morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-05-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Now that a couple of days have passed since we completed this section hike, I've had some time to reflect on the experience and think through some of the lessons learned. More importantly, As a result of this hike, I'm completely rethinking whether Curly and I will attempt a 2018 thru hike of the AT. I will share some thoughts on that in a future post, because I'm still working through my thoughts...for now, here are a few post-hike lessons learned:1.  "The Trail" Runs The Show! I am a control freak and love to plan; when things don't go my way or I feel out of control, I tend to stress out. The trail is in charge, not me. Hikers are bound by the circumstances they find themselves in, whether that is weather related, circumstantial, or physical. I gotta accept and roll with whatever the trail gives...good, bad or otherwise. Flexibility is so important...bend but don't break!2.  Don't Overdue It (pace yourself). I've written this before but it bears repeating, because my body is my only means of transportation and if I wreck it, that has a negative impact on the experience. We planned for hiking 8 days and on day 2 decided to make it in 7. That meant upping our mileage significantly for the remainder of the week. We did two 20 mile plus days and at the end, Curlys knees were in great pain. I was hurting at night, having a difficult time sleeping. Fortunately nothing serious, but I must be patient and listen to my body.3.  Don't be Proud (take advantage of resources available). Use the hostels and waysides and stores available to supplement food and comfort. Why bring more food in the pack when I can travel lighter, eat better, and sleep more comfortably utilizing the available resources? It's going to cost more to do this and that's the trade off. For us, one evening in the middle of our hike, after 3 days of rain, to sleep dry in a lodge made all the difference in our fun factor.4.  Staying Warm is More Important than not Being Wet. I give credit to this one from Slip N Slide, a 2016 SOBO we met and hiked with early in our trip. You are going to be wet every single day you are hiking. Period. So hike warm rather than worrying about dry and your comfort level goes exponentially up. It might mean carrying more warm clothes but that is going to be extra weight well carried.Curly and I have a July trip planned where we will be hiking the AT in Vermont. After that I will make a decision about the 2018 AT hike...stay tuned for more and thanks for following our journey!
Date: 2017-06-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I'm astounded that it has been a month since my last entry ( not like my fan base has been clamoring for more...)Curly and I are less than a week from our next adventure. We are heading back to New England to celebrate the 4th of July with family, then a day at Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine, then heading out to Vermont for a 4 day hike on the AT.So here's the plan...we will drive from Bar Harbor to Hanover, NH and drop the car at Dartmouth College...someplace. Then we are going to catch a Greyhound from Hanover to Killington, VT where we hope to stay at the Inn at Long Trail before setting out for four days back to the car. We shall see just how well this plan comes together.In the meantime, we have lots of packing to do, and we are also bringing Curlys mom with us to New England to visit her siblings while we hike. That will be an adventure in itself!Stay tuned for more epic adventures of Force Flex and Curly!
Date: 2017-07-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Pre-hike Fun!All the touristy fun finally ended on Thursday. Curly and I spent Wednesday at Acadia National Park and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful coast of Maine. We packed up for a three hundred plus mile drive to Vermont. The plan at that time was to drive to Killington via Hanover and try to meet up there with thru hiker "That Guy" who we met in Shenandoah NP. Missed him by a few hours so ate a late lunch at Lou's and headed to Killington.With reservations at the Inn at Long Trail, we got ourselves settled in late in the day and got ourselves a nice meal before calling it a day. With 8.5 miles of Vermont trails and mountains waiting for us in the morning, we called it an early night, looking forward to the next few days ahead.
Date: 2017-07-07
From: Inn at Long Trail

To: Stony brook Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 1 - Killington to Stonybrook Shelter, 8.6 miles including spur trail from Long Trail Inn to AT.Got up with the chickens and had a great breakfast that comes with staying at the Inn. Curly and I were packed and hiking by 845am. The first several miles were wonderful and so were the sites! With mild ups and plenty of duff on the trail, it was a great start to the day. We passed through Gifford Woods State Park and Kent Pond and Mountain Meadows Lodge...just wonderful hiking. But all good things certainly come to an end.Quimby mountain lay in front of us, and while the elevation wasn't all that tough, the terrain and humidity kicked our butts big time! We both dragged ourselves up a mountain that never seemed to end. Didn't help that it was our first time out since SNP in late May but Curly and I both struggled. Nobos were passing us like they were strolling in the mall! We just put one foot in front of the other and kept moving.Finally we hit Stony Brook Shelter mid afternoon and decided that 8.1 AT miles would be sufficient for today. The plan is to hike into Hanover either late Monday or early Tuesday. Either way we have the time to spare so why not stop and smell the roses.Tent is up, cooking dinner soon, and expecting rain all day tomorrow but we all know that rain is part of the experience.Thrilled to be out here, just living the dream!
Date: 2017-07-08
From: Stonybrook Shelter

To: Dana Hill
Miles today: 0.0

Day 2 - Stony Brook Shelter to Dana Hill stealth camp. 13.6 milesAs we were going to bed in our tent last night, 3 section hikers staying in the shelter yelled several times in the night "get outta here!" My first thought was a bear, then I talked myself into it being a raccoon, then finally convinced myself it was just the mice...We got up at 5am and started breaking camp and preparing breakfast at our tent site. Curly and I were having a cup of coffee and eating our power bar when I looked to my left and a bear had his head buried in Curly's backpack, not 3 feet from us! I yelled at it and it took off like a scared dog, but only about 30 feet, and wouldn't budge. Just staring at us licking its chops...and Curly had nothing in her backpack! I threw a rock and kept on yelling...finally 2 other hikers came over and when the bear saw the crowd, it bolted. Turns out this shelter has had a problem with this bear showing no fear and going right into camp. Which is what the guys in the shelter were yelling at the night before! All this excitement and we hadn't even started walking yet!Turns out that the day was a overcast, then wet, then sunny, then wet again! Vermont can't make up its mind on the weather but sure knows how to cut a beautiful trail. Honestly, I understand why it's called "Vermud", but the trails are well maintained and the scenery is incredible. Curly and I both simply marvel at the beauty of this land and thoroughly enjoyed the day, except at the end trying to find a stealth spot in the pouring rain. We actually found a spot in hearing distance of the local town, who waited out the rain and blew up their fireworks that evening along with a band playing. We fell asleep to the sounds of a good old Fourth of July hoedown.
Date: 2017-07-09
From: Dana Hill

To: Woods Road Stream
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 3 - Dana Hill to Woods Road Stream stealth site. 14.6 milesWe decided to finish this hike by noon on Monday, so we upped our miles yesterday and today to get within 7 or so miles on Monday. We woke up to a gorgeous day and decided to make the most of it. With Curly leading the way, we put on some good miles early on, and the views did not disappoint! We have hiked this trip through forests, meadows, cow pastures, and got the first time, road walking! We also got our first ever trail magic! We crossed a stream at route 12, and on the other side was a container full of sodas. Curly and I split a root beer and it tasted pretty darn good. Many thanks to the kind trail angel.Another highlight of this trip has been meeting all the thru hikers. NOBOs and SOBOs are flying through this area, all focused in the end game. For those headed to Katahdin, you can see and hear that this trip has been an epic adventure for them...for those traveling south, they've been through the really tough stuff and are dialing in just ramping up the miles. It's a blessing to meet and talk with these folks; they inspire Curly and I to do the same some day.We have about 7.5 miles to Hanover tomorrow and we go back to being tourists. This section really has been one of a kind!
Date: 2017-07-10
From: Woods Road Stream

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day 4 - Woods Rd Stream to Hanover. 7.5 miles Today we wrapped up our hike and are hogging a bench in the green at Dartmouth, waiting on a bus to take us back to Killington. We began the day up at 5 am and hiking by 6am. We wanted to get to Happy Hill Shelter last night but us old folks ran out of steam. We stealth camped at a beautiful site along a noisy stream that serenaded us to sleep. Of course we woke up to the prospect of one final climb of the trip. Morning is definitely our best time to hike...we fade hard in the afternoons.Amazingly, we hiked those miles in 4 hours, unheard of but I guess the knowledge of being finished plus town food is like a tractor beam that pulls you in. On our way into town we met a SOBO named Scout. He is hiking the AT to finish up the Triple Crown! Such a delightful guy and very gracious. He and his wife Frodo live in San Diego and host literally hundreds of PCT hikers as they begin their journey north. What a blessing to meet someone like that! And speaking of trail angels, I think we passed at least 3 coolers of drinks and goodies for hikers. We split a water and a snickers. It feels weird as a section hiker to enjoy trail magic that thru hikers have "earned", someday we hope to these these totally gracious and unconditional acts of kindness on our own thru hike.All in all, a spectacular 4 days in the trail, one more entry coming soon with lessons learned
Date: 2017-07-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Curly and I have been thinking through what we learned about this hike.  For what it's worth, here you go:1.  What's your plan B?  I forgot to bring a lighter with me, and as I use a Sno Peak stove with piezo lighter, should be no big deal right?  Wrong!  My piezo lighter came off the stove on day 2 and I couldn't reattach.  Without a lighter, I had to jury rig the piezo, which fortunately worked, but if it hadn't...we would have been discovering the joys of stoveless meals.  A little more attention to detail on my part would have been smart.  Some things probably need a backup.2.  The name of the game is Perseverance, not Pace.  There were a ton of thru hikers on the trail, heading in both directions.  The young ones heading north like us would fly by each day...and inevitably at the end of the day, we would find that we had caught up to them!  We are early risers and day long hikers, which makes up for lack of speed.  We learned that all we need to do is be steady and persistent...the miles will work themselves out.3.  Stop and smell the Wildflowers.  I mentioned in an earlier post that the beauty of this trip was remarkable...and it bears repeating again.  Why?  Because we took time to enjoy it; to make memories in it, and that takes time as well.  But some thing are worth taking your time over.  Hiking should not be a foot race, and this trip for us was one of a kind!
Date: 2017-07-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Curly and I have decided that we will not be hiking the AT in 2018. Our two hikes this summer, Shenandoah National Park and Killington to Hanover, have led us to two conclusions that have led to this decision. First, we need to be able to hike our own hike, and for us, that will mean that we hike on our terms, at our pace, and on our timeline. A 7 month sabbatical is incredibly generous, and I'm exceptionally grateful to my leadership for generously giving me the time. But I will always have the end date hanging over my head, and it will be best for us both if I am retired when we go on this adventure. Lord willing, we will both be healthy enough when the time is right. We are still young...fingers are crossed.Second, and related to the first reason, we have Curlys mom living with us, and has for the past 3 years. Her health has declined significantly in the past year, so much so that leaving her alone is out of the question. We had hoped that part time caregiving would be a viable option when we first made the decision to go in 2018. It just isn't feasible right now.We are disappointed for sure, but also hopeful that the opportunity will still be there in a couple of years. The good news is that the AT isn't going anywhere, and there are plenty of trails to be hiking. If we can swing it, we hope to hike the Long Trail in 2018. It's a small compromise, but it's still hiking.We are going to move our journal over to the Long Trail 2018 section. Check us out if you care to, and many thanks to all the folks we have had the privilege of meeting and a sharing the common love for the AT.
Date: 2017-10-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I can't believe I'm actually doing this...but here we go (again)! Curly and I are going to try and make a thru hike in 2019. We planned on 2018, I had approval from work for a sabbatical, and after we hiked SNP this past May, we realized that we needed more flexibility than a hike in 2018 would allow. So...we are pushing the hike out one year and think we can get all of our ducks in a row. Stay tuned as we share our misadventures for all to see! We are cautiously optimistic and look forward to seeing things unfold.
Date: 2017-11-25
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

With family members in the house over Thanksgiving, we missed the "opt outside" mania yesterday, so decided to make up for it today. We headed to the Palmetto Trail Lynch's Woods passage in Newberry, about 20 mins from home. It was actually our first visit there which was a suprise given how close it was to the house.This was a last minute decision, and we went without paper maps, which I hate to do. Fortunately, we had cell service and used what was online. And a good thing we did. The trail is only three miles long, but it does not loop back to the parking area, so we had to jump on a couple of equestrian trails (watch your step!), as well as some road walking. Turned out that we ended doing a leisurely 5 miles, and with cool weather, it made for a great morning. One thing for sure, there was very little signage, absolutely no blazes, and with the leaves off trees, the trail was a challenge to follow. Which actually was great as it forced Curly and I to pay heed to what we were doing. Very much different from the easy hiking of the AT!!All in all, a great day hiking new territory. I think I'll give the Palmetto Trail Conservatory folks a call and see about doing some trail maintenance in that section.
Date: 2017-12-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

I am embarassed to share that once again, Curly and I are back "on" for a 2018 thru hike! For those who have kept up with us, we shared back in March that I was given a sabbatical at work for a 2018 thru hike. Then we tackled Shenandoah National Park in late May, and after that, I was very concerned that our timing was not right, for a number of reasons. Hiking a large chunk of the AT in Vermont in July confirmed, at least in my mind, that we should postpone. So that's what we did. Fast forward several months later and both of us get the feeling that maybe we are making a big mistake. After all, we ain't getting any younger, and the truth is that there will never be a perfect time to do this. There will always be a reason not to. Then I receive a great email from El Vago, who thru hiked this year, and a wonderful guy we met in SNP. He read we weren't going forward and his note challenged us to reconsider our decision. That impacted me greatly, and so I went back to my boss and told him if it was ok, I would like to resume planning for 2018, just pushing my departure back to mid April. He was extremely gracious and said yes...so here we are, with 4 months to go!As we restart all of our plans that were either abandoned or put on hold, I must say that I'm kind of glad that we are this close to the starting line with just a little time to prepare. It will certainly keep us both busy, and I don't doubt April will arrive in no time. We look forward to experiencing this once in a lifetime adventure, and sharing it with you.
Date: 2017-12-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Curly and I decided not to give gifts to each other this year, but to give "experiences". Last week we saw the Trans Siberian Orchestra (check that off my bucket list), and this week we headed up to Hendersonville for a weekend getaway. Amongst all the great food and very cool AirBnB we stayed at, we also spent all of Friday morning hiking the Carl Sandburg estate in Flat Rock. If you are ever in the area and have your trail runners on, I highly recommend it.The homestead is actually part of the national park system, and there are several miles of hiking trails on the 245 acre estate. Remarkable views, at least in winter, and two mountains to hike...little Glassy mountain and Glassy Mountain. Just being out was incredible, but the area had been blanketed with snow a week earlier, so the place was a wonderland. We decided not to take day packs or sticks, Just head out. Crisp and cool, we put one foot in front of the other and enjoyed the day. Reaching the top of Glassy Mountain, we turned around and taking a different trail, eventually wound down the mountain and found ourselves at the Sandburg homestead. Ended up hiking 4.5 miles...not too bad for a morning out. We meandered our way back to the truck and ate our lunch inside the cab with the heat blasting. For those of us who live in the South, a 32 degree day is a bit nippy :-)All in all a great day to a great weekend!
Date: 2017-12-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, we have finished telling our family about this hare brained scheme to thru hike the AT this coming spring...our friends know...work mates have been informed...and not too suprisingly, nobody seems to be caught off guard. Of course we were on again, off again in the spring, but we hadn't gone public at that time either. It's out now!Of course now the realities set in and the doubts appear in those quiet moments when I ask myself, "what in the wide wide world of sports are you doing?" In spite of the fact that we have several hundred miles of trail under our belts, from the Approach Trail to Franconia Ridge, and I'm reasonably confident in our skill set and desire, it's the unknowns and the unaccounted fors that will come creeping back in to my brain. But none of that matters, right...'cause we have no control over those things, whatever they may be.This is going to be great!
Date: 2018-01-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I've been procrastinating inserting my gear into the journal. Well, it's a Wednesday night and Survivor is over so with nothing else to do, I do not have any excuse to delay any further. If you are interested, go on over to the gear list and take a look. Curlys gear list is not posted, that's up to her :-)
Date: 2018-02-01
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Curly and I are right about at the 9 week mark before this journey begins. As word has gotten out, the conversations have been quite interesting. Pretty much everyone has shown a lot of support and excitement...and the fact that we will be sharing this trip on multiple social media platforms provides a way for those who are interested to be included in this journey with us. The more the merrier! Curly and I don't take for granted the fact that this trip really is a gift, because I'm not retiring, this is a leave of absence. The church I serve in and its leadership are incredibly supportive, as are all of the incredible staff members who will be sharing my duties while gone.What has been really interesting to me has been simply checking off the extensive "to do" list. For every three items checked, we add another item! If we weren't hiking as a couple, the list would be greatly diminished, but with no one to tend to the home fires, well, we have to contract that as well. It's been fun, and certainly an exercise in logistics planning, but we are getting there. Medical and Dental checkups...house sitter...dog sitter...mother in law sitter...lawn care...trash pickup...bills on auto pay...list of support system personnel and contractors in place on speed dial...goodness what a monster! And as each task is checked off, a little bit more excitement for what lays ahead.All that being said, my last day at work is April 8th, and our hope is that grandson Ayden is born by then...off to Springer to step off some time between 9-13 April. We are hoping for a few forecasted days of decent weather to begin this hike, that might impact our decision as well.
Date: 2018-02-11
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light intensity drizzle

Up to now, I have hesitated posting my gear because with under 2 months to stepping off, it seems like a long time to make public what could very well change in 8 weeks.  It¢s so easy to get wrapped around the axle counting ounces and predicting weather.  Money doesn¢t grow on the trees in my back yard but that doesn¢t seem to be a deterrent.  Having said that, there is a point where ounces cut to dollars paid out become quite unbalanced...like spending $350.00 to save 19 ounces.  Hmmm, that¢s about $30 bucks an ounce.  At this point in the game, I think I¢ll take a pass and live with the gear I already have.  So whatcha see is what I¢m taking.  With a base weight of 15.6 lbs, I think this will get me started down the trail quite nicely.
Date: 2018-02-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Curly has been working hard to get her base weight to a manageable level.  Having said that, she also is pretty cold blooded which translates to warm clothes which translates to more weight. So the gear shift game begins.  Fortunately, I carry all of our tent and cook systems which makes a difference.  What you see in the pic is just over 15 pounds which isn¢t too bad.  She will carry her own food so I¢m thinking 22-24 lbs.  since we aren¢t starting till close to mid April, I¢m also thinking that once we hit Hot Springs we will both be able to ditch some cold weather gear.  Truth is, even if we begin with total weight of 25lbs or less, we will be in great shape!
Date: 2018-02-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Curly Turtle and I continue to check off our "to do" list...never thought there would be so many details to attend to. Friday night we connected with our amazing trail bosses, the ones at home handling all of our logistics. Ed and Lisa will not only be watching out for us while we are gone, but they are also shuttling us down to Springer in April. We had our house sitter over on Sunday and worked out all the details with caring for house and dog. Curly has put together list after list of contact info, and in a brief moment of "what do I do now?"... I divided up my AWOL guide into 4 sections. Gram weenie I guess.I don't know if others are going to such lengths, I know for us, a little bit of front end organization will make the trail a whole lot more enjoyable and the stress will come from the things I can't control, rather than the things I can control and failed to. Either way, we are under 7 weeks and we are both chomping at the bit!