morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-02-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Good dayI am currently writing from the T&G¢s flophouse. What is a flophouse? A flophouse is where someone who is transient can reside for minimal cost. However, over time flophouses have become distinct from hostels. Hostels are places where travelers and transients can stay for inexpensively. Flophouses are places where you can stay inexpensively, but you must be invited. You need to assist with the household chores and blend with the personality of the owner and other transients or you will be asked to leave and not invited back.So, I am reporting from T&G¢s flophouse in Colorado. Two of my hike partners are here. Therefore, it seems reasonable that we will complete some logistical planning. However, upon my arrival this thing called snow works to hamper my progress, especially when everyone is a snowboarder. But alas, I made serious progress yesterday.We have planned 20-drop boxes. Yes, that is a lot. Nevertheless, we went this route for several reasons: Better quality (heath) of food, better options of food and finally, I can control the amount of wheat in my diet.I set up the twenty boxes and went to work. Thanks to Tammy for much of the planning she did on her boxes, my boxes came together rather quickly. I must admit: I made several runs to Wild Oat and Whole Food before I was done.Today¢s goal is to focus on the pack and when to change out cold weather clothes for summer clothes. I need to make some hard decision about what resupply box to place the shorts and t-shirts. In addition, since I hate being cold, I am starting with a heavier sleeping bag but will send the Mountain Hardware Phantom by mid-May. I will also switch my sleep pad to a lighter pad. After the Idaho backpack trip this summer, I am pleased with my Six-moon design backpack.I admit my biggest concern is boredom on the hike. If you know me, you will understand this statement. I have purchased and download a breath of audio books: Shakespeare, Stephen King, SciFi, and biblical drama. I am thinking of purchasing an audio language course. One of my hike partners, Lydia, is taking Japanese, but since I hope to be working for Mercy Ships in West Africa, I was leaning toward French. However, it would be nice if we used the same course so we could practice on each other.In addition, I plan to take along a GPS. I know it is not about knowing where we are on the trail, as we all have good map and compass skills. It is more about having something that tracks our daily altitude gains and losses, mileage, calories burned. One more thing to keep my mind involved.
Date: 2008-02-22
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Good day I was hoping to have wrapped up the planning by now, but snowboarding sounded better. But, we did hike over a mile at 12,500 feet to reach a back bowl.   I decided that counts as training. I was really winded, since I was attempting to keep up with an 18-year-old college student.The boxes are done but now I am working on electronics. Two of my hike partners are attempting to use pocket mail. Both have experienced problems using the device with cell phones. I read Sgt Rock¢s journal and he has confirm my decision to go with a smart phone. The question remains: which smart phone? I am currently with Verizon and two of my partners are AT&T. I think having two providers and two different cell types (CDMA and GSM) on the trail is good planning. So I hope that I can find a good Verizon smart phone. I purchased a new Casio camera. It is only four oz plus it is pink. I will spend the next few days configuring my I-pods. Yes, I am carrying two I-pods. One will be loaded with books, a language course and such and the other will be dedicated to music. Tracy
Date: 2008-03-17
To: COLORADO
Miles today: 0.0

Good MorningI finished taping shut my last ¢drop box.¢ In addition, I completely packed my backpack. I even finished loading my Ipods. There is one problem with the Ipods. I have more audio books then I have space on the Ipods. But one of my hiking partners has an 8 G Ipod and so far she has 90 songs on it. So maybe I can load some books on her IPOD. Her daughter cannot believe this as she has an 80G MEGA IPOD and it very loaded for the hike.I went through the backpack again today to see if I could eliminate more weight and not freeze during the first month. I keep remember a great quote from a Mountaineering friend, Bill, ¢there is no such thing as bad weather just bad gear.¢ While I agree with that statement, even good gear has some weight to it.Wow in approximately 10 days, we will be hiking.Oh for all the gear geeks, I hope to put a list of what I am taking up in the next day or so. I have decided to go with a smart phone and stay with Verizon. So why the lag in the update? I took 10 days off and drove to Las Vegas and spent two wonderful days with family. We saw a great show called ¢Ka¢. I highly recommend it. Then I turned my car west with another friend (Anastasia) and we spent 5 days rock climbing in Joshua Tree.   It was rather cold at night but the days were wonderful.I am now back in Colorado and I am going to spend a few days Skiing/Boarding with the Nader family and then I will fly to BWI on Saturday. Take care everyone.Tracy
Date: 2008-03-23
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

