morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-04-25
From: Erwin, TN

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0

I awakened throughout the night, weak and with sore joints rom my high fever, but when I awakened at 6 AM soaked in sweat, I knew my fever had broken...and I felt better. I got out of bed, took a shower and got dressed, but had to lay back down I was so exhaused. An hour later I went to the lobby and got cofee and a banana, the first things I'd eaten in over 24 hours. At 8 AM I went back to the lobby hoping to see Beerdra and Grits before they left. There were there, waiting with heavy packs for the shuttle to take them back to the trail. The first day out is always the toughest because of having so much food weight. We said our goodbyes and I watched them go off without me.Several weeks ago, I had turned my ankile that had the peroneal tendon tear surgery. It had bothered me of and on and I was real careful where I put my foot after that. Then, coming down into Erwin, I had turned it several more times on rocks. It hurt badly while we were eating dinner and I had gone back to the hotel and put ice on it and kept it up for the duration of the evening, planning to go to the local ER the next day, but my ankle took a back seat to my stomach virus and I spent the day in bed. While prone for over 24 hours, the swelling had gone down to almost normal.Right now I'm in the ER at Unicoi County Memorial, waiting for the results of my MRI. Tomorrow, I will either be back on the trail....or making plans to go home~J
Date: 2013-04-26
From: Erwin, TN

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0

I climbed back onto the Connex bus yesterday afternoon, paid my $2.00 fee and took my seat behind the driver. One Two was on the bus and we chatted for a few minutes before he was dropped off at a local restaurant.The driver asked me about my ankle; he was the same person that had dropped me off 5 hours before, and I filled him in on the diagnosis. "My name is Michael", he said after a moment. "My trail name is Journey", I replied, "but I guess now I'll have to go back to being known as Diane....and a big lump formed in my throat~J.
Date: 2013-04-28
To: Time in Damascus
Miles today: 0.0

We went to In The Country for breakfast this morning and enjoyed every bite. Next stop was the P.O. where I collected my bounce box and my summer sleeping bag that Jack had sent to me. Beerdra picked up her stupendous mail drop from a friend. Back at the Inn, we dug into out boxes on the porch while we talked with GranBob. We had a nice walk around town, looking at available downtown properties. I'm always interested in available downtown properties in Damascus!Later in the day, I took Beerdra to the hospital in Abdingdon to find out what was wrong with her leg. Johnson Memorial Hospital is a fairly new, clean, pleasant place to have an issue. Beerdra didn't even get to sit down, she was whisked away moments after walking in. While I waited, I caught up on journals and occasionally watched the kid's movie that was playing on tv, although there were no kids in the waiting room.About an hour later, Beerdra emerged from the back, happy and walking fairly normally. Luckily, she wasn't going to die....today, anyway, from a blood clot. She had been examined, dopplered, and wrapped...ready for face the world another day. From the hospital we filled her prescriptions and headed back to the Inn. Tomorrow morning I'll return my former hiking partner to the AT-Rt 19 road crossing in Roan Mountain, TN and I will turn my sights north...back to Pennsylvania.
Date: 2013-04-29
To: Collecting Beerdra
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I left the Inn at 8 AM for my anticipated 1.25 hour ride south to collect Beerdra from the Roan Mountain Bed and Breakfast in Tennessee. First stop was Cowboy's, famous for their blueberry pancakes, but for me this morning only coffee was on the menu. Ron the owner tells me he's been in town for 26 years.Most of the ride was done in the pouring rain, and mapquest did me wrong (yet again), so it took a bit longer than expected, but was a beautiful ride none the less and gave me plenty of time to think.When I arrived at the B&B, the owners had gone off to church, but I got to meet fellow hikers Tags and JAG,who were guests along with Beerdra. We loaded the car and hit the road. While we drove, Beerdra filled me in on her tale of woe; sitting with Grits on a rock at the junction of the trail and TN Rt 19, deciding what to do. When we arrived back at the Inn, we were greeted by GranBob, who started his hike in '12 and is continuing on this year. The three of us spent the rest of the day together talking trail, walking around town, and of course eating. Bob is good company and I would have enjoyed spending some time with him on the trail. Tomorrow we'll go to the P.O. and collect our maildrops and I'll take Beerdra to the local ER to find out what's wrong with her painful calf~J.
Date: 2013-04-30
To: Beerdra: Back on the Trail, Me: Home
Miles today: 0.0

