, but everything else (I think) was either homemade or grown on their land. We said a prayer and Gary and his wife waited on us. I put $20 in the donation envelope (in retrospect, I should have put more). I feel bad not leaving more, but I don't know if I can afford it. He dropped us all off at the trail at 9:30. Jigsaw flew up the trail today b/c he isn't carrying much food and is getting off the trail tomorrow. I hiked by myself for a while. The stay at the hostel was exactly what I needed. The hike today would have been much harder without it. I caught up w/ FIDO who stayed @ the Hiawassee Inn last night. We hiked for a long time together and talked about random things. I'm glad I found him to hike w/ b/c 200 yds up the mountain past the GA/NC line, it got freezing cold and the wind started blowing very hard. Not to mention the hiking was almost entirely uphill & steep for a long time. I wanted to get to a shelter or campground and setup before any rain started, and he was hiking a bit too slow for me so I passed him. I reached Muskrat Creek Shelter (my original destination) to find that I had just missed Jigsaw by about 5-10 minutes. The people @ the shelter said he headed to the next campground, so I double-timed it to try and catch up. However, the fog and wind were both still very heavy so everytime I got to someplace that looked like it might be a campground, I hollered to see if Jigsaw was there, but never got any reply. I finally decided to just head to Deep Gap (Jigsaw's stopping point about 4 miles away). I made the first 2 miles in less than an hour, but the last 2 took almost 1.5 hours. When I finally got to Deep Gap, a guy named Green Truck told me I had just missed him and that he had gone to Standing Indian Shelter. I was relieved to know that I hadn't missed Jigsaw's campsite. I found Jigsaw @ the shelter, but even he was too late to get a spot. We made camp and I built a fire in front of the shelter. It look to be clear & cold tonight. Cold? Check! Clear? Who knows? I'm in my tent & I'm not getting out to check. Shawn is here @ the shelter and I think that Jigsaw's friend is going to give us a ride into Franklin for the party tomorrow. Not only that, but Green Truck & Red Truck (his dad) are putting on Trail Magic all day tomorrow. I think wer're just going to stay for breakfast, but I'm excited! Today was definitely the coldest day and that made the hiking pretty difficult, but the Lord helped me get through it and stay focused on my goals. He has been answering my prayers so far. I still miss Amanda very much. People I met today: Green Truck - '02 thru-hiker, does Trail Magic w/ his Dad (Green Truck) every year @ Deep Gap since. I love you and miss you, Amanda. Thank you, Lord, for getting my through today. Going to bed. 9:40.
Date: 2009-04-05
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Franklin, NC (Miss Janet's)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I am writing this the morning after the Franklin Hiker party. Jigsaw and I woke up yesterday and hiked back down to Deep Gap to get breakfast. Red Truck & Green Truck (Father & Son '02 hikers) were cooking breakfast (hash browns, sausage, eggs & biscuits). Everything was really tasty, and Turtle and More To Do made it down from Muskrat Creek shelter before we left. Jigsaw's buddy Jaybird picked us up from Deep Gap and drove us into Franklin. I found a spot @ Miss Janet's hiker hostel and said goodbye to Jigsaw. I go to call Amanda which made me very happy. She seems to be keeping very active and productive around the house. I miss her terribly. The day festival was a bit boring. I spent a lot of time helping Janet and the other hikers at the hostel make food for the big hiker dinner. It was at the Sapphire Inn motel down the road. There was a tent city setup on the lawn and a bluegrass band w/ tables & chairs. Shawn showed up and we found K-Bar and a British girl (Feeder). We four were drinking & talking together most of the night (we even went to the mexican restaurant across the street and had margaritas). Feeder told some really funny stories from when she was growing up. She went to bed a little early, but the rest of us closed down the party. I got back to the hostel around 1:30 or so. Very drunk. I stayed up w/ Janet, her daughters and another hiker watching Braveheart. I finally went to be around 3 or so. I'm not nearly as hungover as I thought I would be, but I still don't think I'm going to hike today. I also didn't see Splice & Cous-Cous last night. I might have missed them or they might not have made it to the party. I'm going to try and see if I can find them (or FIDO) today. I find that the mornings and nights are the times when I miss Amanda the most. I love you, Amanda.