For the last three months, since I returned to the USA, friends and co-workers asked if I was apprehensive about quitting work, attempting a 2,000 mile journey on foot, and then hopefully going to work for a NGO called Mercy Ships. My answer was NO, that it didn¢t bother me at all to be changing my life. After all, since late December, 2007 I have been very busy. I spent time with family, rented my house, moved my stuff into a storage unit, repacked the storage unit, planning drop box after drop box, rock climbing with friends, packing drop boxes, family time, more drop boxes, snowboarding. This last Saturday all the planning and playing have come to a close. I am ready and all I have to do is catch my plane back east. I went to bed exhausted and woke-up with an apprehensive feeling: I quit work, I am going to walk 2000 miles, then hopefully travel to Africa for two years. Am I crazy? And why do I feel apprehensive now with less then a few days before the step date. I took advantage of being a house and relaxed in a soft bed. As I pondered this sudden "apprehension", I realized I am a planner and doer, hence the name Tigger. But here I am with a few days left and there is ¢no planning¢ left to do and I am not ¢doing¢ yet. I don¢t have anything to ¢bounce¢ too! Well problem identify and therefor I understand that this "apprehensive" too will pass ¢ in few days.
Date: 2008-04-01
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Dicks Dome
Miles today: 73.0
Weather: moderate rain

We are finally on the trail. We started slowly by slacking packing (walking with a day pack while a friend\trail angels shuttles your backpack to the next site). The hill out of Harper's Ferry is long. The 12 miles to Black Burn went fast walking with friends who came to see us off. At Black Burn we met with "Trail Boss." He planted the idea of slacking packing one more day. Janet (a friend) agreed to shuttle our packs to Bear's Den in the morning and we completed the first day with steaks and wine! The second day was much the same except we start the AT Roller Coaster portion. This section is well named as the hills just keep coming. Finally on the third day, we finally started carrying our packs. We did 10 miles and most of it on the roller coaster.I could hear the roller coaster tracks clicking as I slowly ratcheted myself up each hill. Unfortunately, the fast exhilarating ride on the down hill didn't occur. The next day was wet and raining but we still made another ten miles. After heading south for several days and completing the roller coaster I am not sure that TreeBeard is correct when he says, "I like heading south, I feel like I am walking downhill." Tonight is beautiful. The birds are calling back and forth, and it is too early for blood sucking creatures as we sit in the porch of a shelter.For my next update I will attempt to describe a dog who pouts every time her pack is put on. It has made for some funny mornings. Good night to Friends and Family...You are all crossing my thoughts.
Date: 2008-04-03
From: Dicks Dome

To: Pass Mountain
Miles today: 30.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We are still heading south. The 1st of April was beautiful: flowers blooming, birds singing, and chirping squirrels in a soft warm breeze. But on the second of April, I discovered that Mother Nature has a sense of humor and played a joke. The following day brought cold wind and wet rain. That evening we stayed in a shelter, huddled inside our sleeping bags. Unfortunately, a college group joined us, half of them we wearing cotton and they has hiked 18 miles! Several were uncontrollably shivering, so we broke out our stove and made hot water bottles. We took our first zero day in Front Royal, it was great. We located this small ¢mom and pops¢ Hamburger stand that made real milkshakes. In addition to the food we missed a major cold/storm front and spent some time watching the hail and freezing storm from inside the hotel room.Our next great surprise was .meeting a NOBO ¢Dozzer¢. He was a weather of good information. But the best surprise of all was our trail angels. Greg, Nic, and Faith drove up to Gravel Spring in the SNP and that allowed us to slack pack for two days (plus another night indoors!).
Date: 2008-04-20
From: Waynesburo to Lynchburg

