morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-01-01
To: Dates are all set
Miles today: 0.0

The above photo was taken last Sunday. I was checking out the road approach to Springer Mountain so I will have no trouble finding it next month. Well, Sunday was one of those beautiful early winter days where there were icicles hanging from the rocks but the sun was warm and the views went on forever. I don't know what it is but Springer seems to have a magical quality. I would swear that the mountain called out to me. It is hard to describe the feeling of being on that summit. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay there until it was time to start my hike. I guess I just have a bad case of Springer Fever. Two months from now that fever will probably change to frostbite!The plan: I (along with Bearbag Hanger)will be at Amicalola on Feb 27th and 28th. On the 29th we will either be driven to Springer or will do the approach trial (depends on road conditions and weather). We will sleep on Springer and start heading north early on March 1st. First day we hope to make it to Justice Creek. After that, no plans - just wing it...
Date: 2004-01-01
To: Getting in shape
Miles today: 0.0

This photo is to show some of the beauty of early morning hiking here in South Florida. I have been trying to do as much hiking as I can find time for. While these hikes won't get me in shape to climb mountains, they will toughen my feet and give me a little extra endurance. Besides, I've never met a hike I didn't like...Today I hiked the annual Hickory Hammock Holiday Hike just north of Lake Okeechobee. I picked some grapefruit and oranges along the way and even loaded up my backpack with oranges just to add some weight. We don't really have rocks here in South Florida so we have to improvise. Besides, rocks aren't as tasty or refreshing as oranges...especially after a nine mile hike. I plan to do some more hiking this Sat & Sun. I have only 60 days to get in shape. But who's counting?
Date: 2004-01-04
To: Getting ready
Miles today: 0.0

57 days to go and yes, I am getting anxious. I have been reading other journals and reviewing gear lists. I don't think I'll change much since I did fine with what I carried in 2002 (If it ain't broke, don't fix it). I may just bring some extra clothing, as it will be colder starting this early. I have decided to head up to Amicalola on the 26th of Feb to have some extra time to hang around and maybe do some pre-hike trail magic (possible shuttles to the trail head maybe). I got out today and hiked ten miles and yesterday I did about seven hours of trail maintenance. If working on trails won't get you into shape, I don't know what will. It is a little hot (as in 80+ degrees) for this time of the year so I guess I will have to find a large icebox to exercise in so I can get used to the cold. I starting to think about all the things I need to get in order before I leave. Income taxes and storage and other misc. baggage to address. Once I start hiking I don't want to be bothered with any concerns from the "real world". I have seen too many potential thru-hikes end because of pressures from home. Till next time,LWOP (Pronounced El Wop)
Date: 2004-01-05
To: Change in start date
Miles today: 0.0

My plans have changed. I tried to book a room at Amicalola but ran into a little snafu. I was told that they were booked on Friday night Feb 27th. So, I asked if I could book a room for Thurs and Sat. "No" we only book weekends as a Friday and Saturday combo. Now think about that a little. If you can only book Friday with Saturday how can they have rooms available on Saturday but not Friday? Impossible. And besides that, if Friday is booked, why are they worried about not booking Saturday? Maybe Bill Bryson wasn't totally wrong...Anyway, I decided that it looks like there will be too big a crowd leaving Springer on March 1st. In spite of the fact that Feb 28th sounds so much colder than March 1st, I am moving my start date to the 28th. What a major sacrifice!!! I get to start my hike two days earlier... Can't wait to get on the trail so I am finished with all the details and planning. I hate to plan - if I weren't Lwop, I'd have to be called Wingit.Didn't get to hike today but will be doing about 12 miles on Wednesday. Next week I will be heading up to north-central Florida and will do some hiking. There are more hills up that way and some really beautiful trails. As soon as my wife forgives me for going on this hike I will have to tell her of my plans to thru-hike the Florida Trail...Lwop
Date: 2004-01-31
To: 28 Days to go!
Miles today: 0.0

Twenty-eight days until my departure from Springer Mountain. Am I ready yet? Not even close! I still haven't worked out my mail drops and haven't started doing my taxes. Plenty to do over the next few weeks.I have been working on getting my gear ready and just got back yesterday from a six day (approximately 72 mile) backpacking trip. All the gear worked fine but I didn't get to test it in cold weather. The temp never got below 40 degrees. I carried a lot of water and extra clothes just to get used to a heavier pack. I was probably at about 40 pounds with three liters of water and four days of food. That is a little heavier than I want when I leave Springer. With the possibility of snow and very cold temps, I'm not sure I can do much better. My new five-degree down bag arrived and it looks like a keeper. It smells so fresh and new that it will be a shame to place my slimy, stinky, hiker trash body into it. I guess I can protect it by wearing a shirt and pants when I sleep. I remember how my sleeping bag smelled after five or six hundred miles on my last hike¢¦ The six-day (Ocean to Lake) hike was a little tough on my equipment. I managed to puncture two Thermarests. I did some emergency repairs on one and it seems to have worked. Makes me feel better about carrying that patch kit for about 1500 miles. There are vines that grow in Florida that look just like barbed wire. It jumps out of the trees and wraps around your ankles like a snake. The silence of the swamp is suddenly broken by a very loud "YeeeeOooowww! SON OF A BITCH!!!"      But the beauty of our trails and the fact that you can hike them in January make up for the few hardships it throws at you.Speaking of the Ocean to Lake Hike, I got to spend some time with a few other long distance hikers including Bearbag Hanger and Hammock Hanger. There were lots of stories told of adventures on the A/T and lots of talk about bodily functions. Talk that only long distance hikers seem to appreciate and enjoy. We were even going to have an armpit stink contest when the hike was finished. I'm quite sure I would have won if only we could find someone willing to judge the contest.I have to go unpack my gear and get it dried out and cleaned. And patch another sleeping pad. So until next time, happy trails.LWOP
Date: 2004-02-07
To: Almost ready
Miles today: 0.0

Received an order from Campmor and am now waiting for delivery from 2 other outfitters. I had resealed my tent during my OTL backpacking trip only to have it all peel off within a week. A warning to all - seam grip does not bond to a silicone-impregnated tent. I ordered some Silnet and will redo the tent when it arrives. Major decisions made this week.1. Go with a film camera as opposed to a digital.2. Stick with the Marmot Pecip jacket and not a Packa.3. Not line my backpack with a contractor trash bag. I sealed the seams but have to find a way to make the bag more waterproof. Water seeps through the material. The bag has a waterproof zipper but that doesn't help when the H2O gets through anyway.4. I will use a water resistant compression sack with my 5 degree sleeping bag - total weight of both exactly 3 pounds.5. I am going to bring 16" gaiters. They will be sent home after the threat of heavy snow is over.I will prepare a gear list and post it here when I get a chance. And yes, I did finish my taxes. So right now, it's only the calendar between me and my hike.BJC
Date: 2004-02-10
To: What's new
Miles today: 0.0

Last night I did a slide presentation of my 2002 hike. Man, did it ever bring back memories. I was able to rattle off names of shelters I stayed in almost two years ago, names of streams, creeks, flowers, etc. I can't even remember what's on my honey-do-list from this morning... But about AT - that's a different story. Seeing my photos only made me more anxious to start my hike. For the presentation, I packed my backpack and dressed, as I would when I head out in two weeks. I took the opportunity to weigh my pack and it came in at exactly 30 pounds (with 2 quarts of water, a pint of fuel, and four days of food). I know there will be some last minute additions but I'm confident it'll still be under 32 pounds when I'm begin my hike. I have everything I should need to be quite comfortable yet still have kept it to a very manageable weight.Getting back to the slide presentation, anyone who knows me knows that I hate (fear) public speaking. I would rather face a pissed off bear then get up in front of a crowd and give a talk. Well this crowd was so into the photos and my stories that I quickly became relaxed and actually enjoyed the experience. It was fun to relive my hike and share it with others. I'm sure I planted a thru-hike seed in a number of the people in attendance. So, two years later, and two weeks before my next big adventure, I'm still reaping the benefits of my '02 hike.Some advice for future hikers - take a good camera and a lot of photos and share your experience with others.
Date: 2004-02-11
To: Whud hapend to da hair?
Miles today: 0.0

