morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-07-17
From: Delaware Water Gap, PA

To: Bear Mt., NY
Miles today: 0.0

We haven't posted a journal entry in quite awhile and several friends and relatives have wondered what's happened to us. Also, we haven't had access to the internet to check Trailjournals or our guestbook to respond to anyone who may have signed it. First and most importantly, One Third {Christine} continues on her thru hike. She has conquered the Pennsylvania rocks and, like the Energizer Bunny, she keeps moving northward to Katahdin. She said people in PA had been so nice to her and the other hikers, offering lots of trail magic along the way. One Third and Three Thirds hiked all of Maryland together and he was really impressed with what a strong hiker she is and how comfortable she is in the woods {even when she almost stepped on a rattlesnake}. As for us, we have continued our trip north, camping in state parks and doing some 20-50 mile sections of the AT along the way. We just hiked all of New Jersey. It's a pretty state with lots of panoramic views, as well as lots of rocks and bears. We had four close bear encounters, but there seemed to be a mutual understanding that if you don't bother us, we won't bother you. Other hikers reported similar bear encounters where the bears don't flee, but mosey off at their leisure. If you camp or hike in New Jersey, hang your food or put it in a bear box! Bears are HUGE, and we guestimate some weighed at least 500 lbs. Two Thirds {Diane} proved to be anything but graceful on the New Jersey rocks. In one day she fell face forward on the rocks not once, but twice! The first fall resulted in a goose egg on the head and a large gash on the knee. The second fall pinned her arm under a rock, resulting in a bruise but no broken bones. By hiking south, we saw a lot of northbou!nd hikers we had met earlier. There are so many good people out here, all ages and from all walks of life. Even though our hike has not gone as planned, the experience of meeting these people and seeing parts of the country we've never seen before has all been worthwhile. At the same time, we look forward to getting back home, seeing our neighbors and friends and giving a big hug to Elly, our golden retriever.Next spring One Third and Three Thirds plan to hike the Pacific Crest Trail {from the Mexican border to the Canadian border}. Two Thirds will stay home and take care of Elly.Thanks for your continued interest. We'll keep you updated. See you up the trail!
Date: 2003-08-07
From: Dalton, MA

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: haze

Hello from 2/3 and 3/3. Yesterday we caught up with 1/3 in Dalton MA. We knew she would be in this general area, but weren't sure exactly where.You hear about sliding doors and being the right place at the right time. That was our good fortune yesterday. We decided to drive up toMt Greylock to check out the camping situation. It's fairly remote and we thought about turning around several times, but there were no places to turn around. We got to the top of the mountain and just as we were about to leave, Leap Year emerges from the AT and we ask him if he's seen 1/3. Sure enough, he knew exactly where she was staying and had the telephone number there. What luck! Many thanks, Leap Year! We arrived in Dalton within minutes and enjoyed a "family reunion" that evening. She has been eaten alive by bugs and also hadtick bites. She is now on antibiotics as a safeguard against Lymes and to help heal the infected bites. There are a few miles left before Massachusetts is conquered, then she has only three more States to go:Vermont, New Hampshire and MAINE! We now plan to drift southward after enjoying our own adventures all through New England and part of Canada. We won't see 1/3 again until she returns to Florida. She has done so well and is getting ever closer to that great day atop Katahdin!She rarely has access to the internet to check Trailjournals or get any messages on the guestbook. If you'd like to get in touch with her to cheer her on, we know she'd love to hear from you. Her pocketmail email address is ELLYDOG@pocketmail.comThanks for keeping up with us. Happy trails to all of you.
Date: 2003-09-02
From: Dalton, MA

