morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-06-09
From: Woodshole

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Total mileage: somewhere around 615 (my feet hurt and I won't go upstairs to check in the book. I will, however, walk 10 miles into Pearisburg todayI was lying in bed in this beautiful log home this morning, not having slept well last night and finally decided to get up. My genuine hiking underwear are starting to get a little threadbare, it was noticed, the waistband has lost it's elasticity and they don't have too many miles of productive life remaining. There are certain things in my world I am totally loyal to and my hiking underwear are one (or in this case 3) of them. I bought them from rei in 2004 and they have hiked with me from Superior to Danbury, the Boundary waters, a thru hike of the Superior Trail, 2160 miles of the AT in 2005, Isle Royal in 2006, not to mention daily wear around my small farm in Northern Wisconsin, suffering through occasional bouts of terminal flatulence from the local Wisconsin beers and Alley Cats coffee Most normal people and all married men would have retired their skivvies by now, but my underwear are going to Maine and climbing Katahdin. I owe it to them.                     God bles my underwear                     They were my only pair                     I wore them                     and tore them                     on the seat of the old...                     Appalachian Trail
Date: 2010-06-10
From: Pearisburg

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

To Tim from Michigan: I have not had the pleasure of meeting your niece, Crafty, but the good people at Woodshole said she traipsed thorugh here about a week ago. She was in good spirits, good health and enjoying her hike. She also may have said "What Uncle"? to any and all questions regarding her lack of communication skills. Just kidding Hope this soothes your concerns about your niece. If not, at least you got your own trailjournal entry and not everyone gets their own page in this elite rock stars journal
Date: 2010-06-11
From: Pearisburg

To: unknown flat spot when legs wobble
Miles today: 0.0

I'm heading out of Pearisburg today after enjoying myself immensely at Woodshole. My summer pack and 2 bag liners were awaiting me at the post office and I sent my sleeping bag away until somewhere in New Hampshire. My winter pack actually fits so much better than the summer pack that I have chosen to carry it to Katahdin. If it behaves well, it will accompany me up Katahdin. If not, it will only be my stretched out, threadbare underwear. The net weight loss for this exercise is probably about 5 lbs because I filled the empty space with still more food. Evidently I'm going to be taking a lot of food breaks alongside the trail over the next few days. Next stop is Catawba and the world famous Home Place. Adios all you wannabe's (Hyway)
Date: 2010-06-19
From: Troutville, Va

To: Somewhere north of Troutville, Va
Miles today: 0.0

Miles hiked? Somewhere around 720.We walked into Troutville, Va today at about 1245. 'We' actually means me because I've been hiking with 2 lazy bastards lately and they seem unable to get up early in the morning and hit the trail. One, Lb, (Last on the Bus) is from the Twin Cities, so his sloth can be understood and even expected. The other is a hockey player who has spent time in Minnesota, so you know he's twice screwed. That one's carrying a hockey stick from Georgia to Maine and his trail name is Puck, thought with missing teeth the pronunciation sounds a bit uncouth...at least to meI saw a bear yesterday and sprained my ankled all within a two hour span. The fall was expected because I've been doing so about once every 250 miles, give or take. I spotted the bear looking for food just off a ridge near Tinker Cliffs. He was foraging for food (what he hell else does one forage for?) and climbed up a broken and hollow tree trunk ostensibly (I love that word) looking for some honey. Who isnt, come to think of it. Anyway, I watched him for about ten minutes before I allowed him to see me. Such is my legendary stealth. Heck, I was married for 7 years once and my wife hardly ever saw me. Now that's stealthWell, I gotta turn the pc over to another hiker, so I'll tell you about the sprained ankle some other time. Hint: the bear didn't do it and I'm still on the move.Peace/out
Date: 2010-06-20
From: Zero day complete with beer and swimming pool