The house began stirring early as Night Rider, who had been sharing the house with us, and GranBob were both heading out at 7 AM. Beerdra and I would leave soon after at 7:30 to start our hour ride north back to Roan Mountain. First stop was Cowboy's for coffee, juice and breakfast sandwiches. My blueberry pancakes would have to wait until Trail Days. We were on the road by 7:45 on another beautiful, sunny day; perfect for hiking. We ate while we drove and chatted about music, life and the trail. The winding ride went much faster than the ride to collect Beerdra two days before on that windy, rainy day.In no time we were at the trail head, saying our goodbyes. I sat in the car and watched Beerdra walk up Route 19 for about 200 feet. Before she went left and up into the woods, she turned and waved. I waved back and pulled out into traffic. No pangs, no tears, no regrets. Life as I had known it for the last 8 weeks was over. I was homeward bound~J
Date: 2013-05-08
To: Re Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It had never entered my mind to ask for a rental car with cruise control. An hour into my trip home, my ankle began to ache and continued to do so for the next 10 hours. Instead of going north from 81 on Rt 77, I stayed on 81 and relived my 03 hike as I passed each trail town; Atkins: hiking with Stripe and Corncob and trail magic from the New England Judges, Pearisburg: a trip to the ER to check out my battered feet, Buena Vista: lovely downtown, good Mexican food and my first haircut on the trail, Waynesboro: staying at the lovely Bell Hearth Bed and Breakfast and getting to see Jack for the first time in 3 months....and on and on and on. I left tractor-trailer ridden 81 and headed west on 522 toward one of my favorite little downtowns, Berkley Springs, WV. There is a little cafe there that I wanted to visit for a late lunch...but when I arrived, they were closed, so I moved on. It took me until 7 PM to reach my local Enterprise Car Rental office, but Jack was waiting with a big smile and open arms. "Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes", was all I could say.
Date: 2013-05-23
To: Say WHAT?????
Miles today: 0.0

¢So, you¢re telling me that all I had to do was sit in a hotel room and watch tv for a week, and I didn¢t have to get off the trail?¢ Dr. Lehman looked at the floor and shook his head yes.Since I was diagnosed with another ¢torn tendon¢ by the radiologist that read my MRI in Erwin, TN I have waited for today¢s visit with the surgeon that performed my peroneal tendon surgery 17 months ago. He read my MRI, did his examination and said he had the knowledge of what he had done during my surgery, which was a plus when reading the new MRI. ¢Did you tell them you had already had surgery on that tendon?¢ he asked. ¢Of course¢ I replied, but don¢t know if the info went from the ER doc to the radiologist that read my MRI. Dr. Lehman explained that the tendon tear surgery looked like a tear on the MRI, but of course wasn¢t.¢You obviously had a significant injury, but didn¢t tear the tendon again. Find your comfort level with hiking and go for it. Can¢t you get on a bus and meet up with your friends?¢¢¦¢¦.and so the conversation went for the next 10 minutes. I told him that when I got the diagnosis in TN, I didn¢t cry, but wanted to now. I knew I wasn¢t able to hike now¢¦.my ankle hurts all the time, especially after an especially busy day, with NO weight on my back. So I have to work at getting back to the place I was when Knee Hi and I hiked in the Shenandoahs in October, back to where I was until mid-April when my ankle first started to bother me. No more 25 lb packs, no more 3-4 mph downhills. For now on, I had to hike differently. That diagnosis made in Erwin, TN coupled with it taking a month for me to see my surgeon drastically altered my 2013 thru-hike. Wham-bam, changed forever. So, where do I go from here?In 2003 I made a jump of 180 miles from Mount Washington in the White Mountains of New Hampshire to Stratton, Maine. Because of that, I didn¢t get my 2000 mile rocker, didn¢t get my name in the ATC¢s Journeys Magazine. Foot problems had plagued me from Damascus on that year and I had taken 3 separate breaks of 5-7 days each, eating up precious hiking time. I did not have the heart to call work and put my return off for the 3rd time, so I made the jump. I had spent 6 months on the trail and wanted to finish at the end¢¦..see Katahdin in all her glory as my reward. I¢ve never regretted that decision.So, my plan is to hike from Mt Washington to Stratton later this summer, jump to the 100 Mile Wilderness (one of my most favorite places in the world), then climb Katahdin again and be done for good. I¢ll scatter my Mom and Dad¢s ashes, shed a couple of tears, throw my hands in the air and celebrate.
Date: 2013-07-26
To: Back in the Saddle
Miles today: 0.0