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Hello from 2/3 (Diane). On August 31, 2003, after being away from home 5 1/2 months, we returned to find a happy and healthy Elly (our dog), our house in great shape and friends we have missed during the time we were away. The three of us began our thru hike in March 2003 with every expectation to make it to Katahdin. But, plans can change even with the best preparations. A tough bout with pneumonia left me unable to hike for a long time. We had to accept that we could not continue our thru hike and try to make the best of our time away from home. We travelled to 19 states (including 14 states on the AT), and three provinces in Canada (Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick). Just a few of the highlights were Mt Washington NH via the cog railway, AT towns (Boiling Springs, Port Clinton and Delaware Water Gap PA, Harpers Ferry WV, Gorham NH), Acadia National Park and Baxter State Park in Maine, New York City, drive along the St Lawrence River in Canada, Buffalo National Park in Arkansas and Hot Springs AR. We hiked all of New Jersey on the AT, part of the trail near Pine Grove Furnace and part of the Shenendoahs. We saw a total of 9 bears and 3 moose, along with many deers, turkeys and snakes. Bob hiked all of Maryland with 1/3 (Christine).It's very difficult to put into words how disappointing it is to plan a thru hike and not get to experience the exhilaration of climbing Katahdin. There were so many days I had a lump in my throat just thinking about how the hike should have gone and the reality that I had failed. Knowing this also prevented 3/3 (Bob) from completing a second AT thru hike made me feel terrible.He was always consoling and supportive and I'll always appreciate and remember this. We met many wonderful people both on and off the trail and that, in inself, made this adventure so worthwhile. 1/3 (Christine) continues her thru hike and is having an amazing time out there! Right now she is in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Every time we see 1/3 her spirits are high. Even with infected bug bites, rashes and tick bites she still looks healthy and happy.   In spite of the record-breaking rainy period she has stayed true to her purist hike. We will keep you updated on her progress and will post more pictures to the journal. Today, we added six photos to the site beginning with 6/22/03. There's also one of her on Blackrock Mtn dated 6/14 that we just added.Check back with us for more pictures. Thanks for reading our journal. Happy hiking to all of you!   2/3
Date: 2003-09-04
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

We heard from 1/3 yesterday and she is moving through the White Mts and doing well. She is tired (like all thru-hikers at this point) but her spirits are high.We have added 9 more photos today with the earlist date being 06/30/03. The other new photos are dated from 07/12/03. There are several good ( I think) animal photos.Its nice to be home now. I (3/3/ am planning on hiking the PCT in 04. I have started some planning and soon will start to try to get in shape a bit. That will be a first for me if I start a trail with any degree of fitness.Well, take care and see you up the trail3/3
Date: 2003-09-05
From: Gorham, NH

To: Maine
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

We heard from 1/3 yesterday and she is still doing well. The White Mts are behind her now. She said she feels good but really wanted to see a football game. It worked out great for her. She was able to catch her Alma Mata. Florida State University playing (and winning) on TV. We are in the process of moving our stuff back into the house. Our neighbors had a welcome home get together for us yesterday. We have such great neighbors.Take care and see you up the trail.3/3
Date: 2003-09-15
From: Maine

To: Stratton
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We heard from 1/3 today. She called from Rangley, Miane. She is doing well and hiking with good friends. She made it through Mahoosuc Notch just fine, took her about 1 hr to go through she said she had to take her pack off 4 times. (it took me about 1 1/2 hrs). She plans on summiting in the first few days of Oct.
Date: 2003-09-21
From: Stratton

To: Monson
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

1/3 called this past week to let us know she made it to Stratton ME and is now heading toward Monson. She said everything is going well and she is hiking with friends. She's seen several moose. A torrential rain one night last week resulted in about 8 inches of water around her tent and everything got wet. She said she spent most of the next day trying to dry everything out. With less than 200 miles to go, her plans for getting home include a possible road trip so she can visit an old college roommate in New York and go to The Gathering in Hanover. She sent her Pocketmail home by mistake with some other items, so we mailed it to Millinocket ME along with some clothes she'll need for the trip home. If you sent her an email and she hasn't responded, that's why.
Date: 2003-09-25
From: Monson

