morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-12-01
To: And HOW cold was it?
Miles today: 0.0

Well, since you asked, it was a -18 wind chill factor along the 4 miles of the George's Highland Path we hiked today. Jan arrived at chez Mame at 10:30 a.m., and we decided to take both cars over to the trailhead which is about 8 miles from my place. It WAS pretty chilly out, around 20 all day, and disturbingly windy, although we didn't have the numbers on that til we were done. Later I checked the NOAA website and saw that the winds were 20 - 30 MPH today. Had I known, I might have wussed out, but as it was, I soldiered on with a good attitude and a minimum of suffering. It was hard to choose clothing for this hike. I have done winter camping and foot travel but never hiking up high and on exposed ridges. I had on a thin wool tank shirt, thin wool long sleeve, and a medium poly zip neck, with a sort of soft-shell jacket over all. Fleece hat, fleece gloves. Light wool long johns and thin nylon pants on the bottom. I was not warm. While we walked and went uphill, I got used to the sharp gusts and the lack of warming sun. When we hit the ledges, I thought I'd lose my face to frostbite. It burned with the cold, paradoxically. Our plan was to fire up stoves and make our lunches, to get some needed practice using the equipment, but we just could not get adequate shelter to do that, so we had a brief snack and later a bit of lunch, with hot drinks made from the thermos Jan mercifully tucked into her pack. On our way up the road to the cars after our hike, Tom drove by us and screeched to a halt by the side of the road. He was beaming, which was odd, since he had spent the morning in the cellar of an old house, drilling and breaking cement to make space for a sump pump. Apparantly just seeing us heading back up to the parking lot, knowing we pulled off the plan despite the weather, warmed his little hiker's heart. These were the most extreme conditions I have ever encountered on a hike. If it were this icy on a long hike, I'd manage, but sure as heck wouldn't spend any more time out in it than necessary. Even now, 12 hours since we left, the wind out there is roaring. Its dropping into the teens, while bringing on a major feeling of gratitude for having a snug warm house around me.Note to self: Bring the REALLY warm sleeping bag in March.
Date: 2008-01-16
To: Accepting the things I cannot change
Miles today: 0.0

My latest addition to the training efforts has been to add an 18# pack into the walks and hikes that I take. I asked Tom to help coach me the last few weeks before blast-off, and he very kindly agreed to help. So I took a walk on my own for a couple of miles, then joined Tom on another speed-stroll one morning. Over the weekend I went to Jan's and we loaded up for a three-plus mile walk over the Messalonskee Stream trail, hindered a bit by packed snow and ice on rolling terrain. Beautiful, but slower going than usual. I loved being outside and moving in the cold air, savoring the upcoming trip and the privilege I have of being able to do it.Meredith Emerson's death left me uncharacteristically speechless. The events hit me hard, kind of like a sudden, explosive back draft from an otherwise trustworthy and comforting woodstove. Her death altered my naive assumptions about who is drawn to the trail, and it both made visible and blew apart my carefully constructed fantasies about the inherent safety of a primitive environment. I don't want to bury this newfound awareness, nor do I want to allow it to overly restrict my engagement with natural settings and the people who enjoy them.
Date: 2008-02-03
To: Neither here nor there, exactly
Miles today: 0.0

I don't know what the others are feeling, those who are also planning to hike this spring. Lately I have been coming up against the complexity of this caper, which has been creating some stress, or more like something weighty that darkens my mood and saps my energy. This might be the kind of thing that makes long distance hiking a rather acquired taste, something that doesn't appeal to most people, like mousse truffe, or peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Right now I am feeling the effects of having to leave my close friends, the ones that I have known for years and with whom I have shared almost everything. I want to include them but this type of thing has endless details to it, and they are details in which non-hikers have limited interest. I am so aware of having pulled away already, as I have been dithering about with plans and gear and conditioning. When I haven't been doing that, I have been hyper-absorbed in my job, trying to exit that ecosystem with as much grace and as little disruption as possible. None of this has really been the kind of thing I want to chat about over lunch, so to speak, as it has been on-going for months now, as any one of them would probably tell you with an exasperated sigh.So, here we are, roughly three and a half weeks to showtime, and the closure part is getting old, and the starting part is still a ways away. I am a little tired of being so distracted with the project of getting ready to leave. That's it. I miss the basic simplicity of having a single major focus, and want to resolve the tension of juggling the various tasks and responsibilities that derive from both the work I do and the trip I want to take.Okay, then. On to lighter matters. I found a 1/8 oz. bottle of nail polish along with a 1/10 oz tube of lip gloss and a micro tube of mascara recently. Brand name: Bon Bons. Perfect for the bounce box, and if I get tired of the ultra natural look, maybe for the backpack. I am well aware of the bias among outdoorspeople for minimal gear of any sort, and when it comes to things like make-up, well, we won't even GO there. But my tendency is to moderate most standards of fashion to suit myself, and I suspect I will continue to do so on the trail. Just how long I can make it without painting my toenails remains to be seen. I'll give it a go, I really will.
Date: 2008-02-23
To: Hmmmmmm
Miles today: 0.0

