morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-20
From: Stratton

To: Spaulding Mountain lean to
Miles today: 13.5

Happy Father's day Papa, I love you and will see you soon. Ate breakfast at diner at 07:00. Eggs, bacon toast and coffee. Started hitch hiking out of town back to the trail at 08:00. Caught a ride after about 15 minutes and was back on the trail at 08:30. Steady steep climb from 1500ft to 4250ft in first 5 miles to the north peak of Crocker Mountain. Took pictures back down the trail looking back at large mountains, some of which we had already crossed. I called Kelly at the top of North Peak. It was good to hear her voice. I sure miss being with her. We would have been at church together today. While Charlie and myself took a break at the top of North Peak, two couples which are also heading south (SOBOS), Bob and Sharon, and Jesse and Laura had a snack also. They are young and keep passing us. We continued on to the South Peak of Crocker Mountain and then down where we had to ford South Branch of Carrabassett River. Then a steep and boulder covered climb up Spaulding Mountain. Charlie and I stopped and took pictures going up. Charlie took pictures of me at the plaque commemorating the completion of this last section of the AT from ME to GA. Arrived at Spaulding Mountain lean to about 7:30pm. It was full, Bob and Sharon , Jesse and Laura, Jeremy (another SOBO) and about four more we did not know. We had to pitch our tents, filter water, clean up and fix supper. We didn't get through eating until about 10:00. It's 10:33 now and I am tired. God has blessed us again today. We are getting stronger, the climbs don't wear us down as bad. Good night Kelly-I love you
Date: 2004-06-21
From: Spaulding Mountain lean to

To: Poplar Ridge lean to
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

Awoke many times last night with the wind blowing strong. Cold, sleeping bag felt good zipped all the way up. Slept good. Up at 07:00am and headed to visit the big brown bear (privy). Breakfast of oatmeal and coffee. Taking down tent and ready to move south. Beautiful day, cool but sunny. The wind has calmed down some. Got started late, 10:00- only going 8 miles to Poplar ridge lean to. warming up, nice walk up small mountain (Lone mt) then 3 miles down hill to a stream- stopped at a waterfall for a snack. Then 1600ft claimb to Poplar Ridge. Arrived at lean to at 4:00pm. Lean to was full, Bob and Sharon, Jesse and Laura were there. Jesse wanted me to send a message to his mom Jean Levis-he said he is doing okay. Jesse and Laura have camped at the same sites we have camped at for 2-nights. Resting some this afternoon-be fixing supper, called and talked to Kelly. I miss her so much, can't wait until we meet at NH/VT border. Hopefully that will be in about 3 weeks. I want to say thanks to all who are keeping up with my journal. A special thanks to all who continue to pray for me. God is good and answers prayer
Date: 2004-06-22
From: Poplar Ridge lean to

To: Rangley-hostel
Miles today: 10.7

Awoke about 03:30am with rain hitting on the tent. We knew we had to get out in it because our food supply was low and we had to get into a town and resupply. By 06:00 it had stopped raining and I was up. Packed up tent before it rained on it anymore. Ate breakfast-grits pop-tart and coffee. On the trail at 08:00 with 3 mountains to climb-all real steep. Saddleback Junior, the Horn and Saddleback. By 12:00 noon I was at the top of Saddleback- the last mountain for today. Made it to SR4 and caught a ride into Rangley- got a room at a hostel (Gull Pond Lodge). Going to IGA to resupply-rained on us all afternoon
Date: 2004-06-23
From: Rangley-hostel

To: State Rd. #17
Miles today: 14.2

Meet 4 NoBo thru-hikers yesterday evening after I made my Journal entry, Cactus, A-1, Chansaw and Drifter. Bob (who owns the hostell where I stayed last night) carried us back to the A.T. after he furnished a breakfast of cerrial, baggles, tost, english muffins, dough-nuts, fresh fruit and coffee. This was the most accomidating hostell I have stayed at. I was hiking by 9:00 on moderate ups and downs of small mountains including Spruce Mtn. Took picture of trail going up Spruce Mtn. Crossed State Rd. # 17 @ 4:45 took pictures of Mosselookmeguntic Lake and mountain range beyound. Some of which we will be crossing in next few days. Stoped @ small spring about 1.1 miles from rood at 5:30 set up tent, filtered water, washed off, fixed and ate supper. Good day, God surely blessed again. I'am calling Kelly now, she has been @ Church tonight.
Date: 2004-06-24
From: State Rd. #17

