morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-06-21
From: Daleville, Virginia 

To: BRP 97/Taylor Mountain Overlook
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 50Wednesday, June 21, 2017 Daleville, VA (727.8) to BRP 97/Taylor Mountain Overlook (742.1)Miles: 14.3 miles in 6.5 hours with one break2017 AT trip miles: 742.1Total AT miles to date: 2031.6Weather: Sunny, 70s-low 80s, pleasant until it got hotDinner: Pizza Hut Baked Rigatoni with Meat SauceHikers: A dozen of different Northbound faces as I slacked Southbound, plus Screech, Cindy Lou Who, Hendricks and Grade School, none of them naked.I'll say the new shoes made the difference. Or the trail was gentle. Or the day pleasant? In any event, today¢s 14-mile plus slack was so much easier than yesterday's. I felt like the time flew by instead of slogging. Had pleantynof time to get the laundry done upon my return.I got dropped off on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mile Post 97/Taylor Mountain, and hiked back to Daleville. It was a quiet start, although I could hear interstate 81 for most of the day after I summited the first mountain. Today, the first day of summer, was naked hiker day. Passed by a whole bunch of people I didn't know, and a few I did. All of them clothed. Only one woman was in a bikini and one guy was decidedly under dressed for hiking in his red brief. It may have been Space Ghost, but if it was, I didn't recognize him.
Date: 2017-06-24
From: Stealth Campsite/Petits Gap

To: US 501/Glasgow, VA
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 53Saturday, June 24, 2017 Stealth Campsite/Petites Gap (774.8) to US 501/Glasgow, VA (784.6)Miles: 9.8 miles in 5 hours with one break2017 AT trip miles: 784.6Total AT miles to date: 2074.1Weather: Sunny, windy, warmDinner: Salisbury Steak, potatoes, salad at the hostelHikers: Mama Bear and her three children, two hikers at the hostelWildlife: Black snake and a catlike squirrelThe weather report indicated a cold front was going to be moving in overnight and does it ever feel good this morning! By cold, I'm guessing it's in the 60s, but drier and very windy. A little rain fell and the winds picked up, but give me this over the humidity any day. Of course, it didn't completely last, it again got hot.Unlike yesterday, today was mostly down. I hiked through two wilderness areas including James River which was a very nice section of trail leading down to the highway where the shuttle to Stanimals Hostel was awaiting my arrival. The trail meandered through red pines, hickory and oaks high above the James River. There were even a few views. And blueberries. Lots of blueberries.Met a mom with three elementary-aged children in the midst of their hike from Damascus to Harpers Ferry today. She and the two youngest hiked the entire trail once already over a two year period and are back to fill in a section that the eldest missed. At one point, some animal flashed away from me¢like a squirrel, but it was bigger, faster and it seemed to have pointy ears like a bobcat, but it wasn't that big. It's a mystery. The black snake that zipped across the trail, however, was no mystery. It's the weekend again. You can tell because obedient dogs are leading clean smelling day hikers.
Date: 2013-03-04
To: Two years in the making ÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ Research, Planning, Trai
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

A dream for a long time, whats the big deal ?Throw some clothes and food in a bag and go hiking, right !!It seemed like that in the beginning. I wonder how many folks drop out of this process long before the hike even begins. With so much to do, just getting to the start at Springer Mountain Ga. seems as daunting as the hike itself. My desire to hike the AT and the opportunity at the same time to give what I can to the Woodall Foundation of Carrollton, TX. is what got me started. Approximately 3000 attempt a thru hike of the AT each year whether hiking north or south. Most follow the seasons north. While most end their attempt early on due to varies reasons such as sickness or injuries. About 10 % are successful each year and reach Mt Katadin in Maine or Springer Mt in Georgia depending on direction of hike chosen.
Date: 2013-03-15
To: Hike TrainingÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¦.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

