morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-06-08
From: Tom Leonard shelter 

To: The shaker camp site 
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: overcast clouds

After a short day yesterday, I¢m ready to put in a full day of hiking.I woke early and ate breakfast in my tent to avoid the mosquitoes. Trail bars and an apple I packed from town were on the menu. Today¢s hike went better as I started earlier (6:30) and it¢s a lot cooler. At noon I stopped at the north Wilcox shelter for lunch. I met ¢stumbles¢ a ridge runner. This area has had bear problems. One hiker here had there tent ripped into by a bear. She mentioned that the shaker campsite was very nice but does have a resident mom bear and two cubs. I made it there by 4:30 and thought I might have it to myself. Then five loud woman weekend hikers showed up. Between all of there work settings up tents and who was going to sleep where, I guess there¢s not much to worry about the bear family. It¢s is a nice spot.
Date: 2019-06-09
From: Shaker campsite 

To: Upper Goose pond cabin 
Miles today: 10.1

I slept fair last night. Between a noisy campsite and my air mattress losing air. Another early start, it¢s cooler out today and the talk on the trail is rain is coming. After 2.4 miles I hit Jerusalem road. There I found a local who puts out a trail stand of sodas chips and cookies for sale. That really is nice and we hikers appreciate it! After a coke I packed some Oreos for later and got walking. I got to the cabin 0.5 miles off the AT, around 1:00. What a beautiful place! The caretaker Nancy was super nice, ever sharing her broccoli and tofu dinner with me. About six hikers here. Three thru hikers telling me stories of starting in February and hiking in snow and ice. No thanks I get enough of that back home. Going to sleep tonight, my thoughts are of the coffee and pancakes in the morning.
Date: 2019-06-10
From: Upper goose pond cabin 

To: Kay wood shelter
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: clear sky

what a great night sleep I had in the cabin! I am sticking around for breakfast so I¢ll start a little later. Wow we¢re those great pancakes! Eight AM and I¢m hiking. A lot flatter trail today. At Washington mountain road I took a .1 mile detour to the cookie lady¢s house. A nice older lady that reminds me of my mom. Rolled into the Kay wood shelter, found a nice spot and pitched my tent. Cooking dinner at the picnic table it starts to rain , oh well.
Date: 2019-06-11
From: Kay wood shelter

To: Dalton Ma.
Miles today: 3.0

Okay I probably should have stayed in the shelter. It rained hard last night and now I remember what fun it is packing up a wet tent. Good new is today it¢s 3 miles to Dalton and I¢m finished with Massachusetts! A quick stroll into town, pick up a mail drop at the post office, Atm for cash and a call to the shuttle driver, I¢m on my way to Manchester Center VT, where I got off last year.
Date: 2019-06-12
From: Manchester center VT

To: Peru peak shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

After reaching Dalon I have officially finished Massachusetts! I caught a ride to Manchester VT got a hotel for the night. Today I'm resupplied and get back on the trail. The hike up Bromley was great. I was walking up the slope skiers go down. While I enjoyed bromley peak, the hike over  styles peak was a jungle gym, The uphill don't bother me but the downhills are killing my knees this year.Also I have a slow leak in my air mattress.I end up blowing up my mattress 2-3x a night.
Date: 2019-06-13
From: Peru peak shelter

To: Little rock pond shelter
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: clear sky

Today was a tough day for me. My knees and back continue to give me problems. I have to hike so much slower than I want to especially down hill. The rain made the mud sections worse, twice I almost had my shoe sucked off my foot. The climb over baker peak was a surprise rock scramble that reminded me of New york state. I ran into 4 turkeys on the trail. I didn't think they ranged this far north. By the time I reached little pond shelter the wind picked up and I decided to stay here tonight. After I cooked some top ramen to warm up, my stove would not completely shut off. after waiting a while I unscrewed the canister and the escaping pressure caught the stove on fire! So I kicked it out of the shelter into the rain and it finally went out. Great now I need to get a stove.
Date: 2019-06-14
From: Little rock pond shelter