To: Black Brook
Miles today: 12.2

Up at 6:30 ate breakfast, broke camp and readying to walk on South. Slept good last night, cool so I could snuggle down in my sleeping bag. Started walking about 9:00 with steady steep climb up 1st. point of Beamis Mtn. Then on up to 2nd. point of Beamis mtn. then 3rd. point and then the peak of Beamis Mtn. 3,592 ft. elev. Then we skirted the shoulder of Elephant Mtn. Before climbing the peak of old blue mountain 3,600 ft. elev. While going up old blue, I noticed not 6' from on a patch of bright green ground cover a big bird with 3-4 baby chicks (I think it was a Grouse) I tryed to take a picture but she saw me and got into the brush and the picture doesn't show her very well. Beautifull bird big as a small chicken. Continued on to the peak of Old Blue Mtn. and a steep decend down to south arm road. We are camped by Black Brook. Got here about 7:00 another good day God is so good and looks after me so well. I sure miss Kelly and looking forward to seeing her in 3 weeks at N.H. Vermont Border. Good night.
Date: 2004-06-25
From: Black Brook

To: Hall Mtn. Lean-to
Miles today: 4.1

Awoke about 3:30 with rain hitting on tent, got clothes off line and got back into tent. Rained untill about 10:00 A.M. got up, started drying off tent in order to pack it up. Ate breakfast. By time I got everything packed up and ready to leave, it was 12:30. Late start with steep uphill to begin with. Up Moody Mtn. first thing, very steep downhill to sawyer notch. Then an even steeper uphill to Hall Mtn. arrived at Hall Mtn. lean-to just as it started raining about 4:30. Decided to stayhere for the night. Two more alredy here Jerrimay and another guy (don't know Name) Built fire to try and dry clothes, fixed supper, ate and called Kelly. It sure does me good to hear her voice, I miss her so much. Hopefully only 3 more days in Maine. Prase the Lord He has blessed me with safety and health. God is good. Tired now, tough day tomorrow. Good night Kelly, I love you.
Date: 2004-06-26
From: Hall Mtn. Lean-to

To: Frye notch lean-to
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: broken clouds

Awoke by rain, got up about 7:00. Still raining. Knee acheing? Finally left about 9:30 still sprinkling rain. Easy walk but knee acheing more? Walk should have been easy with gradual ups and downs but not for me today. Stoped @ Bill hill rd. (6 miles down) and rubbed knee with Robbie Carrol's special formular and put on knee brace took some pain medication. Hoping that would stop the pain. It helped but walking was still painfull. Finally arrived at top of Surplus Mtn. with only 1/2 mile down to lean-to. Charlie was waiting at top, he had already been to lean-to, took off his pack and riturned to check on me (after I didn't show up for a while he started worrying he knew I was in pain all day). He offered to carry my pack for me but I declined. I told him that I need to carry my own load. What a friend Charlie is he makes a good walking partner. We care about each others safety. Hard day today with much pain hopefully tomorrow will be o.k. God is good he allowed me to slow down today and see some beautifull sights with better weather this afternoon. Couldn't call Kelly tonight, battery in phone week and week signall. I miss talking to her.
Date: 2004-06-27
From: Frye notch lean-to

