morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-02-27
To: I AM BLESSED
Miles today: 0.0

   I have this really great family that is so supportive of my hike. They all want to help and send me things along the way. My daughter Jennifer is going to transcribe my journal and Stephanie will be in charge of my maildrops. My son Jeremy will be my chauffeur to Springer. Jennifer and Jeremy will hopefully walk the first mile with me, if the weather is good and we can get up the forest service road. Taylor my grandson is so excited he hung the AT map I bought him in his bedroom so he can keep track if where I am at. My sister Christy will be developing my pictures and placing them in albums, so I can easily sort them upon my return. Angie has nominated herself "my own personal cheerleader" and has been sending me "what have you seen today" letters each one with a picture of somewhere along the trail to encourage me to get in shape on my Nordic Track. Mom, Jim and Grandma all have tons of encouragement and words of advice to take with me. Of course I can't forget all my friends and co-workers, without all your questions and interest I just might have chickened out. You have kept the excitement building all these months.    To all of you I say a great big THANK YOU. This hike would not be possible without all your support. YOU WILL BE GREATLY MISSED as I trudge down the trail. Please use my pocketmail address to keep in touch. I will look forward to news from home. It's funny how sometimes you have to walk away from it all to releize how much you truly have.
Date: 2003-03-06
To: I Can Hardley Wait
Miles today: 0.0

Seven short days to go until I leave for Springer. I'm just a bundle of nerves, it's all becoming so real so fast. I'm sure I'm not going to get everything done but I want to leave NOW!! I keep fiddling with my gear, making changes then changing it back again. At least I have all the mail drop stuff done, the boxes are sitting in the corner waiting to be taken to Stephaine's on Monday. I keep resisting the urge to check them one more time to make sure I haven't forgot something. I only have 4 more days to work then all of next week to finish up. We are leaving late Thursday for the long drive south. Tonight I talked to Taylor's tiger scout group about my hike. I had each boy guess how much my pack weighed. The going weight was about 400 pounds. Boy I'm glad they were wrong!! They then had lots of fun going thru my gear and setting up the tent, along with lots of questions. Maybe there's a future hiker in the bunch, you never know.
Date: 2003-03-09
To: Last day at work
Miles today: 0.0

Today was my last day to work until Oct.1. It will be very strange not to wake up to the alarm clock and go thru the work routine for a whole six months. This will be the longest I've not worked my whole adult life. Thinking about it I feel sort of cut adrift from one of the constant anchors in my life. At the end of my shift I didn't want to leave, to say good bye to all my friends. I will miss you. BIG SIGH, wipe away the tears. A large part of my self image has been defined by my job. Even in the newspaper article about my upcoming hike I was identified by my profession and job within the community. It is a job I feel I have done well thru out the years and I feel a huge commitment to return, to be there when my neighbors and friends need me. However in the hiking community what you do for a living is not that important. I wonder if being without that part of my identity for so long will change my self image ?   I will have to just wait and see.
Date: 2003-03-11
To: Going away party
Miles today: 0.0

My Family threw me the most wonderful going away party tonight!! It was so great, THANK YOU very much to everybody who came. I really appreciate all the support and good luck wishes. I will be thinking of you as I climb those mountains. Mom, you were so funny trying to carry my pack around. I wish I had a video of it   Yes I will be able to carry it all the way, it¢s really not THAT heavy. I weighted it after getting home, 27 pounds without my camera or water. Tomorrow I fix my stove and do some minor errands, then Thursday we leave. YAHOO I can hardly wait.ATwanabe
Date: 2003-03-14
From: Summit of Springer Mt.