OK everybody. Have your big laugh and get it over with. As you can see I went to the barber today and had a hairemovalectomy. Almost totally bald. I am ready for and up to handling the abuse. Go ahead, ask which end is up. Laugh. Sniker. Have your fun. I can't blame you. I went into the bathroom to check it out and jumped back and turned the light back off. I guess it'll take some getting used to. Besides, who do I have to impress? I can now wash my hair with a baby wipe. I guess I'd better bring double the amount from last trip. It sure takes guts!Quote: We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey. Kenji Miyazawa
Date: 2004-02-17
To: Busy day
Miles today: 0.0

One week from today I'll be in the truck heading toward Springer. So what have I been doing to keep myself busy? The last few days I resealed all my equipment, tent, stuff sacks, boots, etc. I even washed my raingear and now it smells sooooo good. Not for long though - I don't want to smell like a day hiker.    The doorbell hasn't stopped ringing today. First it was FedEx with my new digital camera. I will be going digital after all. I think this has been the hardest decision I've made for this trip. I guess it is time to retire the slide projector and join the digital era. Anyway, I will be taking a brand new Olympus Stylus 400 with four 256MB cards and two batteries. At the highest quality I will be able to shoot 360 photos before I have to download them to a computer. I will be mailing them home and having them shipped back to me in my mail drops. The process for downloading them to the computer is very easy and fast using an Olympus card reader.   Then my new Yacktrax Pro boot chains arrived. Or rather what looks like tire chains for your boots. There is about six ounces I will be happy to ship home as soon as the weather warms a bit. I don't know how they will hold up but I'm hoping I will not have much need for them.   Then it was UPS with my spare battery and XD media cards for the camera.The change to this camera (even if I carry the battery charger) will save me about seven ounces and allow me to shoot pictures even if it is raining out.   I stopped by my old place of employment today to say goodbye to old friends. They still can't believe I am really doing this. Oh, and yes, they did get a big laugh when I took my hat off. I damn near blinded them. I should come in after a week on the trail - before taking a shower - and see who laughs at who.   My wife will write some of the postings you will be reading. If you see the initials BJC at the bottom you will know I am not responsible for the contents of the posting. If any photos of naked male hikers show up you better not blame me... Nah, she wouldn't do that to me... I guess I better be nice to her and remember to call her on a regular basis.   Please feel free to sign the guest book. If you have any questions about my hike or hiking in general, feel free to contact me. I'll try my best to answer all mail.   Till next time,LwopOn the road to life there are many paths... some twist, some turn, some dip, some curve. As long as you keep your focus, your destination is obtainable. Brenda Good
Date: 2004-02-20
To: My bags are packed, I'm ready to go
Miles today: 0.0

Well, today it was time to get off my butt and make things happen. I have had gear from one end of the house to the other. The wife has been very patient about it in spite of the fact that you can't walk from room to room without tripping over something. Even the cats are getting tired of the mess and they want their couch back. Or at least an empty space on the floor.    I have to laugh about it though. If I weighed all the backpacking gear that I have, I would need a truck scale and maybe two trucks to bring it there. The true challenge is in filtering through all that "stuff" and coming out with only what is absolutely necessary. And keeping it in the 30 -35 pound range.      As I was sorting the mess, I tried some of the old gear to see if it was still in working order. Had to tear down my old Wisperlite stove and rebuild it to get it working. Can't store a non-functional gas stove so I did the repairs and tested it out. I almost melted the screening on the porch when that flame thrower shot flames into the sky. Now I remember why I use an alcohol stove¢¦ I'll bet that after the "Tool Man Tim" repairs I made, that stove could boil a pot of water in less than three seconds. Hey, the twenty firemen were impressed. And I am glad that I cut off all my hair last week. I hate the smell of melting hair¢¦   Next on the agenda for today - I got my pack weight down around 30 - 35 pounds (w/food & water), but now the bounce box weighs about¢¦well¢¦err¢¦lets just say its about the weight of my thirty foot travel trailer. I don't really use a bounce box. I use a small duffel bag with a padlock on the zipper. After I take out what I need I put the next address label on it and lock it and ship it on. Saves trees but herniates postal employees. There are always tradeoffs in life and since all postal employees are aliens I don't feel so bad. I may add some wheels and handles to help me get it to the Post Office - maybe a 350 Cat diesel with six speed Allison tranny.    All the tough decisions have been made and I will be moving pretty much on autopilot from here out. Next hurdle is the emotional part of the hike. Saying goodbye and setting out on the trail. The first day is especially tough for those left behind. By the second day they probably forget your name. And by the third day the party is just starting to swing. All kidding aside, it will be an emotional time for all concerned. I think that is why Springer Mountain seem to be such a magical place - it is the result and the lingering presence of all the emotions that have been spent on that unpretentious mound of dirt and rock.    Well, one week from now I will be sleeping on Springer Mountain - living a dream that has been a part of me since I was about ten years old. I hope to be comfortably tucked into my sleeping bag dreaming up new challenges to face after Katahdin.   "Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough". Charles Dudley Warner
Date: 2004-02-26
To: Snow at Amicalola
Miles today: 0.0

The word for today: ¢Snow¢. Today (Thursday) it snowed on and off most of the day today and now it is coming down at a pretty good clip. I am roasty toasty warm enjoying my stay here at the lodge. Tomorrow I will be trudging through snow that may reach 8 inches deep and sleeping in a tent on top of Springer Mountain. It should be fun and I think it is a wonderful way to start off. Anyway, we got out early today and like a bunch of kids started throwing snowballs at each other. We took a long walk from the lodge to the visitor¢s center and then came back along the falls trail. On the way back we stopped and made a snowman and enjoyed the beauty of the falls and the mountains covered with fresh fallen snow. It gave me a chance to test out some of my gear and all was completely satisfactory. My feet stayed dry and warm and I was quite comfortable in spite of the windy cold weather. I spent a couple of hours going through my backpack to drop some of the weight. I had hoped to keep it in the 35 pound range with food and water. I was a good 5 or 6 pounds over that. I discarded some food and clothes and am probably at about 38 pounds now. Some additional gear will go home after the weather improves in about a month or so. One of the thru-hikers who signed in at the visitor¢s center headed up to Springer with a 75 pound pack! I wish him luck.It is hard to describe the excitement of starting an endeavor of such magnitude. I have waited so long for this. I have a lot to do tonight and want to get a good nights sleep so I will be keeping this entry short. Y¢all take care. Thanks for stopping by¢¦.Lwop
Date: 2004-02-27
To: Can't sleep
Miles today: 0.0

It is 3:30AM and I guess I might as well give up on sleeping. So I figured I would add one short entry in the journal. Besides, I didn't want to jinx myself by having 13 entries in the Preparation catagory. I also wanted an excuse to post this picture of the beautiful snowwoman I made yesterday. I'm sure you northerners are thinking "big deal, a snowman". Well, living in Florida I just don't get to play in the snow very often. In fact I never get to play in the snow. I will probably tire of it real soon when I am up in the mountains living in it full time. Actually, looking out the window now it doesn't look like too much fell last night. That is a good thing as it means I will be able to drive almost to the top of Springer and start my hike from there in stead of doing the approach trail. We plan to have lunch at the summit before the wife departs and leaves me stranded 800 miles from home. And trust me, the AT is a long way from Boca - in many ways.So, the transformation begins today. I will become Lwop and shed the old identity. I'll keep you posted whenever I can.Bye for now...
Date: 2004-02-28
From: Springer Mountain

To: Horse Gap
Miles today: 10.0

Hi I'm Bonnie LWOP's wife. He asked me to log in his journal about his AT hike. I'm am going to write his night on Springer Mountain and his first days hike on the same day because the journal website is not letting me do two separate days. Anyway, we stopped at the Amicalola visitor center for the traditional weigh in. After alot of work the pack weighed in at 38lbs. A little heavy, but certainly manageable. Bonnie, Bea,Bearbag Hanger and I headed out on a muddy and snowy FS42 and started hiking about 11am. The trail was slushy and muddy with temps in the low 30's but rising steadily. Signed the log at Springer Mountain and took alot of photos. We then headed to the shelter and had a nice lunch and chatted with the caretaker "Gizmo" about LNT. Seems we knew many of the same hikers from prior years. After lunch I walked the ladies back to the truck and had a beer with Bea to toast my hike. Bonnie is the designated driver and had to behave. After the understandably emotional goodbyes, I watched as she drove down the dirt road. As Bearbag Hanger and I waited for Jack, PO, Dennis the temp was dropping as fast as the sun. We took a walk up to the summit and back. The crew showed up carrying all kinds of goodies. Steak, potatoes, salad, cheesecake, etc. A wonderful feast. Hikers were arriving even after sunset. I think they smelled the food. It is now considerably below freezing, but now that I'm in my sleeping bag it's not to bad. There are about 9 of us here tonight. Lots of stars and no clouds. Looks like nice weather to start our hike. I need to hibernate now to warm up. Goodnight. LWOP9:00pm- temp~30.Plus-Good companions and lots of laughs.Minus-Can't think of any except mud.1st day of hike out of Springer.Up at 7am for a beautiful sunrise. Didn't sleep well as usual. Lots of snoring in the shelter. Walked to summit and enjoyed the view. What a perfect day to start this hike. Sunny with temps rising into the 50's. Breakfast of oatmeal and fresh coffee. Headed out over nicely sloped trail-all downhill. Stopped for a snack at Stover Creek Shelter and later insisted we take the blue blaze trail to Long Creek Falls, which was pretty nice. I was told by some to make sure I took the time to smell the flowers. Got to Hawk Mtn Shelter about 2pm and decided to have dinner. Ate mashed garlic potatoes with bacon bits, some cheese. Loaded up on water and headed out again. We reached Horse Gap about 4:30 and the others seemed spent. Set up tents and hung bear bags-not without some excitement. The food bags were so heavy it pulled the dead tree out of the ground. Would be a funny video. Another hiker(Robert) built a fire and we sat around telling jokes. It doesn't get much better. Cold clear night with moon and stars. Cold hands trying to write. LWOP
Date: 2004-02-29
From: Horse Gap

To: Granny Top Mountain
Miles today: 12.2

Broke camp early and headed to Justice Creek for breakfast. First had to climb Sassafras and Justice Mtns. They were not nearly so bad as I remembered them. Stopped at the new Gooch Mtn. Shelter. Nice shelter-signed register and moved on. At Woody Gap Bearbag Hanger headed to a new hostel, while the others and I continued on looking for a place to camp. Got here just before dark and ate and had some fresh brewed coffee. Unbelievable view of the city lights below, but very exposed, windy and cold here. Should be nice place to view the sunrise. Will have breakfast here and push on to Blood Mountain and into Neels Gap. The plan is to stay at Walasi-Yi center tomorrow night. Will resupply-do laundry and take a much needed shower. I am down to 2151.9 miles to go. It is 9:20-I'm cold and tired so it is time to zip my bag and turn out the lights. Goodnight-LWOPLessons learned- 1) It is painful to wipe your butt with a frozen baby wipe. 2) Toothpaste freezes and is hard to get out of the tube.
Date: 2004-03-01
From: Granny Top Mountain

To: Walasi-Yi/ Neels Gap
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Up before the sun, but the sun never came up, with the wind threatening to blow me and my tent off the mountain. The beautiful sunrise will have to wait as we are totally fogged in with water dripping from the trees. It was a steady climb most of the day to the top of Blood Mountain, where we had lunch and a fresh cup of coffee. The Blood Mtn. Shelter has to be among the coldest places on earth. The fog had lifted, giving those who braved the cold and wind a nice view. The climb down from Blood Mtn. is tough on the knees and feet and brings many thru-hikers to an end. We made it to Walasi-Yi about 3pm and I ate a pint of Cherry Carcia ice cream and had a coke. Felt good. Spending a night at the hostel sleeping on a bunk. I hate the top bunk, but that was all that was left. It was a full house here tonight. Nice group of hikers. Well coffee is ready- I've got to go. Pouring down rain today-going to be ugly. LWOP
Date: 2004-03-02
From: Walasi-Yi/ Neels Gap

To: Whitley Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: light rain

Word for today-rain. Hiked one of my favorite section of trail, but saw absolutely no views. Happy to say that all my water-proofing seemed to work. Gear remained dry. I had help at Walasi-Yi adjusting my pack and replaced the hip belt. Pack feels better and rides higher on my back. Anyway, it is 6pm and a bunch of us are packed into the shelter like sardines with gear hanging all over-all wet. At least the temps are a bit higher, 50's maybe. Lapoka, Kinlock, Jack, Dennis and PO here tonight. Later. LWOP