I started my hike conditioning in Feb/2013. I began with 2.5 miles approx every 3 days. I'm up to 7 miles now for each hike, averaging about every 3 days. My goal will be a max of about 10-12 miles while training. Over the course of the coming year that should give me enough miles under my belt to be at least a half of a real hiker on the AT when I begin. I'm doing most of my training at the Fort Worth Nature Center. They have about 20 miles of trails but primarily just 1 trail that suits my purposes. Currently that trail is 7 miles in length. I ll post the occasional pic in here so you can see the incredible transformation take shape !
Date: 2013-04-11
To: Three Consecutive Day Hikes
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Three 7 mile days in a row and my feet feel pretty good. I guess that¢s progress.Day 3 was very wet with moderate to heavy rain and scattered thunderstorms which made things interesting and wet. I wanted to have some idea what to expect on the AT when I have to hike in the rain¢¦day after day after day etc.Today was a good test for that and I did learn a lot about do¢s and dont¢s that will help to keep me and my gear dry. I was pretty well soaked over 1/3 of myself and my gear, lol. I¢ll do better next time.
Date: 2013-05-11
To: 8 Miles
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I finally increased my hiking distance to 8 miles. My goal is to reach 10 miles per training hike, then hope for the best. On the AT I will need to average about 14 miles a day. My gear purchases are almost complete. I¢ll update my gear list as soon as I get a spare minute. If you have any suggestions, send them. I appreciate any and all help!I challenged a little friend to a hiking race (see below)¢¦. the tortoise didn¢t win this one, but it was very close since he only used 2 legs!
Date: 2013-05-21
To: 10.5 Miles!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

A quick update¢¦ I hiked 10.5 miles the other day. It was pretty tough the last 3 but I didn¢t give up. I think the humidity made it harder than it should have been. My water was gone by mile 9, the last mile and a half was hiked on empty¢¦ lesson learned. I saw my first snake, a copperhead warming himself on the trail. It was a little scary thinking what could have happened had I not seen him. Then, out of nowhere a turtle came rolling down the hill and landed on it¢s back right in front of me. It was pretty funny to see actually. I thought about just rolling him over being the big brave game hunter that I am, then I thought better of it. I¢m sure he could have bitten off my whole arm. Instead, I used my hiking pole to save him, and on down the hill he went... slowly!
Date: 2013-05-26
To: U.P. We GoÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¦
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

We decided to take a trip north to the great state of Michigan (Upper Peninsula) and do a bit of hiking in a real forest. In total, we did about 6 miles. The weather was fantastic, cool and relaxing. The hike was like walking on carpet, It was very very easy. No pain, no gain.. so no gain! But we had a great time!
Date: 2013-08-28
To: Getting in Gear
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Hiking through a TX summer is really a treat¢¦ unbelievably HOT!!   I¢ve backed off quite a bit during July and August, hiking minimally. During my some spare time, I¢ve been concentrating on gear¢¦ making a list and checking it twice¢¦ over and over! As you can see, I¢ve been wondering how I¢m going to get all this into my 60 liter Osprey. Practice, Practice, Practice! I still have a few incidentals to finish but this is pretty much all of it. I feel pretty good at this point to be as ready as I am. Now I just need to hike more. I¢m not under any illusion that preparing in TX will get me ready for what¢s to come on the AT, but it¢s what I have to work with so I¢ll make the best of it.March is coming fast¢¦ considering it was 18 months ago I decided to take up the challenge, man time flies!!-TANK   : )
Date: 2013-09-26
To: Some Extra Motivation
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I am raising money for the Brent Woodall Foundation. For those of you that are more interested in what the Brent Woodall Foundation does, please watch this short video. http://vimeo.com/55631733 Parents of children that attend the BWF tell you what its like from their perspective. In addition to my own motivations for completing the hike, helping the BWF provides just a little more. Every bit will help.
Date: 2013-09-30
To: On the Trail AgainÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¦
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Summer is waning and I¢m on the trail again. Today was my first hike with a FULL pack. Most of the past 12 months were spent researching and purchasing gear that will sustain me for 5-6 months. I had a semi-official weigh-in goal of not an oz. over 30 lbs. I came scary close at 31 lbs. As I continue to make adjustments, I¢ll replace items with ones that are lighter to reach my goal. I know it doesn¢t seem like much and you might wonder why I would even bother, after all it¢s just 1 lb. Think of it this way, carrying 1 lb 2185 miles is the same as carrying 2185 lbs 1 mile¢¦ every oz. counts!!One other thing I¢d like to point out. If you haven¢t seen the video in my previous blog post, please take a moment and watch. If you love your children I don¢t know how this couldn¢t touch your heart.If you would like to support the effort, check out my main blog at thruhikeat.com and look around. All my posts will end up in both locations, it's just easier for me to post from my main blog. PLEASE ask you friends to join in and support my hike¢¦ I will hike until my feet fall off to make this happen¢¦ We are over $5,000 and climbing, with a goal of $10,000!!
Date: 2013-10-07
To: Cool Hike
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