What the heck. Its 2 a.m, I'm up after trying to sleep with what is turning out to be a world class head cold: and, I ask you, COULD the timing be better? I am miserable. I wasn't going to whine here but I changed my mind. Maybe a 2 minute rave will settle me down and I can go get some sleep. Anyway, my head has been so stuffed up that my last two days at work saw me flagging hour by hour. That means my foggy mind could not get the last tasks done today, and I'll have to put an hour or two in on Monday. What's wrong with that, you ask? Well, the psychological transition from job focus to trip focus has been compromised, and my expectations dashed. I didn't plan on being down a few quarts in my last week before take-off, so what I conceived of as an energetic romp through the final prep, is turning out to be a continuation of relentless internal pressure to GET THINGS DONE! Both my sister and I have noticed that we do not thrive under pressure. No, what happens for me is that I hit a kind of wall, get that deer in the headlights look, and begin to fade. As Jan would say, "It just doesn't go any faster!"There, I think that did it. Now up to bed and hopefully to sleep. Tomorrow is Saturday. I'll do what I can. Nature WILL take its course and I will get better. Thanks for looking in on me. And in case you are getting lax about this, be sure to keep your hands washed and to stay back from people who are coughing or sneezing. You'll be glad you did.
Date: 2008-02-27
To: Flying south
Miles today: 0.0

The night before take off was just a wash as far as sleep goes. I was listing and sorting and completing tasks til after 11 pm, and then wide awake, and I mean WIDE awake til 4:30 am. We "got up" and drove to Brunswick to pick up V8. A bracing cup 'o Starbucks and some last minute hugs and tears and we were off to the Portland bus station. Tom left us off with our packs and sacks and after more hugs and tears, drove off for home. That was a poignant moment, truly. What followed was a 2 hour bus ride to Logan, a 12:00 flight to Atlanta and after a little luggage doubt, a train ride out to North Springs. Leigh Saint met us right away and ferried us with delightful conversation back to Dahlonega and the Hiker Hostel by 7 pm. A key activity that night was a pack sort in which Josh Saint helped to deconstruct and edit one of the guest's packs. "Make three pahls..." he began, "we'll start with #1, absolute essentials!" He helped the owner put aside an astoundingly small selection, stood back and said, "Well, you all can survive on that, all the rest is preference."Later we would do the same with our own packs, which culled a bagful of items for the bounce box and a few things heading home. Today's trail folks encountered were, of course, Josh and Leigh Saint, and Scott "Kip" who also works here. Hannah and Megan from Maine, Johnny and Debbie, Gil, "BadRock", Roy, "Bayou", Brad and Paul "Usta-coulda".
Date: 2008-02-28
From: Dahlonega, GA

To: Springer Mountain, GA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

[editor note: Auntie Mame requested I patch together an entry for her. She is still so down in the physical Dept, due to a bad cold/flu, that she is not writing today, and she wanted her readers to hear something about her adventure, so far.- Uncle Tom )]    And it is an adventure. The AT kicks everyone's ass out here, and this part of Georgia is one of the biggest boots around. Mame made a valiant effort to keep a positive attitude through this flu/cold thing that has struck her about a week ago. I feel confident that she's going to launch a strike, albeit delayed. I told her that she could feel OK about coming home and healing , maybe let V8 move on and when Auntie Mame is back ,reconnect at mile 160, say Fontana Dam or so? I received some strong resistance to that idea    Trail magic enters here. Queso ( NOBO 'AT '08) lives an hour away from the Hiker Hostel, and has already volunteered to pick them up and help them out as much as he can. Queso was one of the members of MEGATEX, an '08 group of 9, yep, 9 thru hikers that were essentially bound together since our first night at the Hawk Mountain shelter.    So what else might happen down there in Georgia? What happens off the Trail is all part of the experience. Please assist me in smacking down a mountainous pile of hope on Auntie Mame's doorstep tonight. - Uncle Tom
Date: 2008-02-28
To: Sidelined
Miles today: 0.0

