morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-08-08
From: Cumberland, ME

To: Cumberland
Miles today: 0.0

day 2 of the vywamus summer intensive. it's an "intensive" since it runs most of the day. we start at 10 every day and go to whenever... today was 9pm, after which i had dinner. i've been pretty tired during the day and i think it's because i'm adjusting to the new time schedule. my 5:30am-9pm is now 7am-11pm. *sigh* i really like moving with the sun rather than extending the day with electric lights.here at the vywamus center they have a big building we all meet in (about 25 of us) - i think it used to be a barn. most people drive in each day but they have facilities (kitchen, shower) for folks like me who are tenting at the site. it feels much like hostel.the grounds are beautiful. there are flowering plants everywhere and many flower gardens off to one side of the main building. it is odd to be back in the "real world", but in a place that has as much beauty as the backcountry i came from. it makes the transition from living outdoors and walking for most of the day to spending most of my time indoors and sitting much easier.this is not at all like a set of zero days in town. i have to use my faculites here and process a lot of information - something i'm not used to doing. yesterday i was in quite a fog mentally. the environment was foreign: i'm in a building with four walls, lots of noise, and lots of people. too much stimulation... i was a little freaked out. today i fared better and got into the swing of things.my friends here at the center said i was definately different. the trail has changed me. some said i was calmer, others said i was more grounded and present.what do i do here? i work on me, my denials and non-reception (NR) for what i'm creating in the moment. the denial and NR are mostly habits that i just need to identify an stop doing. this is transformational work. it is much harder than anything i've done in my life. yes, even more difficult than hiking this trail.so, this is a vacation for my body only. my mind will be quite active for the next week ahead.
Date: 2004-08-13
From: Grafton Notch

To: East B Hill Rd
Miles today: 10.3

i slacked with becca and sky today. in the 10 miles, my right i-t band (knee) began to hurt. sky offered some great advice about stretching my hips and glutes to relieve strain on the i-t. i got some bodywork last week at the vywamus intensive and the muscles on the sides of my legs were tight and painful. i also noticed i pull my energy "up" at the hips too. i was unconscious of this before but now see the picture of my knee health developing.at the end of the hike there was a small waterfall with a pool of water below. we decided to go for a swim even though it was not a sunny day. brrrrrr. freakin' cold it was. i had a great time talking and hiking with sky and becca. so much that i wish they were going north with me. alas, they are southbounders.my job has been on my mind lately. my leave will be up while i am still on the trail. sky and becca played guitar and sang as i typed up my journal entry for the day. every night should be this way - listening to music and talking with new friends.in the cabin: aswah, becca, sky, chigger, cliff dancer, monk, bearbag, professor, red beard
Date: 2004-08-14
From: East B Hill Rd

To: South Arm Rd
Miles today: 10.1

i did another 10 mile slack today, thinking of what i want to do about my work situation.it's the journey, not the destination.i thought to myself, what has the journey been like at work? well, it's a lot of structure: rules, forms, security, and maintaining status quo - tho my soul seeks movement and change.so what's the journey like in corporate america? do i want to work in a building with dry air, florescent lights, and a sea of 42 sq. ft. cubicles? after having the appalachian mountains as my work area for 5 months, i don't think i can get myself into 6'x7' too comfortably.i really love computer programming. it's fun, but part of the journey is the environment i'm in, not just the task at hand. telecommuting would provide the changing and more comfortable environment i seek, but my company feels they cannot track/monitor 'performance' of people who are working remotely. so, no joy there. also there's no WiFi at my workplace. i'm sure it's because they think it's a massive security hole and not a productivity tool. hell, i just think it would be pretty cool to work in the courtyard or the cafeteria when it's quiet... wait for my new book guys, allowing movement is key.sounds like i need to switch to plan B. which is... find something else to do at my company that's not computer programming. i don't really know what though. reflection can be used for the workplace too. my workplace reflects my need for structure, but i have been letting go of structure while on the trail and at the vywamus intensive. i feel now my workplace doesn't reflect me anymore. i thought it would change with me... as a reflection should. in talking with some co-workers, things haven't changed much, but i feel i've changed a lot out here. i'm guessing the company will stay the same as long as most people there want the structure and the rules. maybe i have to leave to get my dream. it's a painful thought since i really like my co-workers. that's enough for today.i saw free radical and burrito today. she's doing fine. at the cabin tonight: loui (wife of ce la vie), lev, trailboss (from the blackburn center)
Date: 2004-08-16
From: Grafton Notch

