morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-09-19
From: NJ at Sherry's

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Catcing the bus at port authority at 7:00 tomorrow. I am really sick of buses but I can't find anything to beat the 49.00 price. I arrive in Charlottsville at 4:05 p.m. Shoe will pick me up and we will get a room in Beuna Vista. And then I start hiking Tuesday. I am ready to hike again. The kitchen is as done as we can get it so I am off. Until I get to a computer....see ya later. Thanks for all the support everyone.K
Date: 2004-09-25
From: Waynesboro

To: View Entry
Miles today: 56.0

wELL, HERE i AM in Waynesboro. I am only alotted 30 minutes so this is just to say I am still alive. I have written in my journal but not enough time to copy it all here. Heading for Shenendoah National park finally. 431.6 miles until Delaware water gap and then I will call it a year. I will finish next year. Maybe a tad dissapointed but not really. I am still having a blast. The people are great, the weather is fabulous, scenery outstanding. Sweet tea is down here. What more could a girl ask for??? Oh, and no snakes! Life is still good. I am finding that hotflashes help when I am cold! And where my left arm pit is numb from the mastectomy last year....well, it helps dry wet socks and I can't feel the cold. Can you beat that???? I didn't think so! Shoe and Betty picked me up this morning at Rockfish Gap. Got a hotel room and washed my clothes and now my belly is starting to yell. So, until I get some real time at a computer this will have to do!Stacey, don't make me come back there and take care of John for you! And Dan Cramer, Harriette read me your letter. I havn't gotten any emails from you. Try this address....me31461@aol.com.....anyone else wants to write to me go a head but you all know how slow I am at responding. And Happy hikers....you guys were great but I should have listened to the advice one of you gave me about the Mar-har trail. The water falls was great but boy it was steep steep steep and not very well maintained. A nice little adventure though.Later
Date: 2004-10-01
From: A campground along Skyline Drive

To: Shenandoah Mountains
Miles today: 0.0

From the Editor in OhioLarry is meeting Karen today on Skyline Drive at Lewis Campground. They will hike together as long as Larry can keep up (just kidding Larry). Just spoke with Sparepocket and she is 13 miles south of Big Meadows, enjoying the cooler weather. She is almost half way thru the Shenandoah State Park.Harriette
Date: 2004-10-10
From: Shenandoah Mountains

To: Bear's Den hostel
Miles today: 100.6
Weather: clear sky

Let's see. I was just entering Shenendoah National park when I last wrote here. Let's see if I can recap since then. I met a great lady in the park who offered me a place to stay but I couldnt find her number. Mrs. Gilrain....if you're out there.....thanks so much for the offer. I walked 13 miles in hurricane Jeanne. Dumb, dumb, dumb! I don't know what I was thinking but it was DUMB! I have never seen rain do the tricks I saw it do that day. The park was pretty easy. A bunny walk as "trampin Grannie" says. Larry and I saw three bears. He drove me nuts by the way....but I drove him nuts too! The weather has been perfect since the hurricane. Nice and cool. I am still warm at night....so far so good. I did the roller coaster today. 15 miles of rediculous ups and downs and lots of rocks. Tomorrow is the devils race course. Sounds like fun, doesn't it???? Harpers Ferry West va tomorrow too. I will finally be donw with the 560 something miles in VA. Wooohooooo! And then 41 miles in Maryland and finally the rocks of PA. I have met some great peop[le out here.....Pooh and her Mom...G.G. (great grandma). Trampin Granny and bigfoot and newbie. The injured trio. Wait till you see those pictures. Grannie has a bone sticking up in her wrist and a black eye and newbie has a sprained ankle. Met lots of great southbounders that I had passed up north. That was fun too. Pictures to follow. A great BBQ place. The kind of place that sells BBQ and bait and the cook has no teeth and the best food and company I have had in a long time. And I carried out a full rack of ribs for dinner that night. Mmmmmm.....best backpacking dinner ever! Less than 300 miles to go until Delaware water gap. I am kindof glad I will not be finished this year. I really love taking my time and will love the planning this winter for my big finish next year. I am still having fun. Because what's the point of torturing yourself????p.s. Happy birthday Dad!
Date: 2005-09-17
From: Harpers Ferry