To: hwy # 26
Miles today: 5.8

Awoke early with beautifull sunrise shining into lean-to. Up early to get started with climb up little baldplate mtn. then baldplate and then west peak. Knees hurting pretty bad. Knee which I broke 8 years ago which hurt all day yesterday still hurting very bad and now right knee almost as bad. I guess by lymping cecause of left knee yesterday, it put extry pressure on right knee. Now both knees very painfull. Moving very slow with each stip (especially long steps down and up) near unbearably. I am having to ask myself if finishing another 1,900 miles worth taking a chance on perminate or long term damage.   Must call Doctor for guidance on making decision as to stop now or later. I hate to destray plans both Charlie and mysefl have made for so long. But must do what I think is best for me and Kelly. If I do perminate damage to knees or knee, that will affect Kelly's future as well as mine. Right now, based on the pain I have (even while just sitting) I am leaning toward stoping while I can still walk with only slight pain without a pack. Will call Doctor tomorrow morning for advice. I don't want to tell Kelly now, because this decision needs to be mine. I cherrish her opinion, but I wouldn't want Kelly to feel responsible in any way for me not compleating something we both have been planning and training to do for over 2 years. I trust God to lead me to the right decision. He makes no mistakes. If now is the time for me to quit, then God has something else for me to do now and the 268 miles I have walked in Maine will not have been in vane. I have touched some lives and hopefully seeds have been planted along the A.T. in Maine which someday will sprout. I have tryed to share Jesus with those I have walked and camped with either through my life on the trail or through things I have said. I have meet many good people in Maine willing to give a lift into town or just a kind word of incouragement. Arrived at Hwy 26 about 2:00 and immediately caught a ride into Bethel where we got a room at a hostell. God does provide all our needs. Talked to Charlie about what I have been thinking about. He knows I have been hurting. Called Kelly, didn't tell her anything about what was going on with my Knees. It was good to talk to her, she is dong o.k. Her sister spent the weekend with her and they had a good visit.
Date: 2004-06-28
From: hwy # 26

To: home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Didn't sleep much last night, pain in knees along with wrestleling with what I need to do about continueing on with hiking or quiting. Doctor's advice nurse recomends not hiking any more. Got up and Charlie and myself talked about possible options. We went down and had a great breakfast. We talked about how 4 weeks ago today we having breakfast at the A.T. Calf. in Millonockett but the mood was different that morning we were fixing to start off from Kathadin Streem camp ground for the walk of a lifetime, now we were talking about me having to quit because of knee problems. Finished eating and called Docoto again, he was with a patent. My decision was pretty much allready made. I knew I couldn't continue hiking with the pain. I went to the Chamber to check on options for public transportation out there were none. As I returned to the Hostell, I passed the Police Station, I poped in to see if they had any suggestions as to how to get out of town. The Police Chief offered to carry me to the town limits where my chance of hitch-hiking were better. I went back and talked to Charlie for a while. We said our good bys, I wished him luck on the remainder on his thru-hike, told him to be carefull. I left Charlie packing up his pack to continue on. Hope Charlie catches ride back to A.T. in time to get to Shelter before too late. The Police Chief carried me to the Town limits where I begain to hitch-hike 90 miles to Portland Maine where I would catch a bus home. I had good luck with catching rides and was at the Portland bus station catching a bus at 3:30, God does provide. My thru hike is over, but my hiking is not. I plan to recover from my Knee injury and Kelly and I will enjoy hiking on short day hikes or short overnight hikes in the mountains of N.C. and Va. I have no regreats life is good and I am glad that I have a wonderfull wife waiting for me at home and is proud of me for just trying to thru-hike the A.T.
Date: 2004-06-29
From: home

To: on with life
Miles today: 0.0

Well, back home what a wonderfull nights sleep last night in my bed with my wife although still in pain I haven't got to climb any mountails today. It was a great experiance, one which I will never forget. It was a good trip with many fond memories of the people I met and the beautifull things I saw. God created a beautifull world some of which hasen't been compleatly destroyed yet and I got a chance to see a lot of it in Maine. A rugged beauty which I had the chance to see. As I have said before, I have no regreats I learned a lot the past 30 days. God does provide and was good to me and is good to me. This past 4 weeks has been a learing and rewarding experiance. I have learned or been reminded of how much I love my wife and how nothing in this world is more important to me than her and her happiness. Also how much my Mom and Dad, Brother and Sister and their Family mean to me. Then there is my Church family. How I have missed going to Church and hearing God's word preached and taught. These things especially my wife I have taken for granted for so long. I needed to be reminded of their importance in my life. This could be the whole purpose of this past 4 weeks and 268 miles of walking and realizing what I have at home. I'll miss the excitement, struggles, pain, and victory of reaching that peak which I suffered to reach. But none of this can compair to how much I miss my Family, most especially my very special wife, girlfriend, best friend, biggest supporter and cheerleader all rolled into one beautifull package. I love and appriciate you Kelly and I am glad to be home with you. and Home only because you make it home. I have a wonderfull family which was glad to see me when I got home and I was glad to see them. I realized while away how blessed I am to have my family I missed them all.And to my hiking partner and friend Charlie (the tuna) Keefer. I am truely sorry we couldn't finish this walk together, finish it for both of us Charlie. I will continue to pray for your safe and injoyable thru-hike of the A.T. a very tough trail.
Date: 2003-05-30
To: Pinhoti Trail, Talladaga National Forest, Alabama
Miles today: 0.0

