morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-02-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Way back in my first journal entry I said that my starting pack weight goal is 24 lbs. In '05 I started with about 45 lbs & ended 960 miles later with 28 lbs pack weight. I have updated some gear to lighter stuff but have also decided to add about 5 lbs of gear that would make my hike safer and more comfortable in cold weather. Things like better gloves, warmer clothes, rain pants, sleeping clothes & a few more things. All in all about 5 lbs more. I suspected that my goal of 24 lbs was unattainable and perhaps 29 lbs might be more realistic. Then I thought that my ULA pack is smaller than my other packs that I used before. Would all this stuff even fit? Good question! If I had to switch to my next bigger pack, it weighs about 2 lbs more. 31 lbs! UGHH! I am mailing a lot of gear to Dahlonega. I really would hate to get to Dahlonega and not be able to fit everything into my backpack. I would feel like real idiot not to mention having to solve the problem. I have now loaded everything in my backpack twice. I could barely close the top on the first try but upon rearranging fit everything in better on the second try. A couple of things will go home shortly after the Smokies (weather depending) and more as weather warms up and I will switch to warm weather gear about Waynesboro (weather depending). As long as everything was loaded I stepped on the scale. Including 3 & 1/4 lbs of food but no water....23.6 lbs! AWESOME!!
Date: 2013-02-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Most of my gear is now listed if anyone is interested. I think that I am getting anticipation excitement stress. I find that most things I do are centering around getting ready for my hike. I have been using an 11 lb fanny pack at the gym for the treadmill & eliptical. Weight bearing prep is good. Next week I switch to a regular (spare) backpack with about 20 lbs.
Date: 2013-02-22
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I know that some of the trail is incredably difficult. I will sometimes look ahead & wonder why the trail was put there. I know that Georgia mud clings like it is adhesive. There will be seemingly pointless up and down rock climbs. I will wonder how I will get the next 20-30 feet. Sometimes it will involve climbing or crawling. There will be a few times that I will be holding on by toes & fingers while wearing my back pack. There will be less difficult days. There will be no easy days. There will be times that I am wet or cold or both. I will be awed and bored at times. Some views and places are spectacular. At other times all the trees and rocks look alike. I will wonder why do I have to walk on all the rocks. I will hike in bad weather & really bad weather may drive me off trail to be safe. I will be in pain at times. It is almost inevitable that I will slip & fall. I know that I will miss the white blaze at a turn & hike off trail...hopefully not too far. I will be dirty & smelly but so will every one else. I know that I need to be in touch with myself. I need to know my limits. I will question my motives and endurance. I will miss my wife & sons & friends. I will make new friends. I need to be confident but not over confident. I know that the AT is as much or more an emotional/psychological challenge as a physical one. I need to find and hike my own hike to do the best I can.
Date: 2013-02-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I did a final gear check. Got rid of some stuff that I can do without and increased my food allowance weight to 5 lbs. Everything fits in and on my ULA pack and I have the side pouches and hip pockets free. Total weight not counting water...23.3 lbs. My luxury items are a titanium fork (some hikers just carry a spoon) and a pair of 8 oz. nylon "town pants". It just makes doing laundry easier and in a pinch I can wear them on trail. I UPS'd all my gear to my hotel at Dahlonega: cost $72 & change. WOW! But it is better than hastling with TSA. !!10 more days!!
Date: 2013-03-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Today I snow blowed 14" of snow, shoveled & roof raked. I'm sure flights are delayed today. I hope tomorrow's flights are OK as TOMORROW my wife & fly to Atlanta then drive to Dahlonega. I am not planning to do the approach trail again so I will be dropped off at the FS 42 Springer parking lot. All I have to buy is trail food. Nobody hikes the AT without affecting other peoples lives & receiving support from people who stay home. I thank my wife. I am confident that she will miss me and she will have to do a lot more work herself. I normally do the yard work, cooking, garden, and laundry. It is only fair since she still works full time and I am retired. We are planning to meet near the trail about once a month...more often when I am closer to home. I thank my good neighbor Steve who has offered to help with snow blowing & whatever may be needed. I thank my good friend Scott who I met on the AT in "05. I am keeping a written journal and am mailing pages to him for posting on this site. We plan on him joining me on trail for short times as he is able and available. To my other friends: Thank you for your support.
Date: 2013-03-09
To: Dahlonega
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Flight to Atlanta arrived a half hour early. Got to Budget car rental and they offered a Mustang 5.0 for the same price as our reserved car, which they did not have. Alma says, "That's my dream car."I say, "Remember we are taking a forest road to Springer."Alma says, "That's my dream car."So we got the Mustang. Drove to Dahlonega and checked in.The motel had my box of gear, drove to Amicalola Falls to register and out to check out some of the drive to FS42 [Ed note: FS42 is the Forest Service road that goes to the hiker parking lot on Springer Mountain.] Had dinner out then bought three days of hiker food, M&C [Mac and cheese], raisin bread, candy, nuts, pastries, cheese. Alma called motel office and left call for a 7 a.m. wakeup.
Date: 2013-03-11
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: few clouds