To: I lied about leaving Troutville
Miles today: 0.0

I forgot to buy fuel for my stove when I arrived yesterday. I remembered with exactly one minute before the store closed and me located 15 walking minutes away. Today it's about 95 degrees and with no fuel with which to cook, it's a no brainer to sit here and relax. I looked at my '05 journal and discovered that I am 200 miles ahead of my '05 pace. If I continue this speed, I should be in Maine sometime last month.I was talking with LB and Puck while we were walking in the woods the other day and the subject of bars came up. Puck, I believe, told me of a bar that has a special room built just to serve the alcoholic needs of midgets. A door of significantly shortened height allows ingress and egress (ain't that some kind of bird?) to those below a certain height. There is a bar with a short counter top, short bar stools and a midget bartender. There's a midget bouncer, midget lap dancers and midget pole dancers; no one ever orders a long neck beer or a tall one. Evidently this establishment has cornered the midget alcoholic market and little people from around the world fly in daily on little tiny airplanes, landing on an itty bitty airport. This got me to thinking about Alley Cats Coffee Shop in Spooner (I'm always trying to give them my astute business advice), they could expand by adding a scaled down midget coffee room and similarly corner the world midget coffee shop market. Heck, they already have the cookI wonder if we could come up with a midget Appalachian Trail?Time for another trip to the swimming pool
Date: 2010-10-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

This little blurb is for a non-hiking fella that still has a trailname: Potlicker.Yes, PL, I've been back since late June and have been enjoying my new home town of Stoughton, Wi. I bopped up north to attend the '61 to '66 high school reunion (for you urbanities, it takes that many classes to get enough living people for a reunion that far north). I ran into Doug McIvor and a few others. We both agreed that your jumpshot had the trajectory of a 30-06 bullet, though considerably less predictableI found a very nice non-traditional gym and have been enjoying getting my butt kicked most every day. I may be on some trail somewhere come spring, but who knows. The bike riding opportunities in the Madison area are incredible. No one really tries very hard to run you over. Hardly at all.Hope things are going well.
Date: 2010-03-02
To: First TJ journal entry ... from the rookie
Miles today: 0.0

NOBO-AT 2010. Thru hiking. This is it. Finally here. I'm ready to go now. Seems like I've been thinking about this for years. Have done several AT section hikes from Amicalola Falls to Clingman's Dome last year, and those were great shakedown hikes. late August-09: Amicalola falls to Woody Gapearly Sept-09: Clingmans Dome to Cades Cove (GSMNP)early Oct-09: Woody Gap to Neels Gapmid Nov-09: Neels Gap to Dicks Creek Gapmid Dec-09: Dicks Creek Gap to Winding Stair GapThe 2 hikes in Aug and October were great experiences, but injury problems cut them short. Experienced dehydration in August, Illotibial band syndrome in October. Learned about stretching, stuff my high school track and cross country coaches never taught us about when it comes to stretching. The other 3 hikes went without a hitch, fantastic experiences. I'm just glad I had the time and opportunity to do these hikes in 2009 as shakedown hikes for a thru attempt in 2010. I know what it will take, and the problems that can occur.I decided awhile back to wait till end of March or early April to start this thru hike,an ambition of mine for the last 13 years. Late last year, I had seriously thought of starting in mid February, but the section hike in Dec-09 from Dicks Creek Gap to Winding Stair Gap, with subfreezing temps and subzero wind chill for 3-4 days straight, pretty much convinced me to wait til late March, early April. This thru hike will be tough, but its also supposed to be fun. Now I'm very glad I waited after seeing the weather reports. I've got all my gear, my spare bedroom looks like an REI showroom, got 2, 3 and 4 of almost everything, tents/tarps, packs, bags, water filters, shoes. I will head north to Amicalola Falls State Park first or second week April, stay at the lodge, then head north to Springer the next day. I did the approach trail last August, and I think thru hikers are missing a lot if they skip the falls and the approach trail. For final prep, I'm still doing Torreya State Park and Pine Log State Forest hikes and working out at local gym this month to finish up pre-hike conditioning.  Torreya actually has some hills in Florida!  One month to go and I'm psyched. Doubt I will be able to update trail journals except when I'm on a zero day in town. I've checked into buying an IPhone, but doubt I will spend the extra money to do it.
Date: 2010-03-13
To: Overdoing it on weigh machines .. drat
Miles today: 0.0