The temperature was 49 degrees when I stepped onto the trail yesterday morning. I thought I would try out my fleece. Three miles into the hike I was soaked from the waist down because of the morning dew and soaked from the waist up because I was sweating buckets. I was way overdressed with just a fleece. Hiking provides its own heater. I have to remember if I'm comfortable when I start hiking, I have too much on. Once I packed up my fleece, hiking was perfect!I had the trail all to myself and my thoughts were on the emails that I have received from people the live near the AT and are already giving me words of encouragement and hints of possible trail magic as I make my way north... People are truly amazing!-Tank
Date: 2013-10-18
To: 2000 Miles... Fast!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

It has been a crazy few weeks with all my hike preparations. To change it up, a few of my buddies and I decided to see how quickly we could cover 2000 miles, exactly how the actually AT hike WONT be!The gear required for this effort was considerable, my wife was going! Everyone else had similar issues to resolve but we managed to pull it all together. We headed out on Oct 10th as planned, minus 1 friend who was stuck making repairs before he could begin his trek. He actually did manage to catch up and was only 4-5 hours behind at the start. We had excellent weather which is always a good way to cover some ground and enjoy it.Anyway, I just wanted to give a quick update to say that actual preparations are going well for the real trek. It¢s nice to take a break now and then with good friends to enjoy other parts of this fantastic life!See you soon on the AT.-TANK
Date: 2013-12-13
To: AT - Approach Trail Hike
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

It¢s been awhile between updates but I continue to plug along. I¢m still not convinced that I have the correct footwear for the hike so I decided to go to Georgia and hike the approach trail to the AT and try to get a feeling of what I was in for. The approach Trail begins at Amicalola Falls State Park and ends at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail at the summit of Springer Mountain. Amicalola is the third highest waterfall east of the Mississippi River which is also the tallest waterfall in Georgia.It was cold, rainy, foggy, and very windy as I began my approach trail hike. The 600 steps up the falls actually went pretty well, slow and steady. By the time I made the top I was pretty wet with the rain and waterfall over spray. I felt like Jim Cantorey (sp) trying to stand up in a hurricane segment!Anyway, off I go into the woods following the trail past the Falls Resort and the ¢Hike Inn 1 Mile¢ sign. I was determined not to go tree to tree during this initial hike. (Hi Roger).The trail was very wet with lots of water, slippery rocks and mud. Man it was cold!! I actual rolled both ankles a several times, but nothing that caused issues.I met 2 other hikers which was pretty surprising considering the weather. One will be starting that AT in March and the other doing his last mile hiking southbound¢¦ Amazing!
Date: 2014-02-05
To: Final Gear List and a Few Thoughts
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Over the past couple weeks, I have been getting very anxious. I leave for the trail in about a month. I try to imagine what it will be like to leave. All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go, I'm standing outside my door about to leave, I already miss my wife and family. I am excited, but it is hard to think about.I also think about all the things that could possibly go wrong and trying to mentally prepare for something that I cant mentally prepare for. I just want to take baby steps, take one day at a time, and set small goals.To the class of 2014, I'll see you very soon!!!I have everything laid out on the living room floor. I have spoken with a few people that have already done the hike and they assure me there is nothing that I should remove from my gear list. My goal was to leave with a pack under 30 lbs. I weighed it today and it comes in at 33 lbs... close to my goal. I will continue to look for ways to cut weight, even if its a gram at a time.1. Smart Wool socks¢¦. 2 pr. 1 for hiking and 1 for sleeping.2. fleece zip jacket¢¦. extra warmth on cold days.3. Marina Wool lightweight long sleeve crew top/long underwear. 1 pr.4. Cabelas Hiking pants ( until warmer weather ) 1 pr.5. BCG Synthetic hiking shirts (2) short sleeve¢¦very lite/very quick drying.6. Marmot Beanie.7. Recycled fleece gloves.8. BCG Synthetic hiking shorts¢¦very lite/quick dry. 2 pr.9. Exfficio synthetic boxer briefs¢¦(2)10. Plastic Spork.11. Base Camp gravity water filter.12. Cookpot.13. MSR fuel canister.14. Gatorade bottles for water¢¦(2) 2 liter platypus.15. Pocket Rocket Camp Stove¢¦.. 3 oz.16. Keens mid tarhgee-2 boots¢¦. my 4th and final brand.17. The 2014 AT hikers guide¢¦.a must have.18. Galaxy S4 for skype/facetime/journals/camera.19. Knife, clippers, TP, Bug spray, Duct tape, purell hand sanitizer, toothpaste/brush, bio wash soap, bic20. Paracord 50 ft¢¦..for food bag etc etc¢¦21. Leki Trekking poles22. Osprey 65 Liter23. Backpack cover for extra weather protection24. OP dry bags for everything.25. Trash Compactor Bags¢¦..more dry protection.26. Ultralite Air Core Pillow27. Marmot 815 fill 15 degree sleeping bag w/liner28. Big Agnes Ul1 tent w/footprint for moisture barrier
Date: 2014-02-16
To: 23 DAYS TO GO !!!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Wow,,,,,its coming so fast. Not much has changed here but I thought I should update and say hello to the 2014 team. Ive read a lot of great journals, learned a lot of good ideas, tried to take the best of everyones gear list suggestions, trained as much as possible, met some great people in here. I ship my pack in on the 8th, I follow it on the 11th...Have my last supper on the 11th..... then its one foot in front of the other etc. etc. etc. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !
Date: 2014-02-24
To: 2 WEEKS !!!!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I know I need to contain myself but I'm so excited/anxious to get started putting one foot in front of the other..... I cant sleep, (and I never have sleep issues) I dream all night long about every aspect of what I imagine is coming. I can still EAT a mean meal though!! Whew!!I had all my gear depacked AGAIN in the living room and my wife and I were going over every ounce trying to squeeze out any last second luxuries! I wanted to leave the body wipes and just embrace the magic of the manly scent that only thru hikers can relate to. My wife insisted they go with me if only to spare my fellow hikers the pain of close proximity!After all the discussions pro/con, we did find ways to lighten the load a bit more and that's it..... 31 lbs with 5 day supply of food. (No water). I could get it to 30lbs but just starting out I didn't want to run out of groceries... I like my groceries !!Here is what she looks like all nice and clean, packed perfectly, that wont last long !!
Date: 2014-03-03
To: Just 1 Week !!!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