Cold, windy, snow flurries, Got to Gooch Mountain Shelter, started to rain.Decided to stay.Rain got heavy and steady, shelter full. Tenting area full. Army Rangers train in the area. Heard shots, explosions, and machine gun fire.Stopped after rain started. It's 15.6 miles to Neels Gap tomorrow. Hope it's not raining. Cannot camp for 5 miles before Neels Gap so if I think I cannot make it I must stop at Dockery Lake Trail or Lance Creek. I would like to make Neels Gap, but I shall just have to see. Harder hiking today than yesterday. At the rate it's raining, everything I have will be wet by tomorrow.
Date: 2013-03-12
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Lance Creek camp site
Miles today: 8.5

Left Gooch Mountain Shelter about 8 a.m. and got to Woody Gap at 11 a.m. Goal of Neels Gap 10.7 more. That would be about 3,800 feet of climbing, too. Reached Lance Creek a little before 2 p.m. for a total of 8.5 miles. Still 7.4 miles to Neels Gap. Decided to break tradition and do the smart thing: Camp here.This is the last place to camp before Neels Gap because of Bear activity. [Ed note: Bear resistant food containers have been mandated in areas close to Neels Gap.] Have used "Dirty Girl" gaiters for two days. Piece that adheres to shoe heel came off -- one wet day and they're useless. They're going into the hiker box. There is one good bear bag hanging tree here. Jack, an elderly man with a small hiking group from Ohio is helping everyone set up. One man on his own got a two-time around wrap and Jack even bailed him out. We christen Jack with the trail name, "Bear Hanger." The trail is dirt, mud, small rocks, big rocks, and boulders. It is big roots and little roots, limbs, leaves, and trees. There are some stone steps and some log steps. It is all rough and frequently slippery or likely to make you trip. It is all hard. Some of the views take our breath away. So do some of the climbs.Ran into a group of trail maintainers. One of them told us that privys on public land must be handicap ramped, etc. Shelters near parking lots must meet some handicapped rules. A lot of these places are barely accessible to regular people.Neels Gap tomorrow -- cabin, shower, food, and civilization, OH MY!!
Date: 2013-03-13
From: Lance Creek camp site

To: Neel Gap
Miles today: 7.4

Reached Neels Gap about 1:30 p.m. Blood Mountain was hard but beautiful!Basically a huge rock.Trail down was mud and puddles and streams.Still took about five hours to do 7.4 miles. Slow.They love me at Neels Gap. Spent $115 on three days food, two lighters, New shoe insoles that mold to your feet by body heat, and a new water filter setup to make my Sawyer filter gravity fed. Staying at Goose Creek Cabins overnight with fellow hiker Michael. Cabin owner took us into town to an AYCE [All You Can Eat] I ate a lot, at least twice what I usually eat. Another smart move: EAT MORE.Cabin had no hot water at first. We had cool showers, but that is fixed now. Owner is a nice guy -- saw hiker "Bearfoot" at the restaurant. His trail name is fitting because when he was about 11 years old, he climbed a tree to get away from a bear and the bear swiped at his foot as it went by -- leaving claw marks on his boot. I would have had those boots bronzed. Most of today was quite cold and windy. Ten miles planned for tomorrow.
Date: 2013-03-14
From: Neel Gap