Have received some good advice from my TJ guestbook, just wanted to say thanks for the good advice.   Overexuberance can be our enemy in the beginning of a thru hike due to trying to do too many miles or overtraining. Overtraining on the weight machines has just rekindled an old low back injury that has reoccurred over the last couple years, usually when I "bend and twist".   I've kept my friendly chiropractor and physical therapist busy helping me. The hiking season on the Florida Trail is brief.   March til early May are the best months, followed by October and November. The summers are miserable: chiggers, ticks, yellow flies, mosquitos, fire ants, not to mention the insufferable humidity which saps your strength and heat exhaustion can creep up on you much like dehydration.anyways, the gear is ready to go now, and it's probably smart to back off the training a bit with 3 weeks to go. In a month or so, these days will be forgotten as I'm working my way thru GA toward Bly Gap. It will seem a bit strange to retrace the sections I already did last fall, but I'm a purist, and I want to do this thru hike from Springer to the end. see u on the trail
Date: 2010-03-16
To: Training day
Miles today: 0.0

Training day. Did the 10 mile loop Crooked Creek loop trail out at Pine Log State Forest with full pack weight, no problems.   It's a typical pine flatwood forest in NW Florida, flat, lots of sand and palmettos. Saw a couple commercial bee hive locations along the trail, one had maybe 200 or more of the large bee house boxes on pallets.... the bees were out and swarming, you could hear them from the trial maybe 30-40 yards away.Wasn't able to get started till 12 noon today, the weather was perfect today, sunny and 62 degrees.Tomorrow is St Patricks Day!   Reading trail journals, the first thru hikers made it thru the Smokies today, they had photos online of the conditions, waist deep snow, ice, not too many hikers could get thru there in those conditions. Glad I'm not getting there for another 6 weeks.
Date: 2010-03-18
To: Torreya State park training day
Miles today: 0.0

Perfect hiking weather day in NW Florida. I drove over to Torreya State Park near Bristol,FL and hiked both loop trails with full pack weight, approx 13 miles total, the closest things we have to hills in Florida.   (GA/NC hills on the AT are probably 5-10 times more difficult) Temps between 52-60 all day and cloudy. This was really a good "training" hike, with only 3 weeks left til start date on the AT.Torreya State Park is a hidden jewel in the Fla State Park system. It is located off SR12 about 10 miles north of Bristol. The park is situated on high bluffs overlooking the Appilachicola River. The park is named after the "Torreya" tree, an endangered species of coniferous tree only found in a couple places on the planet, this park being one.One of the key historical features at the park is the old Gregory House, an old wood frame 2-story house, built in the 1800s, it's been restored and they have guided tours every day in the house.   There are old Confederate artillery gun pits along the trail overlooking the river too.   There are 2 loop trails in the park, each approx 6-7 miles long. Lots of creeks in the park, and 3 primitive campsites. There are some hills on the trail, its a good place to put in some training hikes down here in Florida. Lots of wildlife too, I've seen a lot of deer, some wild hogs and wild turkey too.
Date: 2010-04-06
To: Gulf Coast ER, foot injury
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

A final journal entry here at home.   In my final preparations for this hike, I've overtrained a bit, and had to deal with some nagging injuries, achilles tendonitis in both feet. Had a bad bout of it this last week after a 14 mile speed hike at Torreya, it's feeling a lot better today though. Maybe this was a good thing, it will convince me to go out slower from Amicalola at the start. After all this is not a race, its an endurance contest, both physcial and mental.A heat wave has hit the east coast, it's July weather in April. Hope this melts the snow in the Smokies. I'll be heading up to Amicalola either Friday or Saturday, and start the trail the next day after an overnite at the Lodge.   Finally have all gear ready.I'm taking my AT&T gophone, will only be able to get to a computer in trail towns. I'll be texting Natasha here at home with daily updates, and if she has time, she will input daily mileages and locations on the trail. I'm taking my Canon A1000IS camera, and planning on taking lots of pictures, and upload them here when I can get time.   Injuries are my first worry right now, and I've decided to go out very carefully the first 2 weeks, no more than 10 miles/day to begin. Will be anxious to start and see how the knees and feet hold up.
Date: 2010-04-08
To: Here I go sniveling again - another delay
Miles today: 0.0

Injured before the hike even begins. Visited a well known local podiatrist today and I learned the left foot problem is plantar fascciitis.   He knows what he's talking about and convinced me to take at least 2 more weeks of some therapy before starting on the AT.   I learned more today about foot anatomy, and Morton's toe, which I have also.   I will now be wearing a small molefoam piece under the ball of the 1st metatarsal (big toe), in addition to the green superfeet in each shoe.My feet actually do feel 90% better than last Saturday at Torreya State park when this latest problem started.So the end result is as much as I planned on starting in late March or early April, now it will be April 23rd at the earliest. I'm just going to see how the symptoms respond to the therapy from the podiatrist.   The trail will still be there, and I'll be way back in the rear of the pack of thru hikers, which is actually okay with me, I've not been too excited about large crowds at shelters every nite.
Date: 2010-04-12
To: Patience young grasshopper
Miles today: 0.0

Very discouraging day. Attemmpted a final easy hike to test the left foot plantar fasciitis, and the heel pain is still very bad when pushing up any kind of incline, this is too early to head to the AT.   Walking on flat surfaces I don't have a problem now, so there is much improvement since the injury on April 3rd.   I'm going back to physical therapy tomorrow morning.At this point, psychologicaly, I'm now in the mindset of just getting over this PF.   Thru hiking will have to wait for now, I've been training since last winter, so discouragement does not begin to describe what I'm feeling here now.   The kicker about this PF, is to let it heal properly, you have to lay off hiking, which means dropping down in fitness levels and starting over when I finally get over this. I'm about resigned to at least 2-3 weeks of therapy, then some easy hiking. That puts me into the month of May, too late for a northboound thru hike. So I will now likely just head north for some section hikes this summer, take it a day at a time on this recovery.I had all my gear in the car packed to head to Amicalola this morning, everything ready to go when this happened.   Whatever happens is for a reason, can't get too down now. Sgt Rock says "no sniveling", and I know this sounds like sniveling, but it's just extreme frustration when things like this happen.
Date: 2010-04-15
To: More therapy
Miles today: 0.0

Tax day and I'm still at home instead of out on the trail.   The injury was 12 days ago at Torreya State Park.   The plantar fasciitis symptoms in the left foot are almost gone with normal pedestrian walking on flat terrain. This weekend I will take another test hike at Torreya State Park or up on Econfina Creek and see how it feels. If it's okay, I'll be heading up to Amicalola Falls asap, and start on the AT the next day.   All the gear is ready.   THe weather here in Panama City has felt like summer the last few days, the east coast under a big High pressure system.Now with a late April start, I will be taking the Marmont Hydrogen bag, rated 30 degree, and the Montbell Thermawrap jacket.   So at least I'll be saving some pack weight there. I'll check pack weight tomorrow, and hopefully it will be around 23 lbs with 3 days food and 2L water.At least I'll hit the mountains with the flowers just coming out, get to see the rhododenrons and mountain laurel! I have to admit I'm really curious now to see how the first week hit my legs and feet.   It will be great or I'll be heading home early for more physical therapy.   I like to think the best physical therapy is out on the trial, just making sure not to go out too fast. Lots of summer hiking to do yet even if the thru hike doesn't pan out.I'll be a few hundred miles behind the largest pack of the northbounders on this attempt. I'm pretty much decided if this hike doesn't pan out, I'll recycle to the Class of 2011 and try again with a late March start.
Date: 2010-04-17
To: Holding pattern - preparation and physical therapy
Miles today: 0.0