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

WaynesburoTrail magic is wonderful and always timely. If you recall from my last update I purchased a new pack in Waynesburo, but my back was not fully healed...healing but not healed. But after the zero day, we decided to push on and take it easy. Waynesburo has a network of trail angels with a list of numbers you can call to see if you can get a ride to the trail instead of adding 4 miles to your walking day. Rabbit started calling and a gentleman by the name of Walt agreed to pick us up and transport us to the trailhead. On the drive we learned Walt and his wife (Pat) has been on the Pacific Crest Trail. That Walt had finished it and Pat had completed over 900 miles twice. Wow.As we started to unload our gear from his van, Walt looked at me and asked if we would like to slack pack that day, which would incidcently allow me another day to heal. He kindly offerd to picked us up and let us crash at their house which is just off the trail. We all had this dumb founded looks on our faces. Walt wisely reminded us that turning down "trail magic" was bad luck and resulted in future trail magic going away. We quickly agreed.That moment was the start of two wonderful days. Walt and Pat prepared these wonderful dinners, allowed us to shower and wash clothes and we slack packed for two days. My back made a huge improvement and we did some extra miles - since we didn't have heavy packs to carry.We finally dawnd our packs and headed out on the third day. I must admit it was with very mixed feelings. We hated to leave our new friends, but we were excited to try all of Walts and Pats great advice on how to lighten our packs.The next few days to Lynchburg were wonderful. The weather warmed up and the flowers and trees are in full bloom, but the leaves are just budding out. It is like two seasons (fall and spring) rolled into one time. The orange and red colors on the ground from the leaves with purple, yellow and white flowers and trees all around you. And you can see the dells and valleys below.We had our longest day yet in this section...16.1 miles. I felt well with no major back pains. So far this pack get a thumbs up from me. We are over 250 miles into the trail with over 10 percent completed. We made a chocolate/raspberry crumble to celebrate the event.Keep bouncing everyoneTiggerb
Date: 2008-04-21
From: Waynesboro

To: James River Foot Bridge
Miles today: 0.0

The hike between Waynesburo and James River Foot Bridge passed quickly. We arrived at the bridge 4 hours before our schedule. There were some college students jumping off the bridge. After some discussion they offered to give us a ride into town. We crammed all 4 hikers, 1 dog, 4 backpacks and three college students into a Honada Element. We could have been a TV advertisement. These three men Where wonderful. The drove us to an outfitter, a laundry mat and took us to a buger/bar place. These three were great. A big thanks to Ryan, Andrew, and Stetson.The zero day passed quickly. Soaring's nephew (Tim) and Teresa were wonderful hosts. We got back on the Trail in the mist of a storm. We are praying it blows over tonight.TIGger
Date: 2008-04-22
From: James River Foot Bridge