To: East B Hill Rd
Miles today: 10.3

i slacked with becca and sky today. in the 10 miles, my right i-t band (knee) began to hurt. sky offered some great advice about stretching my hips and glutes to relieve strain on the i-t. i got some bodywork last week at the vywamus intensive and the muscles on the sides of my legs were tight and painful. i also noticed i pull my energy "up" at the hips too. i was unconscious of this before but now see the picture of my knee health developing.at the end of the hike there was a small waterfall with a pool of water below. we decided to go for a swim even though it was not a sunny day. brrrrrr. freakin' cold it was. i had a great time talking and hiking with sky and becca. so much that i wish they were going north with me. alas, they are southbounders.my job has been on my mind lately. my leave will be up while i am still on the trail. sky and becca played guitar and sang as i typed up my journal entry for the day. every night should be this way - listening to music and talking with new friends.in the cabin: aswah, becca, sky, chigger, cliff dancer, monk, bearbag, professor, red beard
Date: 2004-08-17
From: East B Hill Rd

To: South Arm Rd
Miles today: 10.1

destination: South Arm Rdstarted from: East B Hill Rdslept in: hostelmiles: 10.1-------------------i did another 10 mile slack today, thinking of what i want to do about my work situation.it's the journey, not the destination.i thought to myself, what has the journey been like at work? well, it's a lot of structure: rules, forms, security, and maintaining status quo - tho my soul seeks movement and change.so what's the journey like in corporate america? do i want to work in a building with dry air, florescent lights, and a sea of 42 sq. ft. cubicles? after having the appalachian mountains as my work area for 5 months, i don't think i can get myself into 6'x7' too comfortably.i really love computer programmming. it's fun, but part of the journey is the environment i'm in, not just the task at hand. telecommuting would provide the changing and more comfortable environment i seek, but my company feels they cannot track/monitor 'performance' of people who are working remotely. so, no joy there. also there's no WiFi at my workplace. i'm sure it's because they think it's a massive security hole and not a productivity tool. hell, i just think it would be pretty cool to work in the courtyard or the cafeteria when it's quiet... wait for my new book guys, allowing movement is key.sounds like i need to switch to plan B. which is... find something else to do at my company that's not computer programming. i don't really know what though. reflection can be used for the workplace too. my workplace reflects my need for structure, but i have been letting go of structure while on the trail and at the vywamus intensive. i feel now my workplace doesn't reflect me anymore. i thought it would change with me... as a reflection should. in talking with some co-workers, things haven't changed much, but i feel i've changed a lot out here. i'm guessing the companny will stay the same as long as most people there want the structure and the rules. maybe i have to leave to get my dream. it's a painful thought since i really like my co-workers. that's enough for today.i saw free radical and burrito today. she's doing fine. at the cabin tonight: loui (wife of ce la vie), lev, trailboss (from the blackburn center)
Date: 2004-08-18
From: South Arm Rd