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

From the elevation scale in the AWOL 2013 hiker guide, I expected this to be a less difficult day. I was wrong. Wildcat Mountain was brutal. Took about two hours to do a mile. Oh, what a twisted venomous trail doth the elevation guide have. Also a new trail hazard: Ice covered rocks.It took 8 and a quarter hours to hike 10.8 miles. It was cold and windy and I ran out of water. No water sources for most of the day. I am NOT doing the 15 miles per day as suggested in the White Blaze schedule -- I am splitting the days into about half of that mileage.
Date: 2013-03-15
From: Low Gap

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: scattered clouds

At Blue Mountain Shelter; 7.3 miles; 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.Met "Eagle Runner" from Hebron, Conn. He knows Teddy Moore from Windham Hospital. Met "Pilgrim" from Ellington, Conn. He is a Vietnam vet and recently retired from CL&P.Most of the trail today was a two-to-three foot wide ledge cut into the side of a steep mountain. If you slipped off, you were gone. My tent is set up. Clothes are airing out. Piped spring here -- love it.Dinner main dish last night and tonight: Four-cheese instant mashed potatoes plus a tin of chicken salad for sandwiches. Not bad actually. Feet are sore but getting better. New insoles help. Planning 8.1 miles to Tray Mountain Shelter tomorrow. The climbs are tough. I have mostly worked up to 100 steps than a short rest of just seconds, and repeat. I get passed on on trail but I pass some, too. Now about 5:30 p.m. I heard someone calling out, "Cracker!" Thought I was hearing things. Looked out my tent and this bearded guy says, "Hello Cracker! Hello Triple Step! Happy 70th!" It was Chino from my AT hike in 2005. He is thru hiking and had seen me on Trail Journals and has been keeping an eye out for me. Wow! Reminiscing, great to see him. What a treat!This has been my most enjoyable day so far.
Date: 2013-03-16
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Left Blue Mountain Shelter about 8:15 a.m., arrived at Tray Mountain Shelter about 2:30 p.m. Ran into trail angels at Unicoi Gap. Had a Pepsi, two hot dogs, candy, and left with an orange for later. At Indian Grave Gap ran into a Glenloch Baptist Church group. Had a hot dog, Cheetos, Sprite, cookies, Milky Way, Twix, and more. Nice people. Stayed so long that I ended up in a prayer circle.Then at Tray Gap ran into more trail angels and had a Sprite, two Twix and a hamburger. I'm full. For dinner, I had the orange. I easily spent an hour with the trail angels, so I was close to 1.6 mph today ... when I was hiking instead of eating. A fair number of people are stopping at Deep Gap Shelter. I am planning on Hiawassee, 11 miles, tomorrow. The trail angels came at a good time, because I am two days slower than planned so far, so I was getting low on food.The Georgia AT ridge runner came into Tray Mountain Shelter yesterday. Set up next to me in shelter and I warned him that I snored some. This morning he confirmed that I DO. I told my "How I am going to kill my wife and get away with it" story (A lie), and my true werewolf story.Everybody was looking at me!
Date: 2013-03-17
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap -- Hiawassee
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light snow

Tray Mountain Shelter to Dick's Creek Gap, 11 miles in six hours with two uphill climbs and one long downhill.I had called for Ron Haven's Budget Inn shuttle from Powell Mountain and was picked up at 2:30 p.m. The Inn is now full, but I have a single with bath and kitchenette, TV, two king beds, room is about 15' by 30'. Huge! My new insoles seem to be helping. My feet are recovering more quickly each day. Got Dairy Queen burger, fries and shake for lunch. Got Chinese fried rice and General Tsao's chicken for dinner. I rate it a three out of 10. To be fair, other hikers ate there and thought the food was good. Maybe It was just what I ordered. I am shifting off the White Blaze 15-mile-a-day hiking plan to AWOL's 12 mile-a-day hiking plan. That plan seems more realstic for me at this point.
Date: 2013-03-18
From: Dick's Creek Gap -- Hiawassee