Last night pretty much my worst fears were realized: I relapsed with a lung infection. Visualize chest pressure, fever, deep cough and headache, and you've got the picture. I slept feverishly between fits of coughing. Everything ached, and the weirdness in my upper chest had me scared that I might need to go to the hospital. All day Thursday was a wash, as I could not get out of bed. I had seen my Dr at home before leaving, so had brought an rx for antibiotics with me in case I needed it. I needed it. Leigh ran to town and had that filled and I was able to start it ASAP. Things were not looking good for this hiker. People also in the hostel that day were: Paul, "Shadowhawk" or Kabir, "Those Girls", Katie, Grace, Beth and Olivia, and Mom, Mary Claire. Also Liz, young Paul, and Mark, "The General".
Date: 2008-02-29
To: Queso and Angie to the rescue
Miles today: 0.0

I slept better last night with fewer wakenings. Still taking multiple doses of ibuprofen and decongestants, along with the antibiotics. Today, Richie Kook, "Queso" who is a friend of Tom's from his '07 hike, came to take us to his place west of Dahlonega toward Canton, for an overnight and rest day. He and his gracious and witty girlfriend Angie, took us to Two Brothers' BBQ first, where we had huge pulled pork sandwiches and french fries, sweet tea and ice cream. Utterly delicious. I slept for most of that afternoon in a carved antebellum guest bed, grateful to have the opportunity to rest deeply. Angie had been spending much of the afternoon in the kitchen, and presented us with a world class lasagna dinner that night. The day ended gathered around a roaring fire in the livingroom, watching a survivor show til bedtime. [Note from Editor: New entry was sent to me dated 2/27- 2/29. I decided to place it here:Its Thursday morning at the Saint's Hiker Hostel and there's both good news and bad news to report. Yesterday was travel day, and basically occupied us from 4am til 7pm.    Our beyond-faithful partners ferried us amidst a slushy mess of February weather down to the Portland bus terminal for an 8:30 Logan express. Neither of us having slept the night before, we napped a bit and pulled into Boston before 11.   The 12:30 Atlanta flight put us in the frigid but sunny south by 3:30. The pilot had said it was 24 degrees out,but who'd have believed he meant ground level temps?   We retrieved our packs and poles and got on the Marta train to North Springs, where Leigh Saint was walking across the pavement just as we disembarked. The clear sun belied the brisk, cold winds, as we scooted over to the parking garage. Lee filled us in on the scenery we passed as we drove out of the Atlanta area and into the Dahlonega hills.    My image of this end of the AT had been so vastly off, I just kept raving about the hugeness of the vistas as we approached the hostel itself. It was the scale of the mountains and foothills that so impressed me, and at 6pm, the clarity of the sunset light. Lee had said that Dahlonega had felt like home to her from the first visit,and it was stunningly obvious why this was so.   Meanwhile, I was also noticing that I was feeling too warm, yet chilly, and that I was getting a deep disturbing cough. Both Jan and I were pooped, but I knew I was heading into secondary infection territory.      At the hostel we had a room to ourselves, which allowed me to get up every hour and drink water, take Advil and clear my nose out, without waking the whole establishment.       By morning, it was obvious that I could barely make it down and up the stairs without feeling totally wiped out: what to do, oh, what to do?Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-01
To: How to get your tutu through the doorway
Miles today: 0.0