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

well, on Monday I will be in Harpers Ferry. I am a section hiker now. I am scared to be back on the trail...it's just been a long time and I am out of shape and I am wondering about the water in Maryland and PA. My life is in transitions ALL over the place so I think the trail will be a good place for me. I suppose I should make a new journal for 2005 but I don't really see where to do it and I am afraid that some friends of mine back in Ohio will be unable to find it.I am at my sisters until Monday when she takes me to Penn station in NYC for my train ride. The last time I was on a train was when I was maybe 8. I am doing pocketmail again but I am unsure how often it will be updated. I will do my best. What else can I do?Sparepocket
Date: 2005-09-20
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Ed Garvey Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Ok, I had trouble sleeping last night....onht..."how lucky am I?" Pretty lucky....I am not in a steelmill breathing allof that dust and god knows what else....not at work at all....on my own schedule...no one to answer to...headed out into the woods. Life is pretty good. I got up early, kept trying to get back to sleep but couldn't do it. I was walking down washington st at 7:00. nice and quiet. I walked across the Potomac river and walked the c and o canal for...hmmmm, I think2.6 miles but don't quote me on it. I saw 5 deer in a side creek leading into the river and two of them were going to the bathroom and than immediately drinking. That can't be good for them can it? They must be succeptable to Giardia and e-coli just like us. I know dogs can get giardia so why not deer? After the canal I started up...not a bad up but it's been almost a year away from hiking so it was not pleasant. I made it to Weaveron cliffs and a local guy was there and gave me a great history lesson about John Brown and Lee and McClelland and the battle of Antitam. Really interesting stuff. I wish I could remember it! The trail smoothed out after that. Met D-man....a section hiker from Boston and another kid out for two weeks. Both had good trail info. I got to the shelter around 11:30. It is too early to stay but....I am sure I can make it another 4 miles to the shelter but it is my first day back and I feel good. My heel has hurt most of the day but not nearly as bad as when I was on the concrete at work. So, I decided to stay here and take care of my foot and relax and let my legs and feet get used to this hiking thing. No blisters by the way! Another local guy was at the shelter and for some reason we talked about pipefitting.....him and me. It was fun talking to him and reminded me that I wasn't at work. Woohoo! The water here is a gruesome and steep .4 miles down and then back up but some nice soul had left a gallon jug and I still had a liter left. So someone saved me a hike down. I can't say thankyou enough! Now to chores and some food and then some reading. And as stumpknocker always says...another great day on the trail. sparepocket
Date: 2005-09-21
From: Ed Garvey Shelter

To: Washington Monument so far
Miles today: 0.0

Another beautiful day. Which means no rain....the news has said that this is the driest September on record for Maryland. I have been fine with water so far. I am sore, but doing ok. Better than I thought actually. My heal is doing much better and I think all the walking is doing it good. Concrete and trail is so diferent. a half hour on concrete and I am in horrible, can't walk pain. Haven't seen a soul yet and it's almost eleven. I have been listening to TV on the radio...everything makes me cry...lol...the good stories the bad stories....the commercials! Honestly, I hear that sappy music for a coffee ad and I am a blubbering idiot. This is starting to get funny to me. So funny I start crying again! lol Off for some water and back on the trail. a great day on the trail despite the tears.
Date: 2005-09-22
From: Washington Monument so far

To: Annapolis rocks too...
Miles today: 9.1

It was a good day. I am feeling sick, but I think it's from just not eating right. My hiking is actually going better than planned... my feet and legs are feeling great... minor aches and pains but no major complaints. I have been forcing myself to eat... and I know I am still not eating enough. Drinking is no problem... I am drinking lots and lots. This morning I forced down some carnation instant breakfast with stale cereal in it. Bleck! But that was better than dinner last night. Think back a year and a half ago....going through chemo...sitting behind a card table with no hair making my meals up for the trail. Some noodles... and there, a big bag of dehydrated onions. Now, I like onions, so the more the better -- but I will never eat dehydrated onions again. I am gagging just thinking about it, but I didn't want to waste the water or the energy so I gulped down every bite. Bleck, bleck and bleck! I am ready for my appetite to come back, but I hope I have better food when it does!It may be a shorter day today because the way water and camping is situated I will need to make some decisions. The next shelter is too close but the next shelter doesn't have water. It will all get worked out by the end of the day. Thanks goes out to Wild Hare for transcribing for me. Thanks so much! [transcribbler's note: aaww shucks, you're welcome ]
Date: 2005-09-24
From: Ravens rocks