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

"0" day in Hiawassee.Had breakfast at a nearby breakfast and lunch cafe. Two eggs, grits, hash browns, sausage, biscuits, and hot tea. So much I could not finish. Two other hikers joined me. Nice people, great conversation getting to know each other. Probably will not see them again as they are doing longer-mile days, but meeting other hikers is a great deal of what hiking the AT is all about.Three Eagles outfitters from Franklin has a satellite store at the Budget Inn. Already visited it. Got a fancy "windproof" butane lighter and another pair of insoles. The ones I got at Neels Gap are already breaking down. Real Superfeet this time. My Sawyer water filter has a ceramic filter element that would be damaged if frozen. I sleep with it in the foot of my sleeping bag and carry it inside my polartec top if below freezing. Bought Aquatabs as a backup water purifier. It is a pesticide. I will only use it as a last resort. Mailed home my luxury fork and town pants. Frog Toggs are fine for town.About my LightHeart gear silnylon solo tent: I can't keep my Thermarest sleeping mat under me. The floor is slick. Hard to sleep. Alma emailed them to complain for me and their response was basically, "Too bad. If you hate it that much there is an outfitter in Franklin where you can get rid of it and buy a new tent." Another hiker with the same tent has the same problem; LightHeart Gear knows there is a problem and they have been adding grids of seam sealant to the tent floors. The sealant on the floor does not help. The guy at the outfitter satellite store says to throw a few leaves on the floor of the tent -- and old hiker's solution. I have a couple of other ideas I will try too. I hated the LightHeart Gear attitude. Real hikers need to help each other.Back to the Southside Cafe for lunch. A half-pound burger with swiss and mushrooms, coleslaw, and sweet tea for under $10 and good. Place was full. Sat with two locals. One more trip to Ingles Grocery (pimento and cheese, sandwich thins) and Marathon Minimart for snack food. I am pushing the eating because I did not in 2005 and lost 40 lbs in 2 & 1/2 months as a result. I am stuffed!
Date: 2013-03-19
From: Hiawassee -- DIck's Creek Gap

To: Campsite beyond Plum Orchard Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.7

Left Dick's Creek Gap at 9:45 a.m. and arrived at Plum Orchard Gap Shelter at 12:30 p.m., 4.5 miles. Then on to campsite 2.2 miles further and piped spring by 2:30 p.m.Long hard day of climbing, mostly. Most people are going 2.3 miles further to Bly Gap. [Ed. Note: Bly Gap is where the Appalachian Trail crosses the GA-NC state line.] I'm staying.Set up bear hanging first, [Ed. note: Triple Step is not hanging bears. He's hanging his food bag so that it's out of reach of the bears. This is known as "bear bag hanging" or simply, "bear hanging."] then tent, then water from piped spring. I did not filter piped spring water. Still no hiker appetite. Had two pimento and cheese sandwiches and a cherry pie for dinner. Alma is sending some stuff to the Hike Inn at Fontana. It's a good that it includes socks. My Smartwools are getting thin in the heels. A lot of people ask where my trail name, "Triple Step" comes from. It's from our East Coast swing dancing, which we primarily do in triple step style, and also that we do cha-cha and West Coast swing which also involve triple step. We are social dancers, not show or competitive. Kelly M. (with Paul) has been our instructor going on eight years now. Thank you, Kelly. Our classes are great fun and great workouts and the people in them are great too. I weighed my pack today when I left Budget Inn: It was 36 pounds including water, but I am packing seven to eight days of food since I am planning not to stop at Franklin but go right thru to the NOC. [Ed note: NOC is the Nantahala Outdoor Center.]
Date: 2013-03-20
From: Campsite beyond Plum Orchard Gap Shelter