To: Katahdin!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

1/3 called yesterday from Monson,Maine. She had just been to the grocery store to get food for the next 7 days (quite a load). We could hear lots of noise in the background, a combination of logging trucks passing by and fellow hikers stopping to say hello to her. She said there were lots of hikers in town and it was nice to see everybody. Her stay at Shaw's Boarding House gave her a chance to rest and get ready for the 100-Mile Wilderness. When 3/3 Waterboy '99) stayed there, he really enjoyed meeting the Shaws and talked about the tremendous breakfast they cooked up. She signed up for breakfast, too, knowing how much her dad enjoyed it four years ago. Everything is going well. She hasn't had any physical problems and says she feels good, although tired. Her new shoes have not held up, though, and duck tape is holding them together! She called the manufacturer and they were supposed to mail her a new pair to Monson ME, but as of yesterday they had not shown up. If they don't, guess she'll be wearing duck tape shoes through the 100-Mile Wilderness! She and some friends are planning a side trip along the Gulf Hagas Trail ("Grand Canyon of the East") because it's supposed to be very pretty. She emphasized she will not miss ANY portion of the AT in order to go on this side trail. She's a purist, like her dad.This was the last time we'll talk to 1/3 before she summits Katahdin so we asked her how she felt as she nears the end of her thru hike. She said every day is different. Some days, she's ready for it to be over. Other days, she can't believe it's coming to an end so soon. We're sure it will be an emotional day for her when she takes that final step to the AT sign atop Katahdin.
Date: 2003-10-05
From: Sidelined in Millinocket ME

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

This is finger-crossing time! 1/3 called last night from Millinocket ME. She's at a motel with several other thru hikers and they're waiting out bad weather conditions on Katahdin. Some hikers were able to summit Katahdin yesterday, but she was a little too far away to make it up the mountain and get back off in time. She said they cheered as the hikers came down from Katahdin, having completed their thru hike. They reported that weather conditions were pretty rough on the climb up. Sadly, there were some hikers who could not wait for better conditions and had to leave without summiting Katahdin. It was raining there last night and predictions are for more rain on Sunday, so she may have to wait until Monday to do the last five miles of her hike.   Previously, heavy rains put the trail knee-deep in water in places and she had to cross some streams in waist-deep water.   I asked her if her new boots ever showed up in Monson ME. No luck. She's still wearing the old ones, just hope the duck tape continues to hold them together! She said it's really getting cold now, too.Just as soon as we hear from her again, we'll add another entry to let you know how she's doing and whether she has made it to Katahdin. Wish her good luck and good weather!Happy Hiking, 1/3 and 3/3
Date: 2003-10-06
From: The Birches in Baxter State Park

To: Katahdin!
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: overcast clouds

SHE MADE IT ! ! ! ! ! !   SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 5, 2003! ! ! The phone rang Sunday afternoon and it was 1/3! We had talked with her on Saturday (see our previous entry) and the weather was not promising. Much to our surprise she and her friends were able to summit Katahdin on Sunday rather than waiting another day. She said the conditions on Katahdin were Class 3, with winds at 30 mph, hail and ice. She said hail hit her in the face, some of her fingers had frostbite and her braids were frozen stiff! When they came down, friends who had summited the day before were waiting with cake and food to celebrate. She was so happy they were there. We'll let her tell you all the details when she makes her own journal entry. She's roadtripping home with stops along the way, so we're not sure when she'll make an entry. All three of us started this hike on a cold, rainy, foggy day in March. Because of my (2/3) bout with pneumonia, 3/3 and I could not complete a thru hike, but 1/3 continued on. She has had the adventure of a lifetime, seeing places and meeting many wonderful people along the way. Fellow hikers will be friends for a lifetime, too. We are so proud of her and want her to know that the day she touched that AT sign on Katahdin, we were there, too.
Date: 2003-10-15
From: Katahdin!