To: Rutland VT Vt 103
Miles today: 12.6

With out a stove, I need to go into Rutland and buy a one .A lot of hikers hike stoveless, but for me I want the option of a hot meal. I slept pretty good in the shelter with six others. I am the first up and out the shelter in the morning. After that its just a matter of time before the fast hikers at the shelter start passing me up. It rained on and off all day. Late in the day I took a hard fall on a slick rock. My shoes were packed with mud and offered zero traction. After reaching VT 103 I hitched into town. Looking at The AT guide I picked a hotel not to far from an outfitter.
Date: 2018-04-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

First off, my twin grandchildren were born last week. What a couple of cuties! My daughter and her babies are doing fine. By June, they'll be walking and talking and I'll be hiking SOBO.I am making a concerted effort to lighten my load. I have switched out my old ULA P-2 pack I bought in 2004 for a ULA CDT. It's about 2 lbs lighter. My old pack served me well in my NOBO hike in 2013&2014, but is worn out. I bought a Marmot Down defender sleeping bag that is a pound lighter than my old bag. And I will be getting a Tarp Tent Pro Trail to replace my Hennessey Hammock. That is almost 2 lbs lighter. I switched out a under armor fleece with a pull over stretch material top, and replacing my rain pants with a kilt. Right now my base weight is 15 lbs, down by 5 lbs in 2014. I am making a lot of miscellaneous adjustments that I am picking up from YouTube vids. Counting the days to start hiking SOBO in June.
Date: 2018-06-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

My pack is ready, my reservations are set for flying to Bangor, bus ride to Midway, Maine where I will be shuttled by the AT Lodge in Millinocket to Baxter State Park. If all that works, I'll be hiking up Mt Katahdin, the northern terminus of the AT on Thursday. Then on to the 100 mile wilderness. Here we go!
Date: 2018-06-20
From: Home

To: AT Lodge
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light intensity drizzle

Got up at 4:45 am and drove to West Palm Airport. Got to Bangor at 1 PM Then I waited 5 hours for the bus to Millinocket. Believe me there is very little to do at the Bangor bus station for 5 hours. Since I had to carry my pack everywhere, I just cooled my heals and waited it out. I found a park about 5 blocks from the bus station. It was better to get some fresh air than looking at the floor in the station. Anyway, after an hour bus ride I got to Medway, where I was picked up by the AT Lodge. Tomorrow, they will shuttle us to Baxter SP, where the fun begins. The lodge is full, a lot of hikers will be on the mountain tomorrow.
Date: 2018-06-21
From: AT Lodge

To: Katahdin Camp ground
Miles today: 10.0

Started the day with a shuttle from the AT Lodge to Baxter State Park. Picked up a day pack at the ranger's station and started up the mountain. First section was a slight incline that got steeped as I got closer to the tree line. Above the treeline, it was a boulder climb to the gateway, a small level area. The another steep stretch up an arm of the mountain to the tablelands, a relatively flat moonscape with Thoreau Springs in the middle. Then a final ascent to Baxter Peak, the highest point on Mt Kahtahdin. 5 hours up and 5 hours down. By the end my back & knees were hurting, just on long day of climbing. Slept in Katahdin Stream Camp groung.
Date: 2018-07-03
From: Wilson Valley lean to.