OMG!! Its really here¢¦. I have spent quite a bit of time these last couple of weeks saying good-bye to friends and family, having several last suppers, and a few drinks with much laughter. I think I have gained 10 lbs just trying to leave!!! Today I did a final pack and boxed it all up, then off to UPS for shipping to Ga. I don¢t know why, but that box felt much heavier today. My final assault on pack weight will happen the night before I get on the trail at Springer. After shipping off my pack and running a few errands, I returned home to see a small pile of items I had left in a special spot so that I wouldn¢t forget them¢¦. ha. Its ok, just a small flight bag and I¢m good.I had dinner with family last night and as I¢m driving home, I thinking to myself that if I can eat just half as good as the dinner they prepared, it¢ll almost be heaven on the trail! Thank you Brian and Carly.Thank You to all that have been so generous in giving to help fight the good fight against autism. I¢m truly amazed at what you have given in support. My son built the webpage and initially had set up a $10,000 goal. I never once thought we could ever reach that goal. So we began at $5,000 (dad knew better) and a few months later bumped it back up to $10,000 (son knew better). Now we have surpassed the 2nd (original) goal and are still gaining. Thank You Thank You Thank You !!Please continue to tell your friends and family. Link us in any way you can with everyone! The goal isn¢t just $10,000 ¢ the goal is to find a cure for autism like it is to fine a cure for so many other ailments. Most of us will never know the pain and struggles that come with medical issues like autism, but to those that do, God Bless You. If this little bit of change makes even the smallest improvement in your lives, I will be forever thankful.I am truly humbled and grateful for your help!
Date: 2014-03-09
To: It's Time !!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