To: Thunder
Miles today: 200.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We did 14 miles in the pouring rain and found a full shelter. So we tented in the pouring rain. The good news, there was a Trail angel who had brought Peanut butter and Banana sandwiches, cookies, and orange juice to the shelter. It was a great dinner and we didn't have to cook in the rain. The Trail Angel was John Hasty.This brings me to my "musing" for the day. After all it was raining and I opted not to poke my head out of the hood of my jacket. Topic: Trail Angels vs suspicion. One night on the trail a non hiker had hiked up to a shelter where we were spending the night. Something about him made me feel very uncomfortable. He had a strange slur to his speach and I hope this didn't influence my distrust of him. River the dog never liked him. We spent some time talking to him and I was hoping it would alliviate my miss-trust. It did not. Needless to say, I did not sleep soundly. We were near a pond full of frogs and everytime the frogs went silent, I would wake up and look and listen. We got off fine the next morning and I dismissed my miss trust.Twp days later, we are hiking to Thunder Shelter and I crossed a dirt road and guess who is camping there..in a very isolated place. By this time of day, we are normally strung out with as much as 2 miles between each other. I had a friendly chat with "bob" and then went 200 yards past "Bob the camper", where River-Roo and I waited for Rabbit/Tammy and Owl/Lydia.We accepted a ride, left over 2000 dollars of gear with Walt. Then we accepted an invitation to sleep and eat at Walt and Pat's home. I remembered doing an internal intuitive check and deciding this couple was trustworthy. But everything tells me the opposite for Bob. WHY? As a believer in Christ I am to reach out to those in need. Bob is clearly lonely. But I am also to love my neighbor like I love myself. Tammy and Lydia are my immediate neighbors. Helping them protect themselves is part of that love. (numbers is a form of protection. . . .after all who is crazy enough to attack four chicks with hiking sticks and a dog with teeth).So an interesting point to ponder as an individual or as citizen of a country that provides a lot of aid to needy people/countries. . .how do you/we decide who has too high of a risk factor that you/we withdraw the aid to protect your own?As for me right now, I feel a stong desire to ensure the people on my team are safe. That we continue to greet everyone (including the Bob's) with a friendly hello, that we continue to run into great Trail Angels and that the Bob's of the trail are few and far apart. That if we do run into the "Bob", we move as a team of five (dog included) to reduce any risk.
Date: 2008-05-05
From: Dismal Creek Falls

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

It is the 5th of May and we are in our sixth week with over 400 mile. Today was beautiful weather with birds singing and the bees working on all the flowers that lined the trail. We went 14 miles and camped at Dismal Creek Falls, which is anything but "dismal". I consumed my dinner down by the falls and knew why I was out here. Besides the "whole wonderful nature thing", I enjoyed picking out a kayak route on the falls...Although; I know if I ever attempted that route I would break my nose a second time.I must admit the last week was tough. We had freezing rain, snow, wind and flooded creeks. Then while in Pearisburg, we increased our mileage to stay on schedule. The 18 miler had my knees starting to sing off key. I remembered why I stop running marathons and started triathlons. I think it struck everyone about the same time: BURN THE SCHEDULE WITH THREE MORE 16 MILE DAYS IN A ROW in the next section. I didn't come out here to hike and not see anything and that is what was happening.So today we left our hotel, where all the long term guests knew us. (They were very friendly and helpful) We did a medium 14 miler with foot breaks, a nap after lunch and a wonderful dinner by the waterfalls.New topic: Gear Love the GranteGear pack.Love the Keen hiking boots.Look green super feet. . . the pink superfeet, not so much.Clothes....well it is hard to pass an assessment...The smart wool socks and shirts get a "good to go." The do not retain smells like other non-cotton fabrics.I keep losing inches so I am having problems with the pants. I had a pair of REI adjustable pants which work well for the first month, but then I could not make the pants smaller. I was thinking of suspenders, when my shorts arrived. The shorts were smaller then the pants and they fit..or did. Now they are hanging low. In fact it must be comical to see me put my backpack on. I have to make sure the shorts waist band is trapped by the backpack hip pad. If not, in less then a quarter of mile I start looking and walking like a lead singer in a Rap Band. Now there are some great side benefits to this....Owl and I have added a pint of Ben and JERRY'S ice cream to our diet when ever we can. Snickers are fast becoming a mainstay in my diet. I need to find a why to get more carbs. Since I am sensitive to wheat/glutton products this is hard. I added rice cake to my backpack. I am going to try instant pototoes on this next leg.Well that is all for now.Keep Bouncing   Tigger
Date: 2008-05-08
From: Pearisburg