----I'm not on the AT just yet but just a warm up for it...The Pinhoti is about 100 miles in length that runs throught the Talladaga National Forest in Alabama...Right now I've got only the minimum amount of gear w/ only my backpack, compass, WhisperLite stove and cooking ware, and a few other odds and ends...I did this hike w/ my dad and we had a good time until something bad happened...It was on the first day of the hike and we had done about five miles that morning...My dad and I were going out to McDill's Point when he slipped on a rock and broke his leg and it was a sickening sound when I heard it...Later it turns out he had a clean break right above the ankle...Well this blew the rest of our weekend hike for it was Saturday and we were going to take a two day hike lasting through Sunday...We needed some help so I got him into a comfortable position right off the trail and start a four mile speed hike to the ranger station at Cheaha State Park...I had gone about three miles when I came upon one of the Rangers at the park, and as it turns out, dad had called them from the cell phone he had been carrying...So I had already walked three miles w/out knowing this and luckily I had come upon this ranger b/c the search and rescue squad had switched there direction up and now couldn't find my dad...Lucky for them they now had me and I quickly showed them the way...As it turns out, they thought he was somewhere !south! of McDill's Point on the Pinhoti instead of on the trail !to! McDill's Point...So far an hour and a half had passed, another hour and a half would pass by b/c we were slowed by a lot of downed trees on a path that had been cleared earlier for getting to a plane crash at McDill's Point...There is still some wreckage there b/c not all could be carried out b/c of the remoteness of the area...By the time that the rescue team got dad out, it had taken a total of about four hours to find him and get him out...Lucky for me the rescue squad had replied quickly b/c I might have been carrying him out myself----Unfortunately we didn't get to finish our loop but at least we got carried out by the resue squad w/out further incident...For anybody looking to do some hiking on the Pinhoti, watch out for those slick rock.alex
Date: 2003-08-10
To: Pinhoti Trail, Second Try
Miles today: 0.0

Here is my second try of the Pinhoti but minus my dad...We have started calling him Hop-a-Long b/c it almost seems like he hops instead of limps when trying to keep up with us now...I started the trail at the southern terminus going northward on a Sunday evening and ending on Wensday at noon at the very same ranger station where my dad was taken out at...In total, it was about thirty miles on 3 days and 3 nights for I on Sunday night...I did about twelve miles a day on Monday and Tuesday, and six miles Wensday morning...Considering that I wasn't in very good shape, I was surpised that I had done that many miles on the kind of terrain along the Pinhoti or maybe i'm just kidding myself...The most funny thing about this trip was that it was still summer and I got cold sleeping in my Hennesy Hammock...It wasn't smart of me in the first place to not take a sleeping bag but it seemed that i wouldn't need one considering that I was in Alabama and the day temps were in the nineties...It just seemed real odd waking up in my hammock shiveringI guess that was the main thing that I learned while hiking, no matter where you are you can still get cold at night............................................................alex
Date: 2004-01-12
To: Prep
Miles today: 0.0

