morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-01-29
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

So I've spent the last year getting ready for my AT hike again. I've read, talked, planned, practiced, and even dreamed about hiking it. I've bought all the books, maps, equipment, and even some of the food that I'll need to get started on the trail. I only have some business and family issues to resolve and my preparation will be complete. I am ready for this-
Date: 2004-02-01
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

It¢s hard to know what to put in a personal journal when you realize that anyone can read it. Many of us spend most of our lives being sort of private and shielding your family from the outside world. Maybe because of fear of criticism, being modest, not wanting to bore people, or just because you think it¢s no one else¢s business. The most interesting journals on this site seem to share at least some of their background in order to give the reader some incite into the character writing the words. So here goes.I grew up in Indiana and have been a practicing veterinarian for 32 years on the west coast of Florida. My wonderful wife and I have been married for 30 years and so far we have survived raising 3 great daughters. They all seem to support me on this journey of the AT but it may be they just want me out of their hair. Anyway, while I have their good wishes so far none have signed on to join me for a week or 2 of rice, noodles, and no showers. My mother, sisters, brother and most of the rest of my family are still in Indiana and I hope to see some of them out on the trail this summer. This includes Dancing Bear and Singing Bear who are 2 teddy bears that were made, adopted, and named while my sister and mother were in Vermont this past summer on a trip that included going up Mt. Washington and visiting several sections of the AT. They already have miniature backpacks that they got for Christmas-haven¢t heard what¢s in the packs.I¢ve done very little camping or hiking but have spent much of my free time running marathons all over this great country. I belong to a 50 states club and finished running a marathon in each of the states in 2001 and more recently ran my 100th marathon. A feeble mind, a hard head, and an obsessive personality are said to be good assets for running marathons (26.2 miles) and it seems those same qualities should serve me well for hiking 2000 miles. Running has been my way to keep in shape and has helped reduce the stress of everyday life that we all face. It has also allowed me to see a lot of this beautiful country and given me many good and interesting friends from many walks of life who live all around the country.We are lucky folks indeed if we can see and live what life in this country has to share.
Date: 2004-02-03
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

It seems common to share thoughts or philosophies about the trail, trail life, or just life itself. Some of these musings are from hikers themselves and some from the quotes of others.I came across one the other night that I thought would be pertinent for those hiking the AT that I hadn¢t read in any of the hiking journals. I have the sense that the author was a tough old bird who lived an interesting life trying to do good for others during some very hard times of our country. Thanks to those who sacrificed during those times so that we have all the great opportunities that we enjoy today.        ¢The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience¢. ¢ Eleanor RooseveltIt seems that Eleanor also had a-Quest
Date: 2004-02-04
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Trail magic is often talked about in books that are written about hiking the AT. It¢s a gift or act of kindness that someone gives you out of need, sympathy, or maybe even pity. The person who makes the gift is called a trail angel. I¢ve been wondering if I¢d be lucky enough to find a trail angel to share some of that magic while I was on the trail.In early December after spending several months researching and buying the equipment that I thought I needed on the trail, I was ready to take it out for a shake down hike. I had about an hour before I had to go to work and wanted to at least break in the new boots a little. So I duded up in all my fancy gear and headed out on the Pinellas Trail, a linear park that goes near our house. I had new clothes, pack, stove, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, bottles, and boots-a total of 25 to 30 pounds of spotless gear I was wearing or was strapped to my body.I know I looked like a dandy when I started on the hike. After going about a half mile I passed a homeless guy leaning his bike up against an overpass. When I went past him I said hi and he said something to acknowledge me. After going another quarter mile, the same guy passed me on his bike and said ¢Hey brother, there¢s a soup kitchen just down the road¢. I thanked him and chuckled under my breath. He continued, ¢ You take the second left, then the next right and it¢s down about a half block¢. Here I was walking down a trail with $1500 worth of brand new spotless gear and he¢s helping me get some free food. I thanked him again and when he was out of earshot, I burst out laughing. I realized that I had just received my first trail magic. I guess trail angels come in many different forms.I was lucky to have such a start for my-Quest.
Date: 2004-02-05
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

I¢ve carried this saying in my wallet for over 25 years and continue to be amazed in the message of these words. I only know the initials of the author but I respect him for his wisdom. I wonder if he lived as well as he wrote.       No one will ever get out of this world alive. Resolve therefore      to maintain a reasonable sense of values.       Take car of yourself. Good health is everyone¢s major source of wealth. Without it, happiness is almost impossible.      Resolve to be cheerful & helpful. People will repay you in kind.       Avoid angry, abrasive persons. They are generally vengeful.       Avoid zealots. They are generally humorless.      Resolve to listen more & to talk less. No one ever learns anything by talking.      Be chary of giving advice. Wise men don¢t need it, & fools won¢t heed it.      Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving & tolerant of the weak & the wrong. Sometime in life you will have been all of these.       Do no equate money with success. There are many successful moneymakers who are miserable failures as human beings. What counts most about success is how a person achieves it. L.S.If you¢ve read this before, I hope the message continues to inspire you. For all others, I hope the words serve you well as you journey through life.May they serve us well on our-Quest.
Date: 2004-02-23
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I've often wondered where in life do you start doing more things for the last time and fewer things for the first time.I am at least for now finished with my daily work schedule and so am free to tidy up all the loose ends in order to have a free mind to get on the trail. I've finished the last marathon before my 6 month hike at the Gulf Beach Marathon in Clearwater that at 75 degrees was way too hot to be running 26.2 miles.So now I start to get serious about getting myself and my gear in the best shape I can in order to make the journey on the AT as smooth as possible. April 1 will be here soon.Quest
Date: 2004-02-24
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This message is from an e-mail I received this morning. As I read it I thought much of it will serve me well on the trail.   A lecturer was giving a lecture to his student on stress management.He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?"The students' answers ranged from 20g to 500gm."It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it.If I hold it for a minute, it is OK.If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm.If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance.It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.""If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier.What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again."We have to put down the burden periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on. So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can.Pick it up again later when you have rested...Rest and relax. Life is short, enjoy it!!So I guess we shouldn't feel guilty about taking a day or 2 off while on the trail.                     More WORDS TO LIVE BYAccept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue. Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them. Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker. Eat a live toad in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day. If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague. If you lend someone $20, and never see that person again, it was probably worth it. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others. Never buy a car you can't push. Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you don't have a leg to stand on. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. The early worm gets eaten by the bird, so sleep late. When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. Birthdays are good for you; the more you have, the longer you live. You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person. Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once. Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened. We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors but they all have to learn to live in the same box. A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour. Happiness comes through doors you didn't even know you left open.Yep, there's a lot of that message that will work on the trail, as well as in life.
Date: 2004-03-14
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I had a great surprise last Thursday. We were supposed to have a lunch meeting at the animal hospital and I was just there to catch up on calls and to go to the meeting. They kept calling for me to come up as I was trying to make my calls so I decided to finish the calls after the meeting. As I walked into the room full of staff, I had the great surprise that it was a going away party for me, complete with food, cake, and gifts. I was completely off guard and more than a little embarrassed.So I sat down and started opening gifts. Lots of gifts. Several of the bags had labels such as; For your Health, For your Nutrition, For your Safety, For your Comfort. So most of the things were practical jokes but some will actually be able to be used on the trail. The bags included bug spray, various bandage and blister treatments, deodorants, bag tags, kids adventure light, Snickers bars, mouth wash, clothesline reel, water treatment drops, whistle, compass, snake bite kit, bug sprays, odor eaters, lip balm, breath strips, foot spray, shoe laces, emergency blanket, playing cards, deodorants, and bear bells. I told them you can always tell where there are bears around by their scat (BM¢s), you find all these bells in it. For bathroom needs there was toilet seat covers, tightly rolled camping toilet paper, and a package that said campers toilet paper that turned out to be a 10 inch long pine cone-ouch. Then there was the blow-up doll that I was supposed to take on the trail-nope, not too embarrassing. Finally, there was a little Florida license plate with my trail name of Quest on it for me to put on my bag-very good. The bag is your lifeline so I assume it¢s rarely out of site. There were also many neat and sentimental cards that are very appreciated. Of course, you never know if they are happy to see you go or are happy you¢re going. They are a great group of people and I enjoy working with them a lot. It is part of what I will miss most on the trail.I had hoped to just decrease the time I spent seeing patients as a veterinarian so I would have time to get ready to hike on the AT. But it seemed there were always more things to do and not enough time to get it all done. So when we were fortunate enough to have another veterinarian join us at the practice, I decided to stop seeing patients and devote all my time getting myself, my equipment and my affairs in order so that I could hike the trail without putting a lot of extra work on all the other veterinarians. It seems they can do without me just fine. Just 18 days to go.Quest
Date: 2004-03-26
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

In 4 days I¢ll be headed to Georgia with 2 good friends ¢Skip and maybe Carol, who will be delivering me to Amicalola Falls on the 31st. Thanks a lot guys for getting me to the starting line. It¢s great to have friends you¢ve known for over 25 years. Friends make your life richer, fuller, and more complete and Carol and Skip surely fall into that class. It¢s a shame you can¢t do more things with them, spend more time together, or fully appreciate them until later in life. Anyway, I plan to hike to the top of Springer a week from Wednesday (31st) and start checking off the white blazes on Thursday April 1.So today I will lay out my pack and go over the things I still have to get, see what is needed and what can be eliminated. I still need to pack personal items like pills, shaving gear, tooth brush, nail trimmer, and some medical supplies. Guess I¢ll get my final clothes picked out then work on the cash, travelers checks, credit card, address book and where and how to carry them. I need to put together a checklist to make sure I¢ve got everything and then go over it a few more times.I start this final week at home with a lot of anxiety and uncertainty. It¢s an interesting time with emotions and feelings I haven¢t had for a long time-probably since going into the Army, or going away to college, or maybe when I moved away from my family in Indiana to Florida over 30 years ago. The transition will be from what is known to the unknown, from the routine of family and work life to the daily uncertain change of trail life. These are exciting, nervous times as I leave my comfort zone.I wonder what I¢ve forgotten to pack and how many things I don¢t need and will throw away or send home. I wonder how many things I won¢t get done or will forget I need to do. And maybe most of all, I wonder what lies ahead. If you want to see some amazing scenery and listen to some beautiful music you should check out the following site on wondering that was listed in a forum a few weeks ago http://wonderofitall.com. I hope to find such serenity on my journey over the next few weeks. Quest
Date: 2004-03-28
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

If you haven¢t seen a picture of the Appalachian Trail, this one should give you a good idea of its scope. The trail goes along the ridges of the Appalachian Mountains from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine and each year folks take about 6 months to hike it from one end to the other.Going from North to South has the disadvantage of having to cross a lot of streams filled with cold water from melting snow coming off of the mountains, then dealing with the invasion of vicious black flies and finally ending in the fall in Tennessee and Georgia in the middle of hunting season. When you leave from the south, you enjoy the longer spring and summer seasons and finish in the middle of the beautiful New England fall colors. You can understand why 90% of the hikers start in the spring from Springer Mountain.
Date: 2004-03-30
To: Springer Mountain
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

It seems when you tell others you plan to hike over 2000 miles and will spend 5 or 6 months eating mostly dry foods and sleeping in a tent, the question usually asked is why would you want to do that? The common thought is that everyone is out there for a reason, whether or not they know what it is. I¢m sure the answer is at least a little different for each person.For me, I think there are 2 reasons for hiking the Appalachian Trail at this time in my life. First, to find out what is out there. Second, to find out what is in here.I hope in the next 6 months to learn a lot about the Appalachian Mountains, about other people, and about myself. I hope to have a good idea about each of them by the time I get to Katahdin. It will be interesting to see if after over 2000 miles on the trail the questions have been answered or if that journey only leads to more questions.Tomorrow I leave the comfort of home and will stay in the little town of Dahlonega in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. My first step on the Appalachian Trail begins on Thursday. Thanks to everyone for all the good wishes and the great sendoffs. I¢ll keep you posted.
Date: 2004-03-31
From: Amicolola Falls State Park

To: Springer Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: light rain

Had a great trip with Skip to Amicolola Falls on Wed, 3/31 and weighed the pack in at 50 pounds, way too much but it seemed like I could need it all. We took some pictures and got on the approach trail (9 miles) at 9:30 with the day being chilly and cloudy. As I went up the mountain I could only go 20 to 40 feet at a time (depending on the height gain) and then had to rest to let my heart rate come down to normal. It seemed like forever and of course as you go up the mountain it gets colder. It was very, very hard to go up the mountain. It snowed 4 or 5 times before I got to the top of Springer and was very cold and coming down steady by the time I took some pictures of the plaque on the top of the mountain. I got to the shelter at about 4 and there were many people tenting with a couple in the upper deck and 2 other guys (Garcia and Steve) on the bottom floor where I put my tent liner and sleeping bag. I cooked a hot meal and turned in for the night. I stayed warm enough with 3 layers of clothing on inside my 20-degree sleeping bag but was wakened often by the howling wind and Garcia¢s snoring. I wasn't sure if the roof would be pulled off by the wind or pushed off by the snoring.
Date: 2004-04-01
From: Springer Mountain Shelter

To: Cooper Gap
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: broken clouds

4/1 Got up early but it was so cold I stayed in the bag until 8 and got on the trail about 8:30. A second cold and windy day but I had the right clothes so staying warm wasn't a problem, especially since you warm up a lot once you start hiking. It seems though, that they want you to go over the top of every mountain there is between Georgia and Maine. The vistas were great but after you see 3 or 4 you're ready to skip some of the scenery to save the legs. It was another tough climbing day that means you can't make much distance. You do run into some very interesting characters every day on the trail. I passed 3 70-ish ladies from Florida who were great characters. We joked around and they told me their trail names but said the 3 of them together were called the Florida Phew. I was hoping to be with them at the shelter but they were moving pretty slow and I went on. Went 11 miles today and I stayed at Coopers Gap (a dip between 2 mountains) with a couple and 2 others tenting on an unofficial tent site. As we were gathering wood for the fire I went up the mountain 100 feet and saw some Easter lilies that made me look closer. It was a site with some stones for a marker, surrounded by logs and had an old weathered stuffed toy in the center. I just wondered if someone had found a perfect (if unofficial) spot to place an infant lost to disease or hard times. It was warmer tonight but even though the wind howled most of the night I was warm and slept well.
Date: 2004-04-02
From: Cooper Gap

To: Woods Hole Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

4/2 I had a good day of hiking today. The trail started by going straight up for the first 45 minutes so I was happy to do 15 miles by the end of the day. We may have seen some bear scat (poop) on the trail but was so tired of going up I didn't even check it out to see what had been eaten. I caught up with a 71 y/o (Homeboy) who was a great hiker but had very poor equipment. He had only slept about 3 hours in the first 2 nights because his poor choice of gear allowed the cold to penetrate and the shivering kept him awake all night. We hiked well together and struggled to get to the next shelter. When we finally got to the spot it was almost dark and then found the shelter was .4 miles off the trail. When we got to the shelter it was on a knob and very cold and windy but at least we were the only ones there. We ate a hot meal and I set up my tent in the shelter while Homeboy slept on his pad in the sleeping bag since he was trying to sleep in a hammock. He was cold again in the AM and again got little sleep.
Date: 2004-04-03
From: Woods Hole Shelter

To: Strawberry Top
Miles today: 11.7

4/3 We got on the trail at 7:30 and got to a place to resupply at Neels Gap at 10:30 where Homeboy was going to spend a day or 2 and $500 or $600 dollars in new equipment. I had a coke and went on to try to get to Low Gap shelter, 10 more miles away. I caught up with 4 young gals hiking with 2 young guys and we all had fun hiking together. They were fresher and started at Neels Gap so got up the mountains quicker. We climbed one of the final mountains and talked for a while and I went on since they seemed to be in no hurry. I went to the bottom of that mountain onto a parking lot next to a road that curved around the next mountain where a truck was just pulling out of the lot. They backed up when they saw me and asked if I wanted some food and of course I eagerly said yes. The back of their truck was full of treats and drinks. I had some chips and a coke and they kept insisting I take more. As the others got there they too were excited by the trail angels and to be able get so many welcome treats. The couple were Craig and Sue from a church group who were on a mission to just help people and not to talk about religion. It was great and with a new look on life I put on the pack and started up and over the next mountain where it would hook up with the same road again. After a tough climb I got over the crest and was soon passed by the young folks skipping along without their pack. They were slack packing, walking without their packs to meet up with the truck on the other side of the mountain. I told them those nice folks were probably just plying them with those treats and talked them into carrying their bags and probably had them sorted thru and sold by now. They thought about it for a second and then we all had a good laugh. It's a little scary when you think that all you have for your survival is in that bag and you trust someone to carry it down the road for you. Of course the nice folks were there at the bottom of the hill. I was too tired to get to the next shelter so I camped by myself at a nice clearing on a cool but beautiful place. Started a nice fire, had a good hot meal, and started sleeping until the wind started howling at about 11 pm at night. The wind sounds like a tornado going thru the trees and I wondered if the tent should have been staked or even if it would hold together-it did great.