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Earlier we added an entry to let you know 1/3 summited Katahdin on 10/05/2003. Now, we have a picture of her big day to share. Last week, we drove to Hanover NH to meet her and also attend ALDHA's "The Gathering" held at Dartmouth College this year. It was nice to see people we met on our hike and others who share an interest in hiking. Bob met some future PCT hikers and attended programs on the PCT which were both helpful and interesting. We camped at Storr's Pond Campground under a beautiful full moon and we marvelled at the fall leaves. The colors were truly amazing and I can see why "leaf peepers," as we are called, make the trip to the northeast each year. If you're ever in Hanover, make it a point to eat at Lou's Bakery. They have awsome breakfasts and pastries!3/3 will use his original trail name of "Waterboy" for his PCT hike in the Spring of 2004. He's begun his journal on Trailjournals, a site we truly appreciate and enjoy.
From: Erwin, TN

To: View Entry
Miles today: 15.0

Hi Everyone, this is 1/3! I have typed several entries on my pocketmail but have not figured out my neighbors correct email address. I keep sending them and they never get sent and well, i've been pretty lazy..... BUT here's a quick update and i will try to send the rest soon! I am now in Erwin Tennessee. It took me 3 nights to hike the 65 miles in to town, so needless to say, my ankle is doing better. Yesterday I hiked 27 miles and had my first night hike. I hiked from 7:30am to 10pm!!! I am taking a zero day to relax and am very happy to have caught up with my hiking buddy litewalker. We got the the road which is 3 miles out of town at 10pm. We hitched into town with a man named Scott and his three sons, on 20months, one 9 and one 7. The two older boys were still in their baseball uniforms and the youngest was in camoflauge and overalls and he kept pulling my braids. All I could do was apologize for smelling so bad. Scott offered us ("us" is myself and a hiker named grizzly allen from boston)a beer, since he had some cool ones he was driking at the time. Instead I took the chips, mt. dew, and ice that he offered. He was so great. He drove us on into Mrs. Janets. It is a lovely home that I showed up at and it was full but she told me, "honey, I'm never full this late at night." SO, I showered, washed clothes, talked with some buddies i have reunited with after about a week, and finally made it to bed on the floor around 230 am! ONe great story.... a hiker named FUBAR met the woman of his dreams on the streets of hotsprings, she is a hiker from last year. Well, after an amazing two weeks together, he asked her father for permission for her hand. They are getting married, after hiking on August 31 down here in this area. They will spend the next several weeks searching for a spot. HOW GREAT!!!!! His story gave me chills! Well, I plan to head out in the morning. Thank You to EVERYONE for your kind letters and encouragement in all of our ailments! I think we're all finally back in hiking conditions!
Date: 2002-01-04
To: Katahdin
Miles today: 14.0