It¢s been 2 months since the ER doctor told me of my talus and fibula contusion coupled with a new tear in my repaired peroneal tendon, took me off the trail in Erwin, TN. Thankfully, the second diagnosis of the re-torn tendon was not to be, but it took 2 complete months for my ankle contusion to heal. Now it¢s time to get back on the trail and test it.A few weeks back while driving in the car I said to Jack, ¢I've been complaining a lot lately. It¢s not like me, and I don¢t like hearing it come out of my mouth¢. He looked straight at me and said, ¢You are supposed to be hiking¢. Oh, he was so right! I wasn't supposed to be pulling weeds, vacuuming, cleaning out the duck house and paying bills. This was was my summer to stand on mountain tops, feel the rain on my face, and make lifelong relationships with new trail friends with not a care in the world but for myself. I did get to stand on beautiful mountain tops, feet some rain¢¦and snow on my face and made lifelong friendships with Beerdra and Grits, but for 6 weeks, not 6 months. I felt cheated.So¢¦on Saturday, I¢m headed back to the woods. I spent the last week going through my summer gear, gathering food and planning our hike. I don¢t know what it is about preparing; I could pack that pack blind with one hand tied behind my back, and still, I go over every last thing that goes with me, over and over again. I just love the process. My niece Kylie, my brother¢s second daughter and an avid hiker herself, will be joining me for this jaunt through the forests of Pennsylvania. I've never done anything more than a day hike with family; Jack is not into sleeping on hard surfaces and pooping in the woods. I wish he were, but he¢s not.I don¢t enjoy the logistics of section hiking. Moving cars and CARRYING keys is a pain in the butt, but I¢ll happily do it to be hiking again. I can¢t wait to get on the road. Stay tuned for daily updates from Journey¢¦.back on the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2013-07-27
From: Beaver Falls, PA

To: Caledonia State Park
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I was up and moving by 5;45 this morning, caring for the animals and loading the car for my 3.5 hour ride to Caledonia State Park. I had a nice ride that went faster than expected and my mind wandered to the trail as I drove.I thought about the many happy times I had spent with Beerdra and Grits early on, and was excited to see Grits again. Kylie's and my hike was starting right where Grits had gotten off 10 days earlier with the flu. He needed to regain his trail legs, and I had no trail legs after having been off the trail for 3 months, so we were perfectly matched. Kylie however had been training with weight in her pack, so I expect her to impress us all.I arrived at the park around lunchtime and quickly set up my tent, as the skies were threatening to unload on me....and awaited the arrival of my niece Kylie. We've talked gear plenty of times, but have never hiked together or even spent long periods of time together, so I'm really looking forward to our time together in the woods.Before long, Kylie arrived and we spent the next few hours going through gear and food, decding what to take, what to eat, and what to wear. When the rain began to fall, we hit the car, drove into Chambersburg, and found the Enterprise office from where we would be collecting Grits when he arrived in a few hours. Then, we went to dinner and I stuffed myself with my favorite comfort food from the Flamingo, the same restaurant where Beerdra and I had eaten when I collected her several weeks earlier. I never tire of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy.Next stop was Dunkin Donuts so I could charge my cell phone while we waited for the call from Grits.Within a half hour, we got the call and met Grits at the local Popeye's to visit while he ate his dinner. Like most thru-hikers, he's so skinny now, hardened by so many trail miles and happy and at home in the woods. I'm envious that in a few days, I drive home and he gets to keep hiking north.Back at the campground, we talked more gear and food, then retired for the night around 9 PM. It feels so good to be laying in my tent again, writing a daily journal and thinking about what tomorrow may bring on the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2013-07-28
From: Old Forge Picnic Area

To: Caledonia State Park
Miles today: 11.1

I hardly slept at all last night. The three cups of tea I had at the restaurant and then Dunkin Donuts were not the decaffeinated tea bags that I am used to drinking at home. The last time I checked the time, it was 11:17 PM. Then I was awake at 1:15, 3:30, and 5:30. The night dragged on and on and on.At 6:30 AM I was up for good. We decided on a big breakfast in town before taking one of the cars to the Old Forge Picnic Area, 10 miles away, where our hike would begin. Breakfast was had at the Flamingo, a townie restaurant in Fayetteville. It was the same place that Beerdra and I ate several times when I had picked her up several weeks ago. After we took my Mini down back roads and a gravel Forest Service Road to the place were we were going to leave it for the day, we headed north on the Appalachian Trail. It was about 60 degrees and overcast with a chance of rain, and rain it did....for all of 60 seconds and then behaved itself for the remainder of the day, with the sun coming out for the last hour or so of our hike.It felt great to be back on the trail, with good company, and the miles flew by. At about mile 8, right before we stopped for lunch, we started to feel the effects of being off trail for a while. Lunch was taken by the side of the trail in a jumble of rocks, the perfect place for sitting.We arrived back at the campground at 3:30 PM, gathered the Mini from her parking spot for the day, took showers, and went to town for dinner and ice cream....which we all felt we deserved after doing so well on our first day. One of the perks of section hiking is having a car in which to drive to restaurants and run errands. Back at the campground, after organizing food for the rest of the week, we hit the tents and Grits hit his hammock. I'm tired and a little sore, but 3 ibuprofen and a Benadryl will take care of that. It was a good day and I've a smile on my face. Sleep should come easily to me tonight.
Date: 2013-07-29
From: Caledonia State Park

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: clear sky

Day two began unceremoniously after a glorious 7.5 hour dead sleep....and boy did I need that.Kylie and I were up and packing at 6 AM, and driving to Boiling Springs before 7. The cars would be sitting out the remainder of our hike in a parking area in Boiling Springs.We had an uneventful, almost 50 mile ride, then were picked up by our shuttler and taken back to Caledonia State Park to an awaiting Grits. We all hiked out together at 9:30 AM.It was a magnificent day for hiking, sunny and cool in the morning with a slight breeze all day.Our first stop was the amazing Quarry Gap Shelter, a lovingly cared for, clean shelter with hanging flower pots, a picnic table nd 2 separate shelters for sleeping. We ate an early lunch and chatted with an older hiker that had thru-hiked in 1995.Off again, the afternoon went quickly, a few ups, a few downs, and some babbling brooks kept us entertained as we hiked. I'm having some shin splint issues from starting out too fast yesterday. I should have known better, but the first day on the trail is always a joy, and I paid little attention to that yesterday. I also have a callous on the outside of my big toe (a gift from my 2003 hike) that is giving me trouble, so I made a custom callous cushion and taped my toe, which helped. My ankle however is 100%!We reached Birch Run Shelter, our destination for the night at 3:30 PM. Honestly, I could have put up my tent and crawled inside at that very moment. I was BEAT. But instead I enjoyed the good company of Grits and Kylie, made a dinner of chicken salad and cheddar on a tortilla, and marveled at the way this shelter has changed since I stayed here 10 years before. In 2003 the shelter had just been built and the area looked like a construction site; spare wood and things laid about and there was lots of muds. Now, it is peaceful and serene, with a lovely grassy area in front of the shelter and beautiful tent sites tucked here and there under the trees.As happens often, I remembered who I was with at this shelter and where I slept during my '03 hike. Scubaman, Andrea and Jimmy joined us that night and I remember sitting around the picnic table with them and others, sharing stories and killing time before bed. The memories resurface easily, both good and bad, and I let them float....then out.I was going to sleep in the shelter, but opted for my tent as the temps were dropping. At 7 PM I climbed into my tent and after an hour of journaling, fell quickly to sleep.
Date: 2013-07-30
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 9.5

I made the right decision to sleep in the tent last night and was happy I did. I've been sleeping in both my and Kylie's fleece liners for the past 2 nights as I had given my sleeping bag to Kylie who had frozen on the first night. We both brought fleece liners to sleep in (it was July after all), but I had also thrown my sleeping bag in the car...just in case.After journaling last night, I had fallen asleep at 8 PM with one of the fleeces over me. I awakened around one and added the second fleece and a long sleeved shirt, and fell back to sleep. At 3 AM I added pants and at 4 AM, I pulled out my emergency bag, pulling it up over my 2 fleeces, and fell back to sleep. I slept soundly, toasty warm until getting up for good at 6 AM. After almost 10 hours of sleep behind me, I was more than ready to hike.Kylie and I left around 7 and Grits 20 minutes later. Our goal was to make it to the General Store in Pine Grove Furnace State Park for lunch. Nothing motivates a hiker like the thought of a burger and fries, so as our feet flew down the trail, I thought about food and a cold drink.We celebrated Grit's arrival at the halfway point, surly one of the last if not THE last thru-hiker of the season. He was just back from 10 days off the trail with the flu, and was still feeling a little weak. he was thrilled to be at the halfway point, but lamenting the fact that he has so far to go and not much time in which to do it.We arrived at the park around noon, ate our burgers and fries....and ice cream...and cookies, and secured our spaces at the Ironmaster's Hostel. Then we walked down to see the fairly new Appalachian trail Museum, which I had visited last summer when I went to Bluebird's 60th birthday party at the park. I really appreciate the work that's has gone into the building and the wonderful collection of AT history!At 5 PM we were able to get into the hostel and took showers, ate dinner and I hit the sheets at 8 PM to journal. After an hour, I was having trouble keeping my eyes open, so closed down my Kindle and will finish this journal tomorrow. It was another beautiful day on the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2013-07-31
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Deer Run Campground
Miles today: 11.1

When I went downstairs at 6:30 AM, our temporary caretaker Holly already had coffee ready and hot. By 7 we were eating waffles and drinking orange juice. By 8 we were out front saying our goodbyes and taking pictures and by 8:15 we were on the trail and heading north.Our mileage for the day was 11.1 easy, mostly flat miles. We took a nice, long snack break at one point and listened to the Beatles Abbey Road music on my iPhone. Lunch was taken at the Green Mountain Deli, a short .2 miles off trail, but uphill. Heavy rain is expected for the night, and we were .4 from Deer Run Campground and the promise of a bathroom and dry night, so off we went down the gravel road. We rented an inexpensive, cute little cabin that sits within several feet of two large RVs. We have no complaints as it has a TV, fridge, and running water.Grits and I explained to Kylie that this week-long hike has NOT been representative of a typical thru-hike. We have been out 4 days and only put our tens up twice. We've had showers 3 of the 4 days and eaten in numerous restaurants and hostels. Don't get me wrong.....I'm enjoying every minute of it!Today was a milestone in Kylie's hiking career; she got her trail name. For Kylie's entire life, she has collected and saved pamphlets for State Parks, national monument sites, etc. At the Ironmaster's Hostel, she sat on the floor of the front porch and poured over the pamphlets available there. Same with her pamphlets from the Appalachian Trail Museum. So today, after discussion, Grits and I named her Trifold, for the many pamphlets she had collected and carried on this hike. It suits her well and she happily accepted the name.It was a good, good day.