Saturday dawned mild and sunny, and our hosts Richie and Angie took us on a stroll around the perimeter of the 15 acre rolling farmland. He had been working on clearing and grooming various areas when he got back from his hike in '07. It was my first outdoor walk in days, and I was pretty pooped afterwards. Jan has been nothing short of fantastic as a supportive and judicious travel buddy. She kept a cautious eye on me and reminded me to stop or go easy or sleep at frequent intervals. Our dilemma was how to plan for her hike if I were to take more than another few days to get into hiking shape. We agreed on assessing that by Wed. of the coming week. If I was not able to start slack-packing by then, then she would begin and I would fly home for a more extensive period of recovery. I felt awful knowing how much was at stake here, yet how little control I had over my lung improvement.On the sideboard at the house we had noticed a framed photo of a gorgeously attired Sugar Plum Fairy, and when we inquired, found out that it was indeed, our Angie, in a winter production with their dance company. I asked her how it felt to wear such a magical costume, all pink net and satin. She laughed and said she loved the outfit but found it was really hard getting through backstage doors in it, as it was constructed with a hoop that kept the skirt fluffed out. Her solution was to tip the whole business up on end and slide through sideways, a delightful image I will treasure, from the only ballerina I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.When we arrived back at the Hiker Hostel, we met Lil Mak and Mr. Clean, aka Martha and Jerry. We also met Chris and Sandie, a couple from Ohio who had come to hike and attend a conference over the weekend. We had energetic discussions about gear and cooking and preferences with them both. I bet they will be out here soon for some more sections of the AT.
Date: 2008-03-05
From: Springer Mtn. approach lot.

To: Hightower Gap
Miles today: 9.0

Oh happy day, oh happy, happy day! We did our first section of the AT Georgia today, slacked by the Saints from Hiker Hostel. We drove up to the approach trail by about 10 a.m., where it was a wonderland of rimey ice fuzzed out on every little branch and twig. 28 degrees when we unloaded from the van, we were walking into a cloud that was perched on the summit, driving the temps down and maintaining the beautiful icy display. Jan and I went up the .9 mile path to the plaque up top, and signed the log book there. It was breezy and cool, so we didn't linger, but rather trotted back down to the parking lot promptly. Since we had a set time for pick-up, we were hesitant to indulge in side trails or long breaks today. I had no idea how I would hold up, and was so glad to find that I was OK on the straights and downs, and just a good bit slower on the inclines. I took my time, as I want to strengthen, not get back in the soup with a relapse again. WE started out around 10 and ended around 4, when Josh picked us up at Hightower Gap, a half mile below Hawk Mtn shelter. I will write more about the intervening days and today, but wanted to let you know we are on the trail, finally!
Date: 2008-03-06
From: Hightower Gap

To: Gooch Gap
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: clear sky

Its Thursday and we were able to get dropped off at Hightower Gap where we left off yesterday, and with eager step and positive attitude, make it to Gooch Gap by 4 ish. Our original goal was to get to Woody Gap by 5, but by mid afternoon I knew it would be best not to push to that extent quite yet. The day was sunny and mild yet again, and cast a very kind light on the two major inclines, Sassafras and Justus Mountains. I felt a little like Part of a camel train in the desert, swaying side to side plodding upward, with a stop at the crest of most of the rises. The good news is, my recovery rate from breathing heavily to back to normal, was brief. We encountered Jenna and Mel, NH and Maine girls who were motoring right along. We met Sauerkraut and Todd, Ruby Tuesday and Jeremiah, all on their way to the shelter at Gooch Gap, if not further. Puppy, or Mary, crossed paths with us all day, and we joined up for the ride back to the hostel this afternoon.Old home week when we arrived at Hiker Hostel: Survivor Dave, whom we had not ye met, was standing on the porch waiting to see us arrive back from hiking. It was delightful to see him, and we all assembled for a photo opp on the front steps. He expects to be heading out a bit later, and I bet we'll see him soon. WE were happy to see Bananas was back, as were Carla and Limestone. Liz, "MAd Hatter" is still here, as are several new arrivals from the airport today. Pops is also here for the night. Can you tell we are having fun meeting people and reconnecting either on trail or off? I haven't quite got all the names yet but expect to be up to date with those soon.General plan is for a short slack tomorrow in the rain, Gooch to Woody Gap, then a zero to get our gear sorted and sent home or ahead, with Sunday the planned packs-on start. Who knows: we'll see what transpires.
Date: 2008-03-07
From: Gooch Gap