Weather was perfect today, after physical therapy for the PF in the left foot, decided to go for a 10 mile shakedown hike up on the north Econfina Florida Trail section from Scott Rd trailhead to Fender Bridge and back. Overall, the feet did fine, an amazing turnaround in 13 days since the injury. Just a little soreness at the left heel on the last mile or so of the hike. But no pain when pushing up on inclines. I have to once again thank Brett Frank at First Choice Physical Therapy.The first wild azaleas and some other wildflowers coming out along the trail. The local FT chapter has done a lot of work on maintaining this trail, it is in fantastic shape, with the 2 new suspension bridges (Two-Penny and Fender Bridges) that were built in the last few years.I'm missing the Pine Log Gathering and FT flower hike today, I guess you could say I did the flower hike yesterday. I just didn't want to go out with a large group while still nurshing this injury, wanted to go at my own pace and test it.So now the plan is to finish packing and head up to Amicalola Falls State Park later today, or first thing tomorrow and hit the trail tomorrow or Monday.Will post next entry here when I get time or access to a computer, I don't know when that will be for sure. To be honest, with this most recent injury, I'm taking this all one day at a time, and just try to survive thru Georgia.They talk about Georgia statistics amongst potential AT thru hikers, and here I was almost a Florida statistic. Injuries like this can bring you down fast. One day at Torreya I'm flying on the hills, with total confidence, the next thing you can't hardly walk, and feel like it is all lost. I guess the best thing is to just enjoy each day for what it is and be thankful for it.
Date: 2010-04-18
To: Dahlonega, GA Super 8 motel
Miles today: 0.0

Finally here, the start date.   I drove up to the Super 8 motel in Dahlonega, GA today from home in Panama City Beach, FL. Weather is really nice up here, cool nights and warm days. I've got to stop by the Dahlonega Post Office when they open in the morning to send 3 maildrops up the trail, then drive over to Amicalola Falls State Park and get registered for long term parking and AT hiking. I'm hoping to be on the Approach Trail by 10:30 or 11 a.m.   Plan on staying up at Springer Mtn Shelter Monday night, then head up the trail to Neels Gap, hopefully by Thursday night. In view of the recent plantar fasciitis, and most seasoned veteran hiker advice, I'm planning on averaging daily mileage to no more than 10 miles/day the first 2 weeks. If I try going out with 18-20 mile days, I'll likely be laid up again quickly with problems. This is supposed to be fun!Last night, during final packing in my Hiking WarRoom, I made a last minute change, and I brought the MSR Miniworks-EX water filter. It adds 15 oz of weight, but I want clean water fast, and I think this is the best water filter for backpacking, not the lightest but the best, and I do not want to get sick on dirty water.I'm not carrying a smartphone, just a cheapie cellphone to stay in touch with home. I'll only be able to update this trail journal at resupply points where there is timely computer access. I'm keeping a daily logbook in my pack with daily entries, and use them to update here when I can. I debated many times in the last month about buying a smartphone and trying to update Trail Journals from the trail, and finally decided I'll have enuff challenges with hiking without trying to learn how to use a new smartphone too.   Also felt a bit foolish buying a smartphone, then getting injured again in the first week or so and have to drop out. I know that sounds like a lack of self confidence, but I'm just being realistic here. This is an endurance contest of over 2,100 miles from GA to Maine on the AT. I have no idea at all how long I will be mentally or physically able to do this, it will be a challenge.   I hope friends and family who know about this journal enjoy reading it and following my progress. I wish I could upload photos every day, I'm planning on taking a LOT of pictures, and will put them on here when I get a chance Feel free to drop me some comments at the guestbook, I appreciate them! Any other thru hikers in the Class of 2010, good luck! all the best to you out there!
Date: 2010-04-20
From: Springer Mtn

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter - GA
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: light rain

Awoke to rain at Springer Mtn in the morning, hit the trail around 8:30 with Chris. Rain, fog and very cool and damp weather all day.   Met several other thru hikers during the day on the trail. Lunch and a break at Hawk Mtn shelter around 11:30. Left Hawk Mtn around 12:30 pm. After Hawk Mtn shelter heading north takes you into a couple gaps and then Sassafras Mtn, the first challenging uphill climb on the AT north of Springer.   As often heard on the trail here, "Sassafras'll kick your *ss", and I mutter that to myself several times on the climb. It's raining all day so I'm keeping my camera in a ziplock bag on my waistbelt pack, so I don't get pictures today.   Arrived at a full Gooch Mtn shelter before dark, and setup my tarp in the camping area behind the shelter. Soon, Chris arrived and setup his hammock, and a section hiker from Atlanta arrived and setup his tent.   Later, "Terrapin" a nobo thru hiker from Colorado arrived and setup his tent.   We had rain all night, and my Black Diamond Beta-light tarp had some condensation inside during the night, but the skies cleared and temperatures dropped around 3 a.m. The "official" Day #1 on the AT is done.