To: Shaws Landing 
Miles today: 7.0

This is the day that ended my hike. I started early to avoid the heat, but found I just could not make headway. After crossing a river, I started a climb over a 500' hill that just exhausted me. I got dehydrated due to the heat and humidity. Finally, I sent a SOS out on my SPOT device. Some EMT's gave me an IV and drove me into town. I was about 5 miles outside on Monson, near Little Wilson Falls. Everyone is complaining about the heat and humidity. Tomorrow will be a rest day and then I am driving to Arcadia National Park for some day hiking. My 2018 AT hike is over.
Date: 2018-01-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Right now I am in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. I have about 2 and 1/4 months to land my feet on Springer Mountain again. That is my 3rd time been to Springer Mountain.  The first time I was there, I hiked with Scotty "One Leg" Rogers and the 2nd time, I started without a partner until I caught up with Fred "FishinFred" Orser for some miles.  First two attempts were failed. I blame myself for not be able to make it through. Of course, it was my fault because I wasted too much time in trail towns, too much time on Internet, spend too much money on beers, hiked too slow, woke up late to start.  I lost my wallet in 2005 attempt and realized I was falling behind schedule and knew I won't be able to make it to Katahdin. I bailed out. I planned for another hike in 2007 but decided to put it on hold and start traveling in most countries around the world. I started in 2009 in Mexico and right now, I am in Costa Rica. While traveling, I become Hostel Manager for Ensenada Backpackers in Baja California, Mexico, Hostel staff for Hostel Cosmopolitan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and become a hostel owner and ran hostel for only 2 years in Siem Reap, Cambodia.  I had to shut the hostel down because I couldn't convince landlord to rework on lease renewal. After closing the hostel, I start traveling again for short time.  Now I am seriously considering to settle down after a long travel BUT, one thing, I will not settle until I make it through the 2,200 miles Appalachian Trail. This year is the time.  So for me writing this journal again, I will write differently from what I did in 2004 and 2005. I will try to write journal short and sweet and upload less photo because I need to invest more time on trail instead of on computer.   I maintain my own Facebook since the year of 2007. I will keep trailjournal and Facebook active throughout the hike. Now its dark, the mosquitoes in Costa Rica are like hungry wolves. I gotta run back in my dorm. I am packing my stuff as I will be going to San Jose tomorrow.   As a die-hard Patriots fan since day one, I will be staying in San Jose until after Super Bowl.
Date: 2018-02-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Right now, I am in San Miguel De Allende, a beautiful colonial town in Mexico.  While traveling in Mexico, I still am figuring out how to prepare for my thru-hike. I would have only about 6-7 weeks to prepare. I will be very busy during month of March, which I will prepare transportation from Arizona to Georgia, buying some new gears, companion and data books. I figured out that I should start sometimes between April 13 and 15. I know that April 15 is the last day of thru-hiker season. I calculated that I would need to hike more than 12 miles DAILY with NO zero days to accomplish the 2,200 miles before shut down date of October 15. To have zero days, then I will need to hike more than 12 miles daily to be able to have zero days.  I started the chat on Facebook with Rick Towle (trailname ATTroll).  He is the Whiteblaze.net creator. He told me that to make the feat to accomplish 2,200 miles is to have good mentality.  All I need to have mentality to accomplish and I agreed with him. I also spend a lot of time thinking about why I failed 2 times to thru-hike in 2004 and 2005. I believe it was because I felt lonely. Most of the time at shelters, I seek for some good conversation with other hikers but they did not bother to write instead, they sit by the campfire and chatting with other hikers. After I left A.T. I start traveling. I learned a lot while solo traveling for almost 10 years. I developed the thinking mechanism. Many time, I would keep busy thinking of many things while walking for many miles to the next destination, or sit down by the beach thinking of different things, that will keep me entertained with no need to have someone else by my side.  I hope that my thinking mechanism will stay functional while hiking on Appalachian Trail. That is how I can keep hiking without the feeling of being lonely.  First two attempts in 2004 and 2005, I found other deaf hiking companions, but they bailed out at very last minutes before I depart for Georgia.  So, this year, I vowed myself NOT to bother about finding companion.  I do not want any stress about finding another hiker to go with me. Compromise is a stress builder, so no companion = no compromise.  There is no way I will be alone on Appalachian Trail. I know I will meet many hikers on the trail, and even I will make new friends on the trail. Its just that I do not want any compromise and waste time with those people who always talk but never take act.   I am getting bored with those type of people. See you soon, Appalachian Trail!
Date: 2018-03-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

4 weeks left to go....Am I panic for lack of preparation, training or exercise? The answer is no. I am a couch potato but I do walk often to keep my legs flexible.Since writing the last entry in Mexico, I am now in Queen Creek, Arizona taking care of my dad because his wife is gone to her home country, The Philippines.  She will be back on April 9, few days before I catch a flight for Atlanta, Georgia. I already booked air ticket with Southwest Airline. I am excited! I already got 2018 edition of Appalachian Trail Thru Hiker's companion. I was very impressed with that version because it included all mileages, trail information and even elevation. I do not have to carry maps and data book. It will lighten up my load. I already got AT Passport. Look forward to collect all stamps!I still have no backpack and hiking boots yet but will buy them soon. I will also set up a fan page on Facebook for my thru-hike adventure so it can be opened to public than my personal Facebook account. I choose to have my friend, an Atlanta local, who will be more than glad to pick me up from airport, and let me stay over at their place overnight, so we can have some good chit chat. The next day, he will take me to what I need to do before landing my feet at Amicaola Falls State Park. Its better than spending money on hostel near or around AFSP. I researched for hostels and they seemed not what thru-hikers want.  They seemed to be business oriented instead of budget or adventure minded hostels. So the first thing I arrive AFSP will be catching a space at a shelter OR go ahead and hike up to Black Gap Shelter, which sits about 1 miles south from first White Blaze. After watching some serious heavy snowstorms hitting New England, and that I can sense the weather is not being nice right now, so glad I got 4 weeks to wait, hopefully weather will be nicer when I land my feet on Springer Mountain!
Date: 2018-04-13
To: Amicalola Falls State Park
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Was so busy for the entire month!Today I will fly from Phoenix, Arizona and arrive Atlanta, Georgia and my friend will come and pick me up and take me to Amicalola Falls State Park and I will go straight to shelter to sleep tonight.Will hit Approach-Appalachian Trail tomorrow morning!Had a small kick off party at Groggy's bar inn Mesa, Arizona with few of my awesome friends.  Tomorrow morning, when I wake up, of course I need to re-pack everything in my new backpack then when everything look good, then I start hike!The last thing I need to do, of course is to ship my laptop to post office then I will be on my way to Phoenix!Wish me luck!
Date: 2018-04-14
From: Amicalola Falls State Park

To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Landed Atlanta's Hatsfield International Airport, my friend Scott Steinbrink picked me up after 2 hours of confusion.  Luckily I got to the computer with internet at airport to reach him before he would give up and gone home.  I did not have laptop or smartphone with me. I mail dropped my laptop to Hot Springs, North Carolina.Scott took me to Wal Mart as I need to buy fuel then we went to AFSP. It was like about 2AM.I could NOT find Max Epperson Shelter so I decided to tent out just back of the park headquarter/visitor center. I woke up before the crowd of new Thru-Hikers to be showed up. I asked the staff, where Max Epperson Shelter is, he pointed to that shelter just in plain view from the backyard of headquarter. It was so dark that I could not see. I left at 9:45AM and was given a Thru Hiker number 2206. I said to myself, that was a lot of Thru Hikers that left AFSP before me!I arrived Black Gap Shelter after a tough hike uphill. Luckily that I got a space at shelter.
Date: 2018-04-15
From: Black Gap Shelter

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up to some rain, heavy fog and chill in the morning.I hiked up to the summit of Springer Mountain for the third time (2004, 2005 and 2018)I hiked all the way to Hawk Mountain Shelter. I would have decided to stay at Stover Creek Shelter because of raining but I moved on.Hawk Mountain Shelter was full of hikers, so I camped out, yes it was very cold that day and night.
Date: 2018-04-16
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: light rain

I was shivering in a sleeping bag inside tent, it was windy and so cold. Then I woke up, I thought there were some dust or dead leaves on my tent, but learned it was some snow during the night. I survived the cold night!When I woke up, I suddenly saw some nuts inside my backpack, obviously, some animals, maybe squirrel, chipmunk or mice found a warm place to eat their dinner in my backpack under my tent's tarp. Oh well, I am a deaf hiker, I won't hear them eating or squeaking. I guess they found a tent with nobody shoo them off. I got up and left at 11:00AM, yeah a late start because I hate to get out of warm sleeping bag during cold day. I still am trying to assemble my backpack correctly with some adjustment.It was easy hike for 7.6 miles to Gooch Mountain Shelter. I start to notice that each shelter have bear box installed that I never see in my 2004 and 2005 hike. Look like there were some bear/human encounter happens more often now. When I got in Gooch Mountain, I was pretty hungry and cold. There was an old man that tried to talk to me as I was busy preparing my meals but I start to recognizing him thinking maybe I met him before, but was so busy preparing my meal so I told him I am Deaf and he nodded and came back to me with paper and pen. He wrote down, what is your trail name. I wrote down Flash Hand, he was like amazed or bit surprised, then he proceed to write down his trail name but I stopped him and said, hey you Smokestack? He said yes! I was surprised to see him again! We hug hard as it was so long time since I have not seen him since 2005.Smokestack still look great, still smoking pipe and in great spirit! Too bad his wife, Mother Nature is in Germany so I told Smokestack to give her my regards.Another COLD night in Gooch Mountain Shelter. So cold that I put two coats on, socks, face mask, and slept inside a closed sleeping bag. I survived again!
Date: 2018-04-17
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Woodshole Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: broken clouds