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 3.7
Weather: moderate rain

Its a fogged in, 53 degree, dark day here at Dahlonega, and the day's hike was shorter and in a way, easier. Puppy, Terry, Bobbie, V8 and I were dropped off by Leigh, a true Saint for her tireless shuttling and wicked sense of humor. We were assuming that the rains had stopped by noon, so left the hostel around then. Once we began walking, I discovered one of several important facts for wet weather travel. The trees dripped copiously every time a breeze went through. I thought it was rain. I was wet immediately. Soon, I was chilly. So, I think its wise to wear two layers under a raincoat, thin wool and whatever else I have on hand. Cover my pack! I carried a small fanny pack with a bagged up warmer jacket on top. It could have used a cover. As it was, I put it on under my raincoat for awhile, looking 8 months pregnant as I toddled at my very moderate pace along the trail. OK, then. Enough of the enchanting visuals. Lesson #2 was that I really DO cool down quickly at the end of a hike. We pulled in to Woody Gap quite damp inside the rainwear but comfortable. We wandered over to the covered maps and signs on the other side of the road, by which time I was really starting to cool down. I stripped off the raincoat and popped on the damp but serviceable insulated jacket. I was SO glad I had that with me. I added gloves, and pulled the hood up, and was OK for the half hour wait for the shuttle back to HH. Glo-worm was lurking about the parking lot when we arrived, so we got caught up with the news from his sections to date. It was nice to see a familiar face again, and to hear about the others out there. The trail section goes over and down several small prominences, and again, V8 and I were thrilled to hike on these well groomed, graded trails. We love switchbacks!! It reminded me of hiking with our son, Lincoln, in Montana. Western trails apparantely have been built for horses and pack animals. Who knew? It looks like Georgia trails are, too. Starting out today I was discouraged by how creaky and dull my body felt. Lifting each leg was hard! But as luck would have it, within 10 minutes or so I was warmed up and on task, feeling good and enjoying the walk. Lesson #3: Regardless of how crappy I might feel at the start of a day's walk, I WILL feel better soon and regain the pace and pleasure of recent days. Saturday's plan: Slack Woody Gap to Neels Gap. We'll keep ya posted.
Date: 2008-03-08
From: Woody Gap

To: Neel's Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

There was a feeling of sacredness or something like that as we moved out of the gaps and up onto the side of Blood Mountain. Our group of five had disembarked at Woody Gap at 8:45 this morning. It was quite gray, snowing slightly and we noticed a wind picking up. The little degree reading on the rear view mirror said 26. So with my backpack half full, we started off up the incline towards Big Cedar Mtn. I have learned to hustle on the relative flats, so we didn't fool around getting as much trail behind us as possible whenever conditions permitted. The section could be broken roughly into thirds, and the middle 5 miles or so were memorable for the driving winds and sideways snow. We had planned a lunch stop at Jarrard Gap, but it was too cold to stop there. Needless to say, we soldiered on, or "stepped smartly into the wind" as some wiseacre put it. As we ascended Blood Mountain, I could feel a change in the atmosphere and that was echoed by the small, curved trunks of the rhododendrons lining the way. The wind slowed, and there were brief sunny breaks. As I got to the shelter and saw how similar to its images it appeared, I found myself in tears, that I had made it, that I was well, that there is such a miracle as the AT on which people like us can hike. Three fellows were adjusting their gear in the stone shelter, and in considerable discomfort from last night's heavy rain. One quipped quietly, "The last thing I expected to see up here was a group of ladies!" We chatted a bit and took that as a compliment. I was carrying about half of what I will carry tomorrow, so it was lots easier for me than for them.Sunday, 9 March: We are packed up, I weighed in at 25# with a fanny pack of doodads in addition. This is our farewell to Leigh, Josh and Scott at Hiker Hostel. I am so grateful for having had the chance to recover and begine hiking in a way that has built me up rather than breaking me down. I feel a great deal of love and encouragement from these amazing folks. They surely are in the right line of work.Neel's Gap, here we come, where we will hike a bit this afternoon and set up camp in time to have a peaceful night. Lokks like we will be starting out with Puppy and Bananas, both of whom also have Trailjournals. Look them up! Pics! Humor! Elegant writing! Thanks SO, SO much for signing my guest book: it has felt like that wave of clapping that the kids all do to get Tinkerbell to come back to life! We are off, we are well, and we are stoked!