To: Falls Creek 
Miles today: 4.9

Falls Creek Campsite 4.9 miles 4.9 totalFirst day on the trail, WOW We left Mt. Gilead last night about 8:30 PM, drove all night. Thanks to my speed demon son we arrived at Amicolia Falls State park about 6 AM. Caught a few minutes sleep then had a great AYCE breakfast at the lodge. After breakfast went down to the visitor's center to register my hike, officially weigh my pack and wait for Mel to arrive. Official pack wt-41 pounds. Heavier than I wanted but the lightest weighed in today. While impatiently waiting for Mel I met a young woman named Jen who is also starting today, she was going to hike the 8 mile approach trail but we talked her into a ride to the summit with us. Mel and Patti finaly arrived with friends Maude and Hatti in tow. Hatti is going to hike the first 3 days with us. Yea, she is a hoot :-D After a long bumpy, windy ride up forest service road 42 we start for the summit of Springer, now the FSRD comes in from the south so we had to hike the first mile backwards. With any luck this will be my last southbound mile till Maine. After many pictures I pick up the sm. rock that will travel to Katadhin with me. It did not look like the other rocks around the summit, I wonder if I am taking it home again. It is a thru hiker tradition to carry a sm. rock from one summit to the other connecting the two. With much laughter and high spirits we started north. The trail wound over mountains and thru Mountain Loral along the streams. Along the way Haiti gave Jen a Trail name Spunky Bellatoni. Tonight we are camped down trail from a gorgeous waterfall, just perfect for sending me to sleep. It is about 40 degrees and a misty rain is falling, it should be a cold wet night. Thank god for a dry tent and down bag to keep me warm. All in all it has been a wonderful start to my hike.
Date: 2003-03-17
From: Woods Hole

To: Walhsi-Yi 
Miles today: 4.1

Walhsi-Yi Hostel 4.1 miles, 30.7 total miles4 easy miles into the hostel, I made it by mid morning. The climb over Blood Mt. was to be our hardest yet, but I didn't find it too bad. Must be getting my trail legs. However, they are sore trail legs and it is pouring cold rain so Iam calling it a day. Right now I'm clean from a hot shower, my clothes are drying, and we will be heading into town later for some food. LIFE IS GOOD.
Date: 2003-03-20
From: Tray Mountain

To: Blueberry Patch
Miles today: 10.6

Blueberry Patch Hostel 10.6 miles 66.8 total miles    Today has been a great day!! I awoke just before dawn and packed up quickly. Watched a real honest to goodness sunrise off Tray mountain. This has been the first day of sunshine since starting my hike. Took lots of pictures today, I can hardly wait to see them developed. The trail wasn't too bad, only one big up and lots of downhill. So far my knee is holding out and I'm not too sore. All those strengthening exercises must have helped. Starting to see more signs of spring, the grass is becoming greener and I'm starting to see bushes budding out. Lots of birds out today, the woods was filled with song. Hiked out about 2:30 PM and was able to get a shuttle to the hostel. The blueberry patch is great, our hosts Gary and Lennnie couldn't be nicer and a hot shower sure felt good. Joining me tonight is Spunky, Leapyear, F Stop and NS. NS is starting a section hike tomorrow and took us all into town for a steak dinner. Yumm my favorite. Thank you to everybody who sent me things, they sure were appreciated. Well tomorrow is a big climb out of town, so goodnight for now.
Date: 2003-03-24
From: Carter Gap

To: Trail Angel's 
Miles today: 12.8

Trail Angel's home   12.8 miles 103.7 total miles NS surprised us by hikin into the Carter gap shelter and spending the night. Morning dawned with bright blue skies and an offer to slackpack us over Albert mountain, then stay the night at his place. It was an offer I quickly accepted. I've been feeling ill the past few days with a sore throat and don't seem to have much energy. However that's not stopping my enjoyment of the trail. Slackpacking is when someone transports your pack to a predetermined destination while you hike with only water and some snacks. In this case we were to meet him at Wallace Gap. So into the back of his truck went our packs and happily we went on down the trail feeling as light as a feather. The obstacle today is Albert mountain with a straight up hand over hand climb close to the top. With spirits as light as our feet we started up to be greeted by more trail magic in the form of fresh fruit left by Butch Cassidy, the apple I had was sweet and juicy. What a great day this was turning out to be! On the way up the views of the surrounding valley was just breathtaking. On the top of MT. Albert is a 50ft. firetower that I actually climbed!!! The remainder of the miles just flew, then it was back to NS for a quick shower and on into town for supper at Shoney's AYCE buffet. We passed the 100 mile mark today YEA !!! Good Night
Date: 2003-03-25
From: Trail Angel's 

To: Microtel Inn, Franklin N.C.
Miles today: 0.0

Microtel Inn, Franklin N.C.   0 miles I Awoke this morning with a fever and an extremely sore throat. Took an unscheduled day off today. Was able to obtain some antibiotics and just slept most of the day, I don't seem to have any energy at all. Leapyear and Spunky were good sports and took a zero day with me. They ran around Franklin and Spunky bought new boots while I slept. Tonight we are sharing the room with Rich and Cindy so our trail family is all together. Tomorrow will try to make some miles, I do feel better after resting.
Date: 2003-03-26
From: Microtel Inn, Franklin N.C.

To: Slider Bald 
Miles today: 7.3

Slider Bald Shelter 7.3 miles 110 total miles Awoke feeling better. Caught a shuttle to Wallace Gap and continued northward. Originally planned a 13 mile day to Slider Bald campsite but it started a cold rain and we decided to call it a short day and stay in a shelter. I didn't want to camp in the rain feeling ill. The shelter has filled up and everyone is having a good time. I took a short nap, now am getting ready to cook supper.
Date: 2003-04-01
From: Locust Cove Gap

To: Walker Mt. Campsite 
Miles today: 14.0

Had a very good day of hikin. All the snow has melted, like it was all a April Fools joke and the sun shone all day. Highs in the 70s. Lots of ups and downs today, maybe the route planners thought we needed some interval training. Hats off to the trail maintainers for this section, nice job putting in the sidehilling. The ones with the stone reinforcements took a lot of work. This hiker appreciates it, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TRAIL MAINTAINERS. Hiked into the shelter mid-afternoon and didn't feel like stopping. Continued on a few more miles and am camped on the ridge if what I think is Walker Mt. it's hard to know for sure, they only put signs in the gaps. It should only be 4-5 easy miles to Fontana Dam tomorrow. Hopefully I will have a sunrise over Fontana lake tomorrow. That is the main reason I chose this campsite. I also want to be able to stargaze thru my tent tonight but the wind is picking up and I may have to put the awnings down. Right now it's not cold so I will wait and see. For those of you worried about me camping by myself, I took all the normal precautions. I cooked away from camp and hung my food out of sight in a big tree. So no hungry bear should come nosing around. I wish I would see some more wildlife, so far just a few squirrels and lots of birds. Well it is getting to dark to type. Good Night >
Date: 2003-04-02
From: Walker Mt. Campsite 

To: The Hike Inn 
Miles today: 5.0

It did not get cold last night so I left my tent awnings up. Every time I opened my eyes there was the big dipper and about million other stars. Makes a person feel small in comparison to all that is out there. This morning awoke just as the sun was rising. Too many trees for a really good picture but I took one anywise. Dawn quickly gave way to a sunny day as I slowly made my way toward Fontana Dam. I was enjoying the morning so much I didn't want to hurry. The trail down is made of looong switchbacks, several times I felt like I was going the wrong direction as I once again turned towards the sun. One the way to the dam of course I had to check out the Fontana Hilton, one of the nicest shelters on the trail, it can sleep up to 20 hikers. Here in the valley it is really starting to feel like spring, and several flowering trees are blooming. The Hike Inn is very nice, I have a room to myself for the first time since the start of my hike. I will appreciate the solitude. One of the bad things about maildrops at hostels is you have to stop if you want food for the next part of the trail. On an day as beautiful as this I just wanted to keep hikin. Thank you to everyone who sent me things, they are very much appreciated. Angie, I love the animal crackers. Now I need to sort food and get ready for the Smokies. Clingmans Dome here I come.
Date: 2003-04-06
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Harris Regional Hospital
Miles today: 3.5

Awoke today feeling off balance with difficulty lifting my pack. In fact one of the guys had to help me put it on. Strange, I normally lift it with ease. Started down the trail and hadn't gone even 1/4 mile before I fell, I'm having trouble controlling my right side, I keep kicking my walking stick, can't seem to place it where I want it. I hike awhile, fall, struggle to my feet and keep on. It is only 3.5 miles to Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the trail at 6643 ft and it seems like it is taking forever to hike. There is a large observation tower there and I know I can get help. The views are starting to open up and I don't even care, I just want to make it without injuring myself to bad. I keep falling and I'm not sure why, It is taking all my concentration just to hike. F-Stop comes by and I tell her I'm having a hard time hikin, she tells me to blow my whistle if I need her help and hikes on. Soon along comes 2 male hikers who refuses to leave me, hiking behind and keeping me from falling, one of them eventually hikes ahead, drops his pack and comes back for mine. Thank You so much for your help, I can't remember your names but you are true trail angels. Now I can hear sirens in the distance and a day hiker approaches us wanting to know if I'm the one who needs help. F-Stop had tracked down a ranger and told him about me, Thank God. As I sit along side the trail I try not to panic and wait for the Medic. I'm just exhausted, it has taken all morning to hike about 3 miles, I'm not out yet. The medic arrives, checks me over and decides to let me continue hikin, it is the only way out. Upon arriving at the service road I'm loaded into the ambulance and brought here to the hospital. Right now I'm unable to lift my right leg off the bed and my right arm feels very heavy, don't know what has happened, but it's not good. I'm being admitted for tests, will just have to wait and see.
Date: 2002-11-11
To: Dreaming
Miles today: 0.0

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." Henry David ThoreauThose words have inspired so many before me to go and seek what the woods have to teach. This year it will be my turn. In four short months I will be standing on Springer Mt. looking northward, ready to take the first step of a journey I have been dreaming about most of my adult life. It is with great anticipation and alittle trepidation that I consider the fact the my dream is rapidly becoming reality. The gear and food boxes are piling up, the mail drops planned. Friends and family's help enlisted to ensure I keep that date with Spring, when I put my money where my mouth is and start the walk of a lifetime. What lessons will it teach me? How will the trail change me? I do not know, I do know that one can not submerse oneself in nature for that long a period of time without changing in some way. What do I wish to take with me at trails end? A better understanding of myself, what I am made of, a greater appreciation of all things wild, friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. Too much to ask, I think not, if I keep my heart, soul, and mind open to the experiences each day brings.
Date: 2002-11-20
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It is a gorgeous fall day here in central Ohio, the sky is a deep blue and the sun is shinning. A perfect day for hikin, so that is just what I did. Just got back from hoofing out 5-6 miles in the little state park that is close to my house. Didn¢t see a soul the whole time just a fat gray squirrel hurrying around storing nuts for the long winter ahead. He chattered at me as I passed as if to say ¢their mine all mine.¢ March hurry up.
Date: 2002-11-23
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

To KatahdinThe ol¢ATis calling meEver onward, Ever onwardNorth to KatahdinI must goThru ice and windrain and snowEver onward, Ever onwardThru springtime forestscarpeted aglowwith wildflowersstarting to growEver onward, Ever onwardThru summer heatand rain¢s steady beatNorthward bound goes my feetEver onward, Ever onwardUntil one daythru foggy hazeI stand amazedat my goalMt. Katahdin
Date: 2004-03-20
To: Starting Over
Miles today: 0.0

One year ago I was happily trudging thru the woods of north Georgia having spent my first week on the trail and loving life. Looking forward to adventure, camaraderie, and many miles passing under my feet. Well, the year did not turn out as planned. I did get adventure and my hikin family was there beside me but the miles was not to be. Upon return home I was informed I could not even carry as much as a day pack until everything healed and I started physical therapy to help rebuild my strength. For the first time I followed doctors advice, physically everything progressed well and I soon returned to work without any noticeable deficit. When I am very, very tired I do occasionally drag my right foot and feel off balance, but even that is slowly fading away. Emotionally however I was devastated by the loss of my dream. and pulled away from the hiking community (the family of my heart). I even stopped my daily walks in the park. In December, an angiogram of my carotids showed that everything had healed up well and I was given the green light to hike again. YEA !!!! So the first weekend it was warm enough to get out I loaded up a day pack and hit one of the local trails. It felt sooooooo good to be out again. My spirit soaring in the tree tops as my feet walked the earth. I was home again. Since then I have decided my dream is not lost after all. Just changed a little. Because I can not ask for another 6 month LOA, it would not be fair to my employer who has been so supportive this past year, I plan on completing the trail as a section hiker. The important thing is that I FINISH THE TRAIL not how I do it. So soon I will start driving to the trail on my days off to hike small sections at a time until I get the whole thing done. Maybe someday I will be given another opportunity to thru hike. But, I'm not waiting for it. The one thing I learned this year was that you never know what tomorrow will bring, so you have to grab today and live it the fullest, not put off the things you really want to accomplish. Hopefully, I will see many of you out on the trail this summer.Happy HikinATwanabe
Date: 2010-11-07
To: Reflections
Miles today: 0.0

Today while eating breakfast at the local diner, I ran into a couple of dreamers. They were sitting there with their AT books, talking hiking and gear. Of course I could not resist trading a few trail stories. What a walk down memory lane it was. It never fails to amaze me how the trail touches your soul, how each hike regardless of how short or long manages to leave it's imprint on your heart and psyche. For a long time after my attempted Thru I struggled with wanting to be back on the trail. Several times I attempted with the same disastrous results, my neck would start hurting ( the only sysimpton of the aterial disection I experienced before my stroke) and I would go home in tears, begging my physican for an MRI to make sure everything was alright.
Date: 2003-02-04
To: Journal Info
Miles today: 0.0

Here are some tips on getting around in this journal, and an explanation of how it will be maintained. I¢ll post a journal page for every day that I¢m on the trail, usually with a few days lag time. The LIST button on the left shows a link to every entry, and will highlight the ones you¢ve already read.My first prep entry, ¢General Info¢¦¢ gives an overview of the trip and has a short glossary of hiking lingo. I¢ll probably add more to this page as I go.   I will add a picture to every entry, but the pictures will come later than the text. The PHOTOS button will show every picture that¢s been uploaded. I¢ll upload more pictures than are shown on the journal pages.I write my entries using PocketMail, a little PDA-type gadget for composing and sending email. After writing an entry, I have to wait ¢til I get cell phone reception to send the entry home. Juli copies the email into TrailJournals. I¢m taking photos with a digital camera and mailing home the flash cards.I¢d like to hear from you!   Please sign the GUEST BOOK. Let me know if there is anything I should add to the Journal. Thanks for reading,David
Date: 2003-02-06
To: Getting Ready
Miles today: 0.0

Hi, my name is David Miller and I¢m planning a northbound AT thru-hike in 2003. I¢m going solo, and planning a late start (sometime in May). No trail name yet, but I¢d like to come up with one before hitting the trail. I don¢t want to get stuck with an undesirable moniker. I heard of someone getting dubbed nutless, hopefully because he ran out of Planters.During vacation in the Smokies in October 2001 I met a former thru-hiker and that planted the seed for doing a thru-hike. I immersed myself in books, mags, anything I could read about hiking. The more I read the more interested I became. I would¢ve gone in 2002, but I could not get a leave of absence. I probably won¢t get a leave in 2003 either, but now I¢m prepared to go AWOL if need be.That is part of the reason for the late start. I¢m a family man in mid-career and taking this trip is irrefutably irresponsible. So I feel compelled at least to minimize the time away from my family and work by going relatively fast. My plan is to finish in 4 months. Going at a good clip is probably in my nature anyway ¢ I¢m not much of a dawdler.I¢m from Florida (Titusville), which also plays into my plan to start late. I¢ve only seen snow a handful of times in my life and don¢t have much tolerance for the cold. If I left in March, I¢d freeze before getting out of Georgia. This way, they won¢t have to ¢copter me out until I reach the White Mountains. On the upside, I should fare better than most in the heat of summer.Thanks to 2002 journalers Radar, Blaze, Bluebearee, Arrow for the excellent info, pics, and inspiration.