To: Tenting near Beech Gap
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

Left campsite at mile 76.3 just after 8 a.m., Stopped at Muskrat Creek Shelter just after 11 a.m. for privy break and lunch. Left at 11:37 a.m. (5.1 miles in three hours). Found a trail angel at Deep Gap, serving "Georgia Pizza" white bread and spaghetti sauce. Also had Hawaiian Punch. Had some of everything. Good energy boost for [the climb up] Standing Indian Mountain. The trail up averaged 10 to 20 percent grades. Trail down averaged 5 to 15 percent grades. Arrived at Beech Gap tenting area at 5 p.m. which makes it 14.4 miles in nine hours. LONG DAY. Had originally planned to stay at Standing Indian Shelter, but forecast is possible snow Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and Monday could be bad. I want to be at the NOC a day earlier than planned. A lot of the trail had 200- to 300-foot drop-offs to the side today. If you slipped off them and actually lived, you could not get back up. Water here is a stream about 300 yards away. It's supposed to be about 15 degrees tonight and I have a 20-degree sleeping bag.
Date: 2013-03-21
From: Tenting near Beech Gap

To: Long Branch Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

Thirteen degrees and a half an inch of snow last night and windy.I left Beech Gap about 8:15 a.m. Arrived at Long Branch Shelter at 3:30 p.m.I had forgotten how hard climbing Albert Mountain is! SO STEEP.SO ROCKY.I was literally pulling myself up on hands and knees at times using roots and tree limbs. It was cold and windy all day.Staying in the shelter tonight.My shelter procedure/routine:1) Roll out tent footprint on shelter floor.2) Inflate and roll out 3/4-inch thick Therma-Rest sleeping pad.3) Roll out 20-degree sleeping bag and fluff it up.4) Get water; filter if from a stream and draw it straight if from a piped spring.5) Look for bear hanging cables or good tree to bear hang; if no cables, set up hang.6) EAT -- Typical: Instant mashed potatoes for two; one can chicken, small; pastry, candy.7) Socialize during all of the above.8) Update journal.9) Use Awol's guide to review today and plan tomorrow.10) Change into sleeping clothes and get into sleeping bag when shivering (like NOW!!).11) Bathroom breaks somewhere along the line.Passed the 100-mile mark today on Albert Mountain.
Date: 2013-03-22
From: Long Branch Shelter

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

Long Branch Shelter to Siler Bald Shelter with side trip (2 hours) to Franklin to go to Three Eagles Outfitter for new glove liners and possibly a colder temp sleeping bag. They had no zero degree sleeping bags left so I settled for a new bag liner. Got ball point pen and glove liners.I got picked up at WInding Stair Gap and dropped off at the Franklin Budget Inn. The Three Eagles Outfitter picked me up there and brought me back to WInding Stair Gap when I was done.It's funny that I'm at this shelter tenting, because in 2005 I was here with [a hiker named] Chino and in six inches of snow. That was when I had a white gas fire while attempting to light my stove and melted my gloves. As we hiked out in '05 both of us said, "NEVER AGAIN!" This shelter is .5miles off trail and is just OK and here I am. I am tenting this time and at least it is not snowing...it's raining. [Ed. note: Chino and Triple Step met on the trail in 2005 when both were beginning their hikes and happened to meet up again today by random chance at this shelter -- while beginning their hikes.]
Date: 2013-03-23
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: few clouds

It rained overnight, but not cold enough for snow. The rain stopped by 7 a.m. and I got packed up and on trail from Siler Bald headed to Cold Spring Shelter. Arrived here just before 4 p.m.It's a rather primitive shelter, but there is a privy and piped spring.Hiking today: Hard ups, harder downs, slippery and muddy.Hiking poles saved me several times.Trail angels were serving food at Wayah Gap this morning. Had eggs and bacon, hot chocolate, and hot dog. Good energy for a hard day.I reserved a cabin at the NOC and it looks like I may be sharing it with some other hikers, but only if it works out O.K. If not, it will be the last room "sharing" I do. I have noticed some cigarette smokers in the shelters sometimes. They just light up. It seems rather rude. There are even a couple of cigar smokers. I was offered "a smoke" tonight (not the tobacco kind). My reply: "Thank you, but I'm into health."Some of the shelters have had hikers with dogs in them. So far the dogs and owners seem well-trained. I suspect the dogs may keep the mice and bears at bay.One significant climb tomorrow and a long down into the NOC.
Date: