morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2023-04-08
From: Spitler Knoll

To: Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

It was 29 degrees when we woke up at the campground this morning!! Thanks to our little heater the temperature in the tent was about 55. We moved the heater into the canopy tent (our "dining room') and made bacon and eggs for breakfast. Then we packed up and got out of Dodge. Down the mountain we drove. It's a little warmer here in town, but not a lot. We had dinner at our favorite little mom and pop diner, and then moved back into our favorite little mom and pop motel. Same room, even!  With the heater cranked up to high, Murder, She Wrote on the tv, and a large, soft, clean bed, life is good. Good night!
Date: 2023-04-09
From: Spitler Knoll

To: Big Meadows campground
Miles today: 3.1
Weather: broken clouds

it's Sunday. He is risen! Happy Easter!It's early Sunday morning but knowing I'll likely not have phone service later I thought I'd go ahead and write today's entry in advance. We're in Front Royal, we'll be going to mass shortly. Then probably eat lunch and head back up the mountain, the plan is to hike the short 2.5 mile to the campground for a short day.  The time is rapidly approaching when Mike will go home and I'll be alone, hiking like a real hiker. I'll be honest, I'm low-key freaking out about it. I don't feel ready. My mileage is not where it should be, I'm not used to the heavy pack and I'm developing a real phobia about ledges. I don't think I can handle cold nights or hot days. My brain is telling me I can't do this.  But I know that I can. I've done it before. I just need a plan. So here it is: I do have a few days before he leaves. I need to stretch my miles, increase my pack weight, and confront my blossoming fear of ledges. And of course pray for God's help, which I do every day. These are all reasonable steps that I can achieve. The problem with ledges is all mental, not physical. Of course I can walk on ledges, I've done it many times.  How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you hike the AT? One step at a time. It's just walking. I've been doing it for almost 64 years! I can do it.Have a blessed and holy Easter Day!  Came back later to add:What a great day it was today! We went to a beautiful Easter mass at John the Baptist Catholic Church in Front Royal-the same church we attended last week on Palm Sunday. Then we had a lovely pasta dinner and went back up the mountain. I walked 3.1 miles from Spitler Knoll back to the campground. It never really warmed up while I was walking in spite of the bright sunshine. As night fell the temperature tell with it and got really cold. With the heater it was ok in our tent and we played cards until bedtim.
Date: 2023-04-10
From: Bearfence Mountajn

To: Big Meadows campground
Miles today: 7.2

It was super cold last night! The temperature was 31 degrees when we woke up this morning. It was terribly cold in our tent even with the heater until--lo and behold!--we realized that the heater had a "high" setting that we hadn't been using! Et voila--the tent became bearable for the rest of the night. I feel really bad for all the other tent campers in this campground. I know I was extolling the virtues of tent camping, but the weather has to be appropriate for it, and this just isn't. Brrr! We moved the heater from the sleeping tent to the canopy tent for hot chocolate and cereal before I started my hike for the day.  In other news--Mike is going home on Wednesday! This means I only have two more days of slackpacking, then I'll be going solo with a full pack. I hope the weather warms up! Stay tuned for more info on this as we discuss the best way to do it.It was an easyish trail today. A couple of tough uphill climbs but nothing scary. Beautiful scenery, as usual. For the first time I noticed a few dandelions along the trail, which I loved. The spot of color was really welcome and they give me hope that spring is coming! There are no leaves at all, so the trail is still full sun. I walked through a small area of evergreen trees, which was also great because they provided shade, a great smell, and a soft trail underfoot, courtesy of pine needles. II was really tired when I stumbled into camp at the end of the day! I think I've identified the three biggest problems, the potential threats to my hike. 1. Ledgephobia, which I've discussed. 2. Cold. If it doesn't warm up, that's a big problem. Maybe I started too early. I can barely function with a heater in my tent and layers and layers of clothes. I won't have all those things after Mike leaves! But 3 is the biggie: Stamina. After five or six hours of hard hiking, I'm just done. The only way to increase stamina is to keep working at it. So, I will!And finally, while I was hiking today Mike went to the big boulder field that scared me to death and walked it. Of course, he said it was no big deal, he never had to get on his hands and knees, etc. Well. I don't know what to say about that!
Date: 2023-04-11
From: Bearfence Mountain

To: South River Picnic Area
Miles today: 7.1

Another cold night, although perhaps just a bit warmer. It was 41 degrees when we got up this morning.  We've formulated our plan for me to continue hiking after Mike leaves. After my hike today we packed up and left Big Meadows campground, which we loved and enjoyed very much, in spite of the cold. This is really a good campground. We drove south through Virginia and I'm going to continue my hike from the southern point of my Virginia gap, instead of continuing to come at it from the north end. There are a few good reasons to make this change. Hopefully it will be a little warmer further south. Hopefully there will be more leaves on the trees to spare me from the sun. Hopefully there will be more hikers on the trail to keep me from camping alone at night. And, a big one, it will be easier for Mike to come get me when I finish, being a couple hundred miles closer to home. So I'll be starting tomorrow hiking toward Pearisburg, where I got off in spring 2021.  Injury update: Surprisingly few! All hikers are nursing a few injuries, but so far so good for me. My three tick bites are red and swollen and itchy, but less itchy than they were a few days ago, and no bulls eye rash, so I assume they're fine. The sunburn on my neck, face and ears is improving thanks to daily aloe gel and generous sunblock application. I have a new pain in my right knee but it's just twingey, not constant, and shows up usually when I try to speed up and walk too fast. That knee has also buckled and given out under me a few times, but not bad. No blisters, soreness, muscle pain, etc !Today's hike was hard (the stamina issue) but lovely. I climbed a mountain called Baldface Mt, and the ascent was hard but not terrible. These Virginia mountains aren't nearly as tall as the mountains I climbed in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee, which were four, five, and even six thousand feet high. These mountains are all around three thousand, but I'm not as young as I was then, and they seem just as hard.  I'm actually looking forward to leaving the park, much as I love it, and the dayhikers and tourists. It's just a different vibe when everyone you see on the trail is an AT hiker. A little nervous about continuing on alone. Wish me luck!
Date: 2023-04-14
From: Pearisburg

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The rain started during the night, and has rained all morning, hard at times, light at others. No wind yet, but I imagine it could be bad up on the trail. Weather is always better in town than up on the mountain. Not much to do here in my little room. The motel has laundry facilities, so I washed my few clothes. Had another nice shower. I have plenty of food from the Food Lion trip yesterday, so I'm eating well. Watching tv, reading, sleeping, etc.  Planning for tomorrow and Sunday. Forecast still say tomorrow looks ok, Sunday still looks stormy. I might schedule a slackpack for tomorrow to get some miles in, and return to town for whatever weather Sunday might bring. St. Mike might come up in the middle of the week and hike with me for a couple of days! That would be awesome!
Date: 2023-04-15
From: Pearisburg

To: Pearisburg 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Ugh. I wrote yesterday's entry in the middle of the day. Shortly afterwards I was hit by a cavalcade of symptoms including but not limited to: explosive vomiting and diarrhea (which involved extensive cleanup of the crummy motel room), fever, headache, backache, and everything-ache. Nothing is staying down. I don't know the source, there's a few possibilities, but it doesn't really matter. Eagle Wings has a milder set of the symptoms. Could be something we both encountered at the shelter, or the pizza we shared when we got to town. Or something else. Between bathroom visits (sorry for the thought) I'm trying to figure out how to get home. I got another night here at Chez Crummy Motel to hopefully recuperate a bit and arrange transportation tomorrow. I could stay and wait it out and maybe get back on trail in a day or two. That may be the smart thing to do, but I don't feel very smart right now. I feel....ugh. Excuse me!
Date: 2012-12-18
To: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

The first leg of the trip from Key West to Halifax Nova Scotia is 700 miles by sea kayak.   We put kayaks in the water at St. Marks, Florida and travel south along the Gulf Coast to Key West. The full trek is at hikepaddle.blogspot.com.       Kayaking segment: http://hikepaddle.blogspot.com/search/label/Paddling%20in%20FloridaThe second leg of the trip is the 350 mile Florida Georgia Connector to the Appalachian Trail. Starting at St. Marks Florida, Rod road walks northward in a straight line to Amicolala Falls. The third segment is the Appalachian Trail.The last segment connects Mt. Katahdin and Halifax via the IAT and the Trans-Canada Trail.
Date: 2013-03-02
To: So what is Phase two?
Miles today: 0.0

The adventure has always been about getting from Key West to Halifax. The initial kayaking phase is now done, so it is time to figure out the hiking phase.While planning the kayaking portion, we decided to go slowly and start the hike at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail, leaving a gap from St Marks to Springer Mountain. I agreed to forego having an unbroken path from Key West to Halifax in order for us to go slower and enjoy the kayaking more.But now I want to connect all of the footsteps anyway, even though I am short about a month.Maybe instead of basing the route on the Florida Trail annd Pinhoti Trail, I can make up a shorter route, and then make up time on the Appalachian Trail. Wishful thinking?Planning the hike really is just about determining the route and getting in shape. I have the skills and will reuse the same gear and food plan as on previous long hikes. The prep for the Appalachian Trail segment is much simpler than for the Continental Divide Trail, and yes I do have my raingear.I started walking today, with a brisk 7.5 mile flat stroll with no pack. My legs are protesting that it is unfair to be locked up in a boat for ten weeks and then have to hike. Too bad legs. We're doing this. At least as soon as I figure out the route.
Date: 2013-03-12
To: The Hike Begins
Miles today: 0.0

Back to the beginning. Back to St. Marks. The hiking segment began with the Historic Railway Trail, which claims to be the first rails-to-trails in the country. Perhaps that is fitting because the railway itself was also the first time Congress granted the company adjacent land to encourage development.The hike begins very easily. Just follow the paved trail all the way to Tallahassee. No navigating, no hills. Water and restrooms every few miles.The second day is just a busy roadwalk through Tallahassee, but the third day gets out into Oak and pine forests. "Canopy Road" proclaims the sign, as massive Oaks from each side cross over and intertwine. The old gray branches are covered with small ferns and draped in Spanish Moss. An owl peeks through an opening. Some chestnuts also make their stance.Other forest is pine. Slender new growth reaches straight for the sky in neat even rows. A woodpecker is banging holes hoping for an afternoon snack of grubs.I laugh as I constantly note the wind speed and direction. I'm hiking into a 15 mph head wind and it doesn't matter!
Date: 2013-03-14
To: Listening
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I tell myself I'll start slow and let the body condition itself, strengthening muscles, stretching ligaments, and building callouses. Maybe a couple of days with 5-8 miles, then some tens, then fifteens, on the way to twenties. After all, the legs have been locked in a box for a couple of months, and constant wetness leaves my feet with as much callous as a baby's behind. But I don't listen very well.Fortunately the first hiking day is limited by a slow start for chores, and an early stop to buy Captain Mike a beer as a thank you for storing our car.Day one is 12 miles, day two is 16 miles, day three is 17. I already feel sore soles, sore muscles, sore hips from the belt, sore shins, and sore arches. The first three are a necessary part of conditioning. But the later two can develop into shin splints or plantar fasciitis. I know because I didn't listen very well on my other hikes, and I did more conditioning for each of those, especially the Continental Divide Trail.I'll listen tomorrow. Promise.
Date: 2013-03-16
To: Lying alongside the road
Miles today: 0.0

I'm horizontal. The left foot has been screaming "no mas" for an hour and finally toppled me.For two days, I have been on and off roads with no shoulders. Traffic dictates that I hike in the weeds on the left side, which slopes sideways. Knees, ankles and feet aren't made for constant walking on a side slope.I walk with one elastic bandage on the left knee and another on the right ankle. The left foot has no bandage and hurts across the top of the forefoot.I'm lying alongside the road. Sometimes a goal is so overwhelming that you have to just focus on one day at a time. This is the opposite. The big vision of getting from Key West to Halifax pulls me through tough days like today. I rest and then log a few more miles. The past couple of nights I iced the knee and ankle. Tonight I add the foot.I crossed the 100 mile hiking mark today. That sounds odd. I am still just seven days into conditioning, barely started. I hope to be in good condition in another 250 miles when I'll be on the Appalachian Trail. But I am a hundred miles closer to the next beginning.
Date: 2013-03-23
To: Conditioning on the connector
Miles today: 0.0

It's more challenging getting the body ready this time. There are more aches that matter. The sore muscles and tender foot soles are not a problem; but ankles, shins and knees; tendons and ligaments? I rotate the two elastic bandages where most needed, usually the right ankle and either the left knee or shin. In the evening comes the ice, compression and elevation.I am not sure what that means, but I am nine years older than when I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail at age 50.Even then I noticed that hikers aged 60 and up faced more physical challenges and quite low completion rates. Long distance hiking drops off rapidly with age - 13,000 people have completed the Appalachian Trail, but only 11 were 70 or older. I've often said that completing a hike requires some good luck. You can't control snows, fires or other external forces and you can only do your best to minimize injuries and illness. You work hard and must be tenacious to put yourself in a position to hike the whole thing, but then you also need some good luck. Ultimately if you have done everything humanely possible, then you declare success wherever you stop. That was easier to say when I was pretty confident I could finish. I'm less philosophical now. I want to complete all 4,000 miles.The 350 mile connector from the Gulf to the Appalachian Trail should be a great conditioning hike. But the roads are killing me. The biggest issue is that they are crowned for rain, so only the center is flat. The shoulders slope away from the road, and my body just cannot take mile after mile of a sideways slope.I'm halfway through the connector. I am not sure if it is helping my body get ready, or creating long-term issues.
Date: 2013-03-28
To: Southern Christian compassion
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

The body is responding. I've been averaging 20 miles a day for the past week, and no more ice packs. Part of any trip like this is meeting people. I know so little about the South. We seek out the storytellers in the little towns, visit museums and shops, and chat by the roadside. But we are outsiders struggling to read the tapestry, when we can only glimpse a few threads.I stop in a parking lot to rest my feet, and a woman drives up. "God told me I should buy you a meal." I start to mutter that I am not homeless, and then remember a lesson my friend Loren taught me. Sometimes it is best to just graciously accept the kindness offered by others.Another time I am lying by the roadside to rest the feet and a passing motorist calls 911 to report an old man passed out on the roadside. Geez, do I look that pathetic? No, I think I am just experiencing good Southern Christian compassion.
Date: 2013-04-03
To: 1000 Miles
Miles today: 0.0

I am crossing 1000 miles right now. That should be pretty exciting. I've been counting down the miles for a few days. But I'm not feeling much. It's just an arbitrary number as I walk past country clubs on a busy four lane boulevard. Connecting the footsteps between kayaking and the Appalachian Trail is important to me, but I never expected much of it. It connects, and got me in hiking condition, which is all I asked. I am in shape and just 50 miles from the AT.The memorable moments were the stops along the way. Seeing an oldtimer's eyes light up as he talked about growing up with Jackie Robinson. Hearing stories at small town shops, cafes, and city halls. Feeling images at the Civil Rights museum in Albany GA pierce my heart while also inspiring me. Hearing the origin story of Habitat for Humanity and recognizing the different building styles and they have adapted to around the world. Listening to Jimmy Carter teach Sunday school in Plains GA on Palm Sunday, a humble man guided by his faith giving some of clearest interpretations I have heard of familiar scriptures. Devouring a sumptuous sweet potato pie. Seeing the laser light show at Stone Mountain, and getting a glimpse of a proud Southern heritage. Exploring the Carter Center and marvelling that a couple can do so much to benefit so many people, including the likely eradication of the wretched guinea worm disease. Experiencing the Martin Luther King center, reading every word, watching every video, studying every photo. Sitting in MLK's Ebenezer Baptist Church on Easter Sunday. Absorbing. Learning.That's what the connector hike has been about. And the number 1000 doesn't mean much in comparison.
Date: 2013-04-06
From: Amicolala Falls

To: Horse Gap
Miles today: 19.3

I Feel Good.The cold wet weather passed and today was excellent for hiking.In areas of complete silence, with views out to unbroken hills, I hike alone and remember what it is to feel alive. I skip past hikers and families, preferring the solitude even on this busy trail. Some ask how far I plan to hike and I tell them, but I don't engage in conversation. Many are taking breaks but I choose not to join.  For now at least I am glad to be back on the trail. More social time may come later. I am unsure how many daily miles to plan for.  Most veteran hikers caution that miles are harder on the AT than on the other trails.The Amicalola approach trail begins with 604 stairs and just keeps climbing.  Most hikers just make 6-8 miles the first few days; the longest I heard of was 12. Most looked well prepared, though sadly a few packs were enormous. I am very fortunate to have had the conditioning hike. Day one is 19.3 miles; I'm sore and tired but that is a very good start.
Date: 2013-04-07
From: Horse Gap

To: Neel Gap
Miles today: 21.2

Barren Mountains: Neel GapSpring has not yet come to the trail.Just two days ago we were surrounded by cherry blossoms and daffodils in Gibbs Garden. Just a week further south azaleas as tall as me were clothed in red, flowering trees were in pink and white, and the red maple flowers flowed with nectar for the honeybees.But here the trees are bare, even looking dead. A few small green hollies and pines break the feel. But the thick mat of oak leaves underfoot foreshadows what lies ahead, and a few tiny wildflowers poke through.Near mountains look sharp and barren. Behind those the next soften and take a hint of blue. Row after row as far as I can see the mountains keep going, becoming smokier in the far haze. There are no signs of humans except the trail I walk on. The mountains are not tall, but the trail is steep, more so than on the other long trails. Blisters form on my toes during the downhills. My appetite is in full swing now and I eat ravenously.Trail Angels at road crossings have food and I supplement with cookies and bananas but I still break into my extra food and have two lunches. The machine is working hard and I just keep stoking the fire for 21.2 miles.
Date: 2013-04-08
From: Neel Gap

To: Rocky Mountain
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The Rest StepToday was a milestone day - the first day that I didn't have an elastic bandage on. No wrapped knees, shins or ankles. Other than a few taped up blisters I'm pretty good. I'm doing great on the gentle sections. But it turns out there are steep parts too. For ascents there is a really cool technique called a Rest Step. When you step forward you quickly get completely over your foot and straighten it. It gets to rest while the next leg steps forward. Works great at least on moderate slopes.But my muscles are conditioned for flat land. In southern Georgia a big hill was 50 feet high. I step up on steeper slopes and the thigh muscles strain to lift me up. Instead of chiseled legs, I have the muscle definition of a Bassett Hound. Apparently the maximus gluteus is also supposed to join in, but my Buns of Butter abstain.I push hard and the thigh lifts me. I take another step and the heat singes the hair off leg. I let up before I melt my nylon hiking shorts.I have invented a new step, the Resting Shuffle. First you hunch way forward so that your face looks straight down. Then you lean onto your hiking poles and shuffle one foot forward. The Rest comes from putting your entire weight onto the poles, at least until they collapse. I imagine the conversation when the first hiker sees my new step. "Does your family know you are out here? Should I call someone?" If I tell them I hiked 22 miles today, "Yikes dementia too! He's even older than he looks." So far the Resting Shuffle is my little secret.
Date: 2013-04-09
From: Rocky Mountain

To: Rich Cove Gap
Miles today: 22.5
Weather: clear sky

Miles and Bears: Rich Cove GapBear bags have become a challenge. The Forest Service closed the section below Neel Gap due to a bear that knows how to get the bags down. But last night a hiker above Neels Gap had his bag yanked down, as did a weekend hiker and his son the night before. It looks like this smart bear just shifted north to continue marauding. I hear that another bear near Bly Gap knocks down bags too.I had trouble with my bear bag tonight. The rope is just a bit too short to hang easily alone. Tomorrow I get a longer rope. For the past several days I have been hiking just about as hard as I can. Today was 22.5 miles, most of it climbing or descending. For this type of trail and number of hours of daylight, that is about as good as it is going to get. The other challenge for keeping a strong pace is the rocky footing, especially downhill. Yesterday I fell once, rolled an ankle twice, and bent a knee backward. That's when I was going very slowly. Is the pace I kept on the other hikes unrealistic here?