Hello from the Smith family in Niceville FL. My name is Diane Smith. I am writing this introduction, but all three of us will contribute different perspectives in the journal as we begin our northbound thru hike in March 2003. My husband, Bob (trail name "Waterboy") successfully thru-hiked the AT in 1999 at age 53. The lure of the trail has never left him and his experiences have inspired us to go as a family in 2003. Fellow hikers he met along the way, Sheltowee, Potato Picker, Golfer, Biscuit and Gravy, Full Moon and his dog Sundog, and so many others made it an unforgettable experience. Our 22-yr old daughter, Christine, plans to hike the AT with us. She is a student at Florida State University and just began her final semester as an intern with The Travel Channel in London England. She loves hiking and backpacking so we hope she'll be able to come along before she joins the "real world" of the 9-to-5 work routine. While Bob and Christine are experienced hikers, I will begin the AT as a novice at age 53. I know a lot about the trail because Bob hasn't shut up about it for the last two years, but I realize it's crucial to prepare myself for this adventure in the coming months. Knowing how much his thru hike meant to him makes all the work and effort well worth it.
Date: 2002-01-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hello, I am the Bob of the Smith Family. We really want to thank Leif and Zipdrive for the opportunity to post our family journal and for all of the effort they put into providing this site. I can't express how happy I am about being able to do another thru hike. My hike in 1999, at age 53, went very well for me and the only real problem I had was being homesick.So there was the quandary for me. I knew within a month of returning home that I really wanted to thru hike again but did not want to be away from home for that long again. So I thought Section Hiking would be a good alternative and was satisfied with that thought.Then Diane said that she wanted to thru hike the AT and after I determined that she meant with me I was/am a very happy hiker. We have to wait until 03 to start our hike because Diane can't retire until Aug of 02. We hope our daughter, Christine, will be able to hike with us but as a recent college graduate by then she has so many doors to go through one may not lead to the AT.Time will tell. My hike in 99 as Waterboy all in all went very well and I do not plan to change things very much at all. The major change I am going to make is that in 99 I set out to grow a ponytail and because I did not start letting my hair grow soon enough I was not successful. However, this time I am starting to let it grow out now and maybe in 03 I will be successful. We are really looking forward to following the 2002 thru hiker's journals and will be happy for all of you when you finish because that means we will be close to our year.
Date: 2002-01-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Bob says I should say a little more about myself in this introduction, so here goes. I'm taking an early retirement from my job in August 2002. Twenty-six years at a desk job is long enough. I already mentioned I'm a novice hiker. This past Labor Day weekend the three of us went to Blood Mountain on the AT in north Georgia. Despite the pouring rain and chilly temperatures, we hiked ten miles round trip, going up the mtn and back. I carried our backpack the entire way and felt pretty good about it even though my muscles ached a few days. In November, we hiked 17 miles one day, but flatland hiking is a lot easier in Florida. I realized I must be more observant when Bob pointed out a pygmy rattler I was about to step on, but I also learned it's best to have him lead because he cleared the spider webs that stretch across the trail. There's a video called "Trailsides, Thruhiking The Appalachian Trail" that we have watched countless times. It chronicles the hikes of several people and is pure inspiration. I particularly remember a statement by Beverly Hugo, trail name "Rosie," who said it hurt her feelings when someone told her she did not look like a thru hiker. She said, "After all, what's a thru hiker supposed to look like?" I relate to Rosie and I know she made it - so can I. I got my backpack last week, a Gregory Lassen. Bob will use his same Gregory Denali that he had before. We plan to "practice hike" carrying heavier loads than we'll take on the AT since there aren't many hills in the Florida Panhandle. Hopefully, Christine will have time to add a journal entry from London. She's been there three days and will start her internship with The Travel Channel tomorrow. Thanks again to Leif and Zip Drive for this site. We'll enjoy reading other hikers' entries.
Date: 2002-01-28
To: Maine
Miles today: 0.0

Hello everyone, I've finally had a chance to sit down and join my parents by writing in our new journal. I am Christine, daughter of Waterboy and Diane. Like my parents have said, I am currently interning at the travel channel in London, England. It is nice to get to come over to a new place and spend time working in a potential future job. What I've learned more than anything in my short 4 weeks that I've been here is that, this is not what I want to do. I do not want to be in a big city in a big office. I'm just not cut out for it. Before I left for London, my dream of hiking the trail was kind of wavering. I wasn't sure and still am not sure what may happen from now to that point. But, since I've been here I have realized that this is truly a dream of mine and have been thinking about it constantly since I've been here. I have hiked in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Maine (all small sections.) I also spent the summer of 2001 in the Alps. I truly love hiking and know that I won't be able to "get my life started" unless I give this thru-hiking thing a chance. I am approaching a huge turning point in my life and the thought of making all these big decisions is pretty scarey. I will return from London in late April and graduate from FSU two days later. Then the world is open to me to do what I want. It excites me to think of hiking the trail with my partents. My dad was my first inspiration, I've craved the trail since he started in 1999. I can't wait to see my mom go through the changes that the trail will bring. It's all very exciting and hard to believe that this dream could come true within the year! A little about me: I am 22 yrs old and graduating from FSU with a degree in Communications. I have worked with kids for the past 4 years at summer camps and after school programs. I have a wonderful boyfriend who I have missed greatly during all of my travels and wonder how it's going to be when I leave again for the trail. I enjoy watersports and hiking. My favorite things about the trail are the feelings of accomplishment at the end of each day, new appreciation for the outdoors, and the people on the trail and in the towns. I look forward to experiencing this with my WONDERFUL parents and hope things will work out in my favor to make this dream a reality!