To: Penmar park
Miles today: 6.7

Gloomy chilly day. Started out hard and ended hard. I saw maybe two people the day before and not many today either. I was kindof miserable and then I hit all the rocks. I don't think they would ahve been bad except my heel started screaming. Every step felt liek a hot poker was being jammed into my heel. Even when I wasn't on the rocks it felt like that. Besides not wanting to damage my foot I was jsut miserable. I STILL had snakes on my brain and every step was painful And with every step I kept thinking..."why am I doing this?". "In what world do I live in that I think I am having fun?". well, the answer was I wasn't having any fun. The snakes, the heel and the being alone was not fun at all. So, I decided to hang it up. I don't see the point in hiking and being miserable. So, at Pen Mar I called a cab and went to a motel in Waynesboro. After two days of convalescing and feeling like like crap....I feel a little better today and wondered why I stopped. It's weird...I wasn't happy hiking but I'm not happy NOT hiking either. I think I really need to hike with other people. And I don't have to hike every second with them but at the end of the day it's really nice to have someone to share stories with and build a fire with and commiserate with. Plus I feel safer with someone else. I don't have to worry about hiking near roads and they can scare the snakes off the trail. So, I am sad I am done so quickly but glad I am too. Any slow hikers out there want someone to hike with?Until next timesparepocket
Date: 2004-01-15
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hi everybody, James and Lawanna here. We're writing this journal so our friends and family can stay up to date on our progress. We've been planning this hike for over a year. And it's finally starting to feel like it's actually going to happen. We have most of our equipment ready. Our bedroom is full of boxes. I'm still dehydrating fruit and trying to buy lots of food. I guess it will all come together in time. We welcome everyone to our journal and hope you enjoy what you read.                                                              L
Date: 2004-01-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

hi This ones from james. Lawanna will do most of the writing but every once and a while I get to. As to L's last entry things are going about the same, drying fruit and hunting the stores for food that does not expire before we need it. But most things are coming together. I guess that most everybody is the same as we are, that as the time to go gets closer, it seems that everything needs to be finished now, even though we still have two months. And while I'm here, we've had a couple of e-mails about the homemade equip. Well the story is that when we started to plan for the trip seriously about year ago we gathered the gear we used on our other outings, all short 2-3 days, we found that our weight for an extended trip with the possibility of winter weather at the start and at the end, was going to be in the 35lb. and up range. And after buying and trying and taking back many items, we found that one of the best ways to reduce weight and increase enjoyment and increase our chances of making the whole trip was to make several pieces of our gear. And i've gotten a lot better at sewing . Which is what I need to go do now, need more stuff sacks. So better go. JB
Date: 2004-02-09
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well we have finally gotten all of our food purchased and repackaged,and we're starting to seal all our boxes. I hope we don't find something we missed! We will be sending our journals home to our son at each mail drop and he will be posting them for us. Please say hi to him once in awhile, he's going to be a great help while we're gone. One of my coworkers started counting down the days for me and now he has me hooked,only 5 weeks 5 days! Thanks Otha!!                                                L
Date: 2004-03-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well the time is getting closer. I think we have most everything done except for one thing, taking our dog to stay with our family in Okla.,so tomorrow we head west. We will drop the dog off and say goodbye to all the family then head back home to NC. After that we'll have one more week of work and then we'll be on our way to Georgia! I can't wait!!                                       L
Date: 2004-03-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hi everyone. We're back in NC, back from dropping our dog off at my mother's in Okla. Now only have one week to go. Very little left to get ready except a few small things. So it's back to work for five more days. Small going away dinner on Friday. Load packs in rental car Friday night and off to Gainesville Saturday morning. On the trail Sunday morning. Can't wait.                               J
Date: 2004-03-19
To: last night at home
Miles today: 0.0