Finnally have most of my gear together, all I have left is clothes. Hoping to have all of them in the next couple of weeks. All I have are shirts and socks left to buy. It's funny how people give me advise on what to take when i tell them what i am going to do. Stuff like i need a gps device or a satelite phone. It's kinda' crazy but I get a good laugh whenever somebody tells me that. Most can't understand but some do why I do this. I guess it is to kind of find myself most of all but also to get away from home and for spriritual reasons also. Can't tell you about the spiritual reason until i come across them. I'll be sure to take a Bible though. I think it's going to be tough to find a water resistant Bible though so i think i'll have to keep it in a plastic sack. The only thing that has ticked me off so far is people that say, "Your Mother is letting you do what!!!!!!!!" And all this I'm surprised she is letting you do this sort of stuff. To some I say that i'm 20 y/o and I can take care of myself, but to some that I have some respect for I just shrug it off and tell them that it is something that is close to a dream come true. Something like that anyway. Last but not least my start date is March 3rd which is on a Wensday. One last full paycheck and i'm outta here!!!! I just hope my mom doesn't cry when I leave on the trailAlexPeace, Out
Date: 2004-01-13
To: prep
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I have been talking to my transportation advisor (my dad) and as it turns out I won't be leaving on the 3rd of March but instead I will be at Springer Mt. on the 29 of February and leave out on the 1st of March. It seems that w/ my projected date that it would come into conflict w/ my dad's work schedule and he wouldn't be able to attend my sending off ceremony. So with goodness in my heart, I changed my date. So to anybody leaving on the 1st, I hope to see ya' there.Alex Peace, out
Date: 2004-01-21
To: prep
Miles today: 0.0

Everything is falling into place now. I have almost all of my gear now or it's on its way. My fears about a water resistant Bible have come to pass. There is no Bible made that is resistant to water, so says a well learned priest at my church but I've thought about going to a Boy Scouts store or something like that to see if they might have one since they are associated with the Church. Being on the AT will be a great time to meditate on the scripture. Like my dad told me,"A Psalm by morning, an Acts by noon, and a Revalation by evening." Pretty cool saying, wonder where he got that from. Kinda' poetic. Excitement is building along with even more explaining to friends and family about what I'm doing. One of my buddies is a writer for the college newspaper so I'm afraid she might want to write a column on me and my "grand adventure" as a guy from church put it. If it does happen, it would be a good way of letting all the college people and professors that I have come to be associated w/ know what is going on since I'm not in school this semester. It's kinda' odd that I'm missing school and now that I don't have any classes, I'm starting to miss them too except for all of the studying part. Well, enough for now. Gotta go to work in the the morning and I've been hurting for sleep for the last couple of nights so I'm going to bed.Alex Peace, out
Date: 2004-02-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Only 2 weeks now until the starting date. Getting excited now! I have all my mail drops and gear together now just waiting for the day to head out. Sometimes the idea of living off my back for this amount of time looks daunting but looking back into history at people like Boone and Crockett, what were doing is nothing like that. At least we have a set trail to follow while they kinda' just wandered around until they felt like going home. Actually thats quite incorrect, they made a living off the land in occupations like trapping, hunting game, and exploring. Though what we are doing isn't quite as daunting, it's still tough. I still kinda' wonder what I'm going to be thinking about w/ all the alone time that I'm going to be having on my hands. During those times I'll be doing a lot of searching within myself looking for whatever I'm searching for but sometimes I imagine that I'll be thinking of nothing at all except for getting up this next mountain. That's the way I plan on taking this trip, one mountain at a time. Like my high school football coach always said, "you can't think about the championship game unless you take care of business from now until that time." So I'm going to do exactly as he says, do one thing at a time until yu finish. Just like in the Bible where it says you can't do the big things unless yu master the little things or something like that. Kinda vague in the way I write things but that's how its always been. Well thats enough for now. Just waiting for the big day now. Hope to all of you on the trail.AlexPeace, out
Date: 2004-02-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

My plans have finnally been set in concrete. My parents and I will be leaving Alabama on the 27 of February which is a Friday and staying in Atlanta for the night. The following morning we will get up sometime in the morning which will be the 28th and drive on out to Amicalola for the start. From there I'm on my on my own except for the occasional maildrop. We'll I'm all excited now just waiting for the day. It is now 1 week and about 4 days left. So anybody starting the 28th, I'll see ya there.Alex Peace, out
Date: 2004-02-28
From: Amicalola Falls Visitors Center

To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: clear sky

I left the welcome center about 11:00 AM. Today was a real wakeup call on how bad of shape I am in. I cramped up about four times today. Made it only to Black Gap Shelter, about 7.3 miles. I wanted to get to the Springer Mt. shelter but didn't quite make it.   I met Nuffy & Giggles today. Nuffy is the lady from Australia, nice person, had a good little conversation over supper. Adios, Giggles. Interesting girl. Seemed like she is in better shape than I am. Hope to se her again.   My pack was 56 pounds, way to heavy. I'll figure out a way to get rid of some weight.X, Peace Out