To: the cabin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

this morning at 6am someone set their cell phone to wake them up with a zippy, loud tune. i joined in with the other hikers in the bunkroom, throwing a barrage of mental darts, knives, and hatchets at this person.everyone gets up for breakfast at 6:00, do you think we'll leave you behind? it's AYCE, they won't run out of food. trust me.at breakfast i heard that fauna and flora were coming in today. wow! folks i know... except i'm leaving this morning. i then remembered a story a hiker told me that started out the same way and he chose to do the miles anyway. "testosterone poisoning" he called it. those friends that were right behind him he never saw because he kept truckin'. he later wished he had stopped and connected with them instead of feeling guilty about taking a zero day and pushing on.so here i am, zero day - fauna and flora's welcoming party at grafton notch. bear loaded me up with snacks for them and let me drive the hostel's pickup to meet them. at noon they appeared from the woods. they were suprised to see me, especially since their reservation at the cabin was supposed to be tomorrow. i said, "well, since i'm here, i guess you guys want the afternoon off." they thought for a sec and said yes, a break, hot shower, and clean clothes would be welcome.driving back to the cabin, i stopped at east b hill rd to change the trash bag at the road crossing. (bear gives hikers a place to put their trash and also puts fresh gallons of water out for them.) a little further down the road was bluebird, another hiker that i was to pick up today. we grabed her too, went to the p.o., and stopped at the little market for lunch. all cravings satisfied, i delivered my crew to the cabin.i took a nap as the others got showers and put on clothes supplied by the hostel. after they were done, i took a shower and talked with achilles before dinner.later in the evening the hikers congregated in the lower living room and played heated games of outburst and trivial persuit. the laughter was constant, but we had to call the trivial persuit game because we were all pretty tired. (way too much "number" that evening: [inside joke])who's here?: achilles (summited yesterday!), fauna, flora, bluebird, loui,...
Date: 2004-08-18
To: Hutch
Miles today: 0.0

For Dharma - (I wrote this account on July 5th, but haven't been able to transcribe it until now):I've seen this before, many times, in fact. Indeed, so many times that I've come up with a name for this particular phenomenon. I call it a "The Blandford Vortex," where people come to visit and just aren't able to leave. I mean that quite literally, they CANNOT leave. It is not within their means to do so, period. It's the SOUL of the place, I think. (My cousin came for a "visit" 10 years ago today, in fact, and she stayed for a month.)I should probably explain. My name is a "Bob" (or "Hutch" as I'm known to my friends) the Bob of whom you've read about in Dharma's recent journal entries. My family has owned a summer cottage in Blandford for years, 35 years to be exact. It even has its very own name, Windy Crest Lodge, and it has its own kind of magic about it. (Think trail magic times ten! :-))Back in February when we had a going away party for Dharma (we called him "Pete" back then), I suggested that he could stay at the house when he got close to Blandford if he liked. So I picked him and a trail-mate named "Swiss Miss" up just off the trail in Great Barrington on July 2nd, and they're still here.Anyway, to make this entry short & sweet, if anyone's looking for Dharma and/or Swiss on the trail, they're not there. They've been sucked into the vortex that is the beauty and wonder of "The Blandford".And while it remains to be seen if they'll ever get back to the AT this year, fear not. For as so often happens, as well, they've added their own special magic to the very spirit and soul of this place, and they abide here, always.In Peace & Love,Hutchp.s. "Swiss Miss" left the trail just 2 days later.
Date: 2004-08-18
To: Hutch
Miles today: 0.0

A personal note to Dharma (for your journal):In your entry of July 12th, you site a passage from Sri Ramana Maharshi stating that "a wise man would not quit the shade", and you refer to this line a few more times over the following weeks, seemingly adopting it as your mantra.I would submit to you that without the sun there would be no shade to seek. It's really about balance and harmony, I think.You chose the shade of the back-country when you decided to thru-hike the AT. Most people could not or would not dare make that choice, let alone understand, as you do so well, the need to do so.Soon (all too soon, I would suggest) you will return to the glaring sunlight of the a front-country, where at least for a little while I should think, you will miss the shade of the AT, with all of its trials and tribulations, its faults and hardships, its many ups and downs.I would say to you, Dharma, and to all those who read his journal with interest, Enjoy the Process!Be well, my friend!-"The Maharshi" Hutchp.s. Sometimes UP DOWN UP DOWN UP DOWN isn't all that bad!! ;-)
Date: 2004-08-18
To: Hutch
Miles today: 0.0

Might I also suggest that you think about utilizing another tool, so to speak, to help you along the path in these last few weeks.Sometimes when I'm on vacation or in a special place that I want to hold in my mind, I like to visualize that I'm back at work, sitting at my desk, thinking something like, "Boy, I wish I was there right now, in your case, on the AT!!" Then, like the flick of a switch, I AM! (Sort of like time traveling for the mind, as it were!)In this way, it helps me to enjoy the moment even more somehow.(Just a thought)Travel On, dood!!Take care,Hutch
Date: 2004-08-19
From: the cabin

To: the cabin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

i was replying to a reader who left a message in my guestbook today. my reply started out like this and i decided to make it into a journal entry.every now and then a journal entry will generate a lot of responses from readers. this was one of them.i am a 14 year employee at my company. they want to keep me, but don't want to change [their structure]. people DO telecommute in my company. so the rule is not 100%. what i don't understand is they fear a 14-year employee will cause them some kind of loss if they can't control or watch me all the time.i see this in myself too. for example. there are parts of my own behavior that are "appropriate", which is a social structure i put myself in to feel safe. (it is like i am watching me all the time to make sure i stay in the structure.) in other words if i do and act like A then B should happen. B is most likely something i've labeled 'good' which is part of that holy hell called polarity. 1). if i'm stuck in my structure, how do i grow? ...experience something new? am i willing to take the chance on breaking down that which i feel keeps me safe and sound?2). appropriate sucks... it's no fun and not spontaneous. it resists change. what do you do if inappropriate is what is really necessary in the moment?such is many jobs in the corporate arena and many lives in the social arena. the reflection is pretty clear: i'm telling me i won't allow my structure to change and i'm telling me i want my structure to change. both choices are manifesting right before my eyes when i look at my job situation. this cannot be solved with a mental understanding of these two polarized choices. the emotions or emotional body has to be part of the resolution. if i feel my belly (pretty much where the emotions are felt) and say to myself, "i choose to change my structure now", i get a tightening feeling and sense of "oh, shit... let's not go there!". this is what i have to deal with to change the manifestation of my job situation. ...and i will work with this tonight.
Date: 2004-08-20
From: South Arm Rd

To: Saddle of Old Blue Mtn
Miles today: 4.3

two nights ago i asked flora if i could hike with her and her sister. we talked about miles per day and expectations and it seemed like a good match. she agreed and i zero'd the past two days so they could catch up to my position on the trail. i worked a little on my zero days, running the morning shuttle to grafton notch and east b hill road. on my second zero i hiked in about a mile and took a blue blaze to a waterfall. there i typed some email and a journal entry.this morning i got up with everybody, ate breakfast, and promptly went back to bed for a few hours. two nights of watching the olympics was getting to me. the hikers were slacking the first 10 miles of the day and i was to meet them at south arm rd at 3:00 with their packs. i also looked up wildcat on the internet to see where he was. his stuff doesn't get updated like mine so i could only see his first few days out of "the cabin". he and easy duzit did a 17, a 20, and a 14 out of andover. i'm kinda glad i wasn't with them because i would've bowed out of that mileage for sure. i'm on easy street now.lwop, bearbag hanger, and hammock hanger arrived at the cabin around 1PM. i haven't seen lwop and bearbag since hot springs and hammock hanger i've corresponded with via email while on my trip. it was great to finally meet her. she is finishing up the last section of her 2000 thru hike this year.at 2:30 aqua, rambunny, and i loaded the packs on the truck and went to the trailhead. we met hobbit there with her dad. they had just dropped off some trail magic which added to the magic that was on the other side of the road.it's been almost two weeks since i've worn my pack. i've done two slackpacks to get my body gently reoriented to trail duty. the first three miles of this section goes up, up, up... and i was glad flora and fauna took the lead so i could get used to carrying this weight again.so far it's been a good decision to hike with them. they move at a moderate pace, sing songs, and shared their homemade trail bars with me. Mmmmm.a hiker named reaushambeaux was in front of us and discovered a hornet's nest. he got stung and the rest of us bushwacked around the area where the nest was. (yes, we left signs for nobos and sobos) fauna jokingly thanked him for "taking one for the team".camping was a little cramped but we got it done. after dinner, reaushambeaux got a fire going and flora and fauna made s'mores for everyone.camping in the saddle of old blue and elephant mtn: reaushambeaux, longshot, fauna, and flora
Date: 2004-08-21
From: Saddle of Old Blue Mtn

To: Bemis Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 4.3
Weather: light rain

5:30AM - it's raining, i'm in a tent, back to bed.6:00AM - it's raining, the girls haven't moved yet, back to bed.6:30AM - it's raining, i gotta pee, i'm not moving 'til someone else stirs, back to bed.7:00AM - it's raining, flora just got up, thank god!, i gotta pee, up and adam...this, interestingly enough, is the first time on the whole trip i've had to pack up in the rain. i've packed up a wet tent, but never while it was still raining. i guess there's a first for everything.fauna and flora took off around 8:00, reaushambeaux and i left near 8:30. the traveling was slow today mainly because we were being careful going over the rocks. reaush and i caught up to the ladies in the rain and continued toward the shelter with them. when we got to the shelter i heard a voice i hadn't heard in a while. it's HIPPIE LONG STOCKNGS! i was so glad to see her again. she flip-flopped and is now going south. as thru hikers do, we spent the next hour getting caught up with where we've been and what news we have from the trail.the rain kept coming down and we were getting cold in the shelter from our wet clothes. we had to make the decision to stay or go. hippie was helping us out, jumping in every 5 minutes telling us we should stay. i talked to fauna and we pulled out wingfoot and also thought about how much food we had. i think we knew we were going to stay put, but just needed more time to think about it (once again, the wise man does not leave the shade). all three of us agreed to stay here after our most triumphant 4.3 miles today.the rain poured even more and hikers kept showing up. we forced a bunch of weekend boy scouts out of the shelter and into their tents - they're here for the weekend, we are here for a few more weeks. ...and wet tents suck. so, the shelter was packed much like it was in georgia six months ago.the shelter was beyond capacity. colorful laundry and wet gear was hung from the ceiling on multiple cris-crossed clotheslines. someone said it looked like a chinese baazar in here. sleeping pads were wall-to-wall and no one had to tell this experienced crew how to operate in such crowded conditions. without a word said, space was made for a few stoves and the thru hikers began cooking in shifts. everyone got a turn and space to do their meal. how i wish the 'real world' worked this smoothly.trail people really are the greatest.night fell and so did the temperature. hikers put away anything nonessential to keep the clutter down and went to bed with the all-important stuff nearby: water bottle and ear plugs.at the shelter tonight: king alabar, sea legs, reaushambeaux, fauna, flora, bluebird, hippie long stockings, long shot, and red.
Date: 2004-08-24
From: Stealth at Eddy Pond

To: Poplar Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 6.8

we agreed to get up at 5:30 and get and early start for our 17 mile day. i could see my tent was wet from last night's rain but what really caught my attention was the temperature: 45* and a fast wind off the lake.i let 5:30 go by because i did not hear the sisters stirring. at 6:00, nature called and i had to answer. while i was out of my tent, i stopped by the girl's. they asked if i wanted to do a short day instead of a 17 today. funny, that's what i was going to ask them.i retreated to my tent and slept for a few more hours, hoping it would warm up some. i forget what time i got out of bed, but we got out of camp at 10am. this was just the beginning of the laziest and most fulfilling day on the trail yet.6.8 miles. that's all. what's worse is it took us all day to do it. we hiked 1.8 miles from the logging road up saddleback mtn. the profile map of that section showed some evil steep lines for elevation gain, but we plowed through it like it was nothing. it was windy and cool on the summit (4120') prompting us to move to the windbreak on the east side. lint was there, enjoying the sun, a smoke, and some jim beam. we joined him, throwing down our ridgerests and using our sleeping bags as blankets. we cannot remember if we stayed there two or three hours, but we greeted several hikers going over the summit and got some sleep time in. our next stop was "the horn", another above-treeline summit, a whopping half-mile further. there we dropped ridgerests again and had lunch and a short break.the next peak was two miles away, saddleback junior it is called. we sat on the lee side for about ten minutes and moved on because we were getting cold and it was getting late.we arrived at the shelter around 6pm. it was a very small mileage day, but we were starving none the less. must be our metabolisms since we didn't really go anywhere today.packing it in at the shelter today: lint, fauna, flora, bluebird, longshot, and hobbes.