10:00 pmwell the rental car is in the drive. packs are packed. everything is ready to go. so tomorrow it's off to roswell ga. will stay the night with josh and leigh saint (hikers hostel) and they will drop us off at springer on sunday morning. so we're almost off. journals will now be taken care of by our son jason. since we are mailing them to him they will be about two weeks behind us. after about a year and a half of thinking about going, planning to go, getting ready to go, buying things to take, and packing everything it's an odd feeling when it's finally time to go. nothing left to do but go. so, thats what we'll do. go. wish us luck.                              JB
Date: 2004-03-20
From: last night at home

To: Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

We made it to Roswell, GA just fine, that's where we dropped off the rental car. Josh picked us up and we met his 3 other passengers. There were 2 ausies named Jon and Bill and Heidi from Texas, they had flown into the Atlanta Airport. We went to Dave's place for dinner, then to the Hostel. The hostel is new and a great place to stay. Josh and Leigh are nice people. We met a lot of other hikers there, about 6 more, I can't remember all the names. We had a nice evening getting to know everyone, then off to bed. Tomorrow begins our hike!!      L
Date: 2004-03-21
From: Springer Mtn

To: Hawk Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: clear sky

We didn't get started today until about 11:00 am. We hike up to Springer Mtn to start and then turned around and went back down. That was an extra 9/10 mile. The hiking was tough but not terrible. We got to the shelter about 4:30. The wind blew horrible all night and it got down into the 30s. We didn't sleep too well because we were on a uneven tent site and we kept sliding towards the door all night. The Adventure Continues                                      L
Date: 2004-03-22
From: Hawk Mtn Shelter

To: Gooch Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.1
Weather: clear sky

We got a late start today, due to lack of sleep. (9:30) The mountains were tough today. I kept having to take short breaks because I couldn't breath (asthma). We would have liked to gone farther but we'll do better later on. The winds are blowing again!      L
Date: 2004-03-23
From: Gooch Mtn Shelter

To: Jerrard Gap
Miles today: 10.6

Better today. I guess we're getting better at pacing ourselves. We met Beagle and Moo Juice and 2 of their friends. We met a kid from Ohio who was having a really bad day! His pack was way too heavy to be carrying up a mountain. The mountains are a lot worse than you think they are but our motto is "one foot at a time" you'll eventually get to the top.                                             L
Date: 2004-03-24
From: Jerrard Gap

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 5.4
Weather: few clouds

We made it up Blood Mtn today. Now I know why so many people quit afterwards. It was one steep mountain! It's the tallest in GA. We got to Neel's Gap at about 12:30. We're taking the rest of the day off to do laundry and take a bath. We'll be staying at a cabin tonight. We get to eat out tonight too!!!   L
Date: 2004-03-25
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was a pretty good day. We saw our first snake of the hike, just a harmless garden snake. We were chased by a squirrel, he was obviously sick but we ran him off. We met our first trail angels today, they were great people. We were so surprised we forgot to get their names. They were in the parking lot of Hogpen Gap. They had Pepsi, fruit and donuts. That Pepsi got me up the next mountain. Thank You Very Much                              L
Date: 2004-03-27
From: Cheese Factory Campsite

To: Moreland Gap
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: scattered clouds

The hiking seemed harder today. I guess it's because of all the miles we did yesterday. We have a lot of sore muscles. It was also hot today which made it worse. James and I are both sunburnt. We'll get sunscreen in town tommorrow. We'll be going to the Blueberry Patch to pick up our first mail drop. L
Date: 2004-03-28
From: Moreland Gap

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 1.2
Weather: broken clouds

We're taking the day off to resupply, do laundry, and take baths. We picked up our food box at the Blueberry Patch and then came to town to say at the Holiday Inn. We're sharing a room with Larissa and Sam, so the cost is about the same as the hostel. Queen Diva gave us a ride this morning into town. Thanks QD! We had lunch at McDonalds and AYCE dinner at Daniels. Um-Um Good!                                             L
Date: 2004-03-31
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: light rain

Last night we had hail, rain, and wind, fortunately we were warm and dry in the shelter. It snowed most of the day and only warmed up to about 35 degrees. The hiking wasn't bad except for the rock climbing up Albert Mtn. We stopped today at about 3:30, we'll be spending another solitary night in Rock Gap Shelter.         L
Date: 2004-04-03
From: A. Rufus Morgan Shelter

To: Sassatras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: scattered clouds

We hike into town today. We stopped at the NOC for a shower and breakfast. Then we walked to the Food Mart for supplies. We left back out to the trail at 11:30 so we didnt' do a lot of miles today, but what we did was all uphill! We gained 3010 feet. I'm just glad it's not snowing again. We're staying the night ina 2 story shelter, Very Nice.                           L
Date: 2004-04-04
From: Sassatras Gap Shelter

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

Today was a shorter day, we stopped at 3:30 pm. Today was a tough climb up Cheoah Bald. We have one more day then we'll have a day off at Fontana. We received more trial magic today. Ox and his wife had pop, cookies, and banannas for us at Stecoah Gap. I got a Dr. Pepper and a bananna! Thanks guys, that got us up Cheoah Bald.                        L
Date: 2004-04-05
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: clear sky

We had a beautiful day today. The weather was great and the hiking was really nice. We finally saw a lot of flowers blooming in the lower elevations. Shortcake told us she was going to quit and go home. I wish her well. Tommorrow we'll take the day off to rest and resupply, then on Wednesday we start the smokies.            L
Date: 2004-04-06
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Today was our day off. It was so nice. We went to the P.O., the grocery, and did laundry. The people here are very friendly. We even took a nap! Dinner was a cheeseburger & fries. Yum. Then tomorrow, AYCE breakfast buffet.
Date: 2004-04-09
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: clear sky

We climbed Clingman's Dome tdoay, it was too bad a climb. The view is great! Going back down was the hard part, it was mostly snow and ice. The ice made going very slow. We didn't do many miles today because the next shelter was too far away. In the Smokies we have to stay at a shelter but they're all spaced out too odd. Oh well, maybe it will be better tomorrow.                                          L
Date: 2004-04-10
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Pecks Cordner Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Great day! Hiking was great and we met some wonderful trail angels, "Tom, Dee, and Rebecca" at Indian Gap. The offered us cokes, sandwiches, fruit, donuts, chips, all kinds of stuff. They certainly made our day! Thanks a lot! Then we had more magic at icewater spring shelter, some day hikers gave us chicken fajitas - wonderful! It's supposed to rain tonight, hopefully it won't rain all day tomorrow too!                  L
Date: 2004-04-11
From: Pecks Cordner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: moderate rain

Good hiking day, just a few showers. Tomorrow we leave the smokies! Yahoo! We didn't really like hiking in the Park, the shelters were spaced really oddly apart and we have to stay in shelters. The privy sites at some shelters don't exit, it's like walking in a minefield, yuck! Tomorrow ends our trials.                              L
Date: 2004-04-14
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: light rain

Today was a very interesting day. First we woke up to snow falling! We hiked all morning in the snow, then we hiked up Max Patch - it was snowing and the wind was blowing about 35 mph. The wind was blowing us sideways and you could barely see where to go! It was a wild experience to say the least. We got to the shelter at about 3:30 and decided to call it a day since it was so cold. We've spent our afternoon eating. Oh, I almost forgot. When we came down off Max Patch a trail angel had left us cokes to drink. What a great surprise!                                          L
Date: 2004-04-15
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Deer Park Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Today we woke up to blue skies. The sun shined all day, we even got to hike in shorts and t-shirts finally. The hiking was mostly downhill so we had a pretty easy day. We're staying here tonight and in the morning we'll hike on into Hot Springs. My friend Christy is supposed to meet us there, she's bringing some of our gear.               L