Left Gooch Mountain Shelter at 8:30AM during VERY cold morning. I was like, I want to stay in my sleeping bag bit longer but seeing other hikers already are up and ready to leave. I would feel guilty myself if they all left while I am the last lazy hiker still in shelter. So I said, GET UP! GET OUT! I made it, I got out of sleeping bag. The 11.8 miles hike was more challenging to my over rusty legs. The weather was nice but somewhat cold once after I arrived Woodshole Shelter. Guide book said that Woodshole was in honor of Late Tillie and Roy Woods as the original owners of Woodshole Hostel. I met Tillie in 2004 and she was very amazing woman. I never met Roy myself. During the hike, I had my first snake sighting, I think its Gartner snake, (non-venomous) My feet caught blisters. I pop some gooey out, it were bad. I hoped they would heal quickly because I pop them out. I never have any blister on my 2004 and 2005 hike, I assumed that because I only wear one pair of socks instead of 2 pair of socks. From that time, I started to use 2 pair of socks on each feet.I am glad Woodshole Shelter was positioned in right direction, not facing the uphill cold winds from down the mountain. That way I slept more warmly overnight. Actually, the only reason I hate Woodshole Shelter is because it was .4 miles off of the trail.  That was a long hike to the shelter from A.T.
Date: 2018-04-18
From: Woodshole Shelter

To: Neels Gap & Walasi Yi Center
Miles today: 3.6

Woke up to better weather but realizing that my feet and the blisters are not getting any better. I was thinking about a short hike and stay at Walasi Yi Center Hostel to give my feet more time to heal and less walking.Hiked up Blood Mountain was hard on my blistered feet.I arrived Walasi Yi Center, I asked for a hostel, the staff there said the hostel was full. I was like oh NO, I cannot hike any further, its painful. So the staff said, the camping, 300 yards up, are not far. I really want to stay, relaxing, get a good shower, filling up my stomach and a good sleep. Hostel still full. As I was, oh well, let me enjoy my coca cola and a portion of cheddar cheese then hike up again as there was no options left for me. I did ask the staff for $5 for shower as non-guest. He said, no. I even say, the guidebook said so, then he said, oh well it is discontinued because they want to conserve water. I guess I will have to let the author of the guidebook know to make an adjustment.A few minutes, I got good news, a hiker canceled his bed in order to get another place elsewhere. My feet were so happy. While my stay in the hostel, I found two old register books for 2004 and 2005 Northbound Thru Hikers. I found myself and my other hiker friends, Scott Rogers, "One Leg", Smokestack, Mother Nature, Fishin Fred, Nick Johnson (Mr. Pink) registered in those notebooks. I will post pictures on my Facebook once I get to Hot Springs.After 6pm, a hiker came to me, saying, hey, some drinks out there. I was like???   When I got out and oh yeah, there is a trail magic, two late aged, friendly ladies give hikers some hotdogs and beers.  I took 2 beers and 1 hot dog.  I felt so good.During the trail magic conversation, everyone was talking to each other except me and another hiker's dog. I only watched them chatting, laughing and drinking. I was busy thinking about everything else, especially my blistered feet. I went back inside hostel until about 7pm, again another hiker came to me, drink outside. I was like again? Yeah a new trail angel showed up with case of Lite Beers and fried chickens.  I took 4 beers and a fried chicken.While inside a hostel, I chatted briefly with a section hiker, he told me he knows my name Flash Hand because he was reading my journal here. Good to know someone is reading my journal, but sorry I forgot his name. I slept peacefully around 10pm