To: Trents Store
Miles today: 0.0

Hey, what an interesting two days. We left Pearisburg and headed south. At the trail head was a poster asking all hikers to help locate a missing man and his dog. They didn't mention any thing about this individual being dangerous. Per our normal routine we spread out over the day. Rabbit/Tammy, Owl/Lydia and I ate lunch at Wapitu Shelter. We ran into NOBOs who told us they had "heard" the missing hiker was dangerous and had murdered two hikers on the trail in 1981 and had been released at twenty years from prison. We listened, but also didn't take it at face value as truth turns to rumor with enough time.Soaring missed our lunch break and was in the lead. She decided to push 14 miles and stopped at Dismal falls. Now Rabbit was recovering from a virus she picked up in Pearisburg and we thought about stopping early at a horse camp. But due to the rumors and such, Rabbit wanted to link back up with soaring.The falls are beautiful and since Rabbit/Tammy was still sick we took a unplanned zero day. Lydia's and I hiked to "Trent" store a mile away and brought back pizza. While there I learned a "correctional facility" was just a few miles away.So that night we heard helicopters in a seach pattern. Plus we heard vehicles going up and down this dirt road. My thoughts drifted to the correctional facility. The next moring I shared my corrctional facility thoughts with my team.We decide to take a blue blaze route that morning to Trent's store and give Rabbit/Tammy a little bit more time to recover. As we crossed a Creek and hit the road to Trent's, two law enforcement vehicles pull up. The AT trail is closed for investigation. They found the "missing person" the night before and he was in custody. He had shot two fishermen/campers at the horse camp a mile away from us.They think he was trying to steal the fisherman's car and with his history, why did he feel the need to steal a car? So they closed the trail, that we had already hiked, and are attempting to determine if any hikers are missing.The NOBOs got rides around the closed part and we are still hiking south.I do have one question; Why didn't the authorities put a dangerous warning on the sign? We were blessed and camped in numbers. But we almost did not.
Date: 2008-05-20
From: Trents Store

To: Greyson State Park
Miles today: 15.0

First things first: A hearty Thanks to "Crabby". I was at a serious low point due to more and yet again more cold rain. While huddled under an awning at Grayson State park...We shared a story of being considered beer snobs...We drink and only drink good beer...but it seems small town America is into Bush or Miller by the 12 pack. 1. I only want one beer. 2. I don't drink Miller or Bush.After, oh I have lost count.....18 days of rain and/or cold weather..I was seriously experiencing a low point. Crabby was being picked up by friends for a few well deserved rest days....he had them bring up "good beer." It brought a smile even with the evening showers due to roll in.We are a week behind schedule...I dont see us making it up. In fact with more storms due in, I suspect we will fall behind even more.I know I am behind in the journaling and a few of you have sent me emails letting me know.We walked into "Dickey's Gap" and walked two miles to a hostel. We were hoping for a ride, but what car has room for four hikers and a dog? Jerry diner/store served a great meal and a better peach cobbler. The HIKER hostel was run by the local Baptist Church. It was super clean with hot showers. A great outreach program.On Thursday we finally caught a ride into Marion where we rented a car for trail days. What is Trail Days? It's a HIKER festival with venders and a bunch of hikers. A big portion of those hikers are twenty something and tent city usually turns into a 24-hour party. Since I am just out of being "twenty something" (or not), we opted to stay at a hotel and just drive into Damascus.The venders were great. GrantetGear was there. I met the inventor of my pack. Nice guy.A church set up physicals for anyone who wanted one. Plus they feed us a wonderful dinner.On Saturday, we moved to Greyson Highlands State Park with plans to hike through the wild pony park...to only wake up to low 30 degree weather, 50 mile hour gusts and rain. We decided to take a unplanned zero.We will be 25 percent completed tomorrow. Maybe that will off set the forcast of rain.keep Bouncing ...Tigger