I called the lodge to see if my pack had arrived. The guy at the counter said, ¢yes, it¢s here Chris so you cant count on the postal service to get you out of this !!¢ ha!So, Monday evening we catch a flight to Chattanooga, on Tuesday an easy drive to Ammicalola Falls (2-3 hrs). The plan is to enjoy the evening relaxing with good company, meet some NOBO¢s then head out at first light on Wednesday. I¢ll be starting at FS42 and backtracking to Springer (almost a mile). Abbie (my wife) plans to hike up springer then back to the car so 2 miles total for her¢¦.. She bought new hiking boots so I¢m pretty sure she¢ll be able to make the journey, if there is any hint of rain, I¢m on my own Today I¢m at work and still trying to improve my charity contributions... thruhikeat.comSaying goodbye and enjoying the friendly comments and a good laugh... It¢s a different world in this place, the only way to believe it is to see it! Even then after 30 years I wonder sometimes how I became like them!!! lolSo, it begins. If you see me on the trail I¢ll most likely be looking at my feet if I¢m walking¢¦ Say hello and lets head north!- Tank... Chris
Date: 2014-03-10
To: First wake-up on the AT !!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

OMG¢¦.There could be change in the wind... literally! The forecast for my Wednesday a.m. start is 55 mph winds with moderate rain and a wind chill of 3-5 degrees... mountain forecast for Springer.With these conditions I¢m expecting to wake up looking much like the pic in my journal update!Would I be insane to go Wednesday? All signs point to yes... I¢ll decide when I wake up...Think warm thoughts!!Chris... Tank
Date: 2014-03-12
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: clear sky

I thought there would be a marching band and cheerleaders to send me on my way... Just rain, fog, and cold. **** The cell coverage is minimal and Chris (Tank) is having issues sending out journal entries. He is going to try to get an entry out later today about the first couple days. Don't forget to follow his progress http://thruhikeat.com/follow-me-2/. He checks in about once a day with his GPS locator.
Date: 2014-03-15
From: Gooch Shelter

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 17.9

3/13/14Yesterday was Day 1. I made it to Hawk Shelter. It was supposed to get down to 10 degree wind chill, and it did. We all froze with gusty winds and poor shelter. Thanks Chris for the down jacket... It got me thru the night. On to Gooch Shelter.3/14/14Yesterday, I made it to Gooch Shelter. It was a much warmer night. Today we stopped at Lance Creek and tented because of bear activity ahead.3/15/14Today I left Lance Creek about 9 am and tackled Blood Mountain arriving at Neels Gap around 3 pm... It kicked my butt. I'm definitely the old man in this group. I think my trail name should be Slomo!Amazing how fast a group will form and a few days later they disperse when in town. So far everyone has been great. Very helpful. Most everyone has lots of trail experience, except me! Tonight 5 of us are holed up in this awesome cabin, then we get punished with days of rain... oh well, maybe it's better than a wind chill of 10.I resupplied today at an outfitter... And sent home 4 lbs of stuff I hope I didn't need. My bag weight is 31 lbs and I'm thrilled. We are going into town for dinner. It's an all you can eat....!!!! I'm so ready!!!
Date: 2014-03-16
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: few clouds

3/16/14Today we hiked to Low Gap in the pouring rain. 11 miles, most I have done so far. We were right on the edge of freezing... If we stopped we froze in bout 2 min. The shelter was full when we arrived, so we ate in the tents. Big difference from our cabin last night.BTW, bears do crap in the woods... it's official. I didn't see any hiker bells in it so that's a good sign.Tomorrow I put the wet clothes back on and keep hiking... yuck... freezing clothes too..
Date: 2014-03-17
From: Low Gap

To: Hiawassee
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: clear sky

3/17/14 - Total Miles 50.0Another brutal day climbing up... up... up... The downs are tough too. We got off the trail in Hiawassee to dry out. After yesterday's hike in the rain, then setting up camp in the freezing rain, everything was soaked. Our packs weighed an extra 15 lbs at least. Myself and Frankie "the sleeper" ate 2 large Pizzas... lolThe blister hurts at night but I bandage it for the day... It'll be OK.It's 8:00 pm (Hiker Midnight)-Goodnight
Date: 2014-03-18
From: Hiawassee

To: Sassafras Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

3/18/14 ¢ Total Miles 61.0I'm starving and I'm freezing. At least the rain was minimal today... mostly tree rain. I did pass someone today! A lady thru hiking with her two kids. I was so proud of myself... Finally, I get to pass someone. Then I find out she had a broken foot and is ending her attempt. Oh well, my day is coming!!! I'm in my tent because it is too cold not to be. I want dinner and I have no one to bring it to me!Still no TM (Trail Magic). I'm hoping for hot chocolate... The pic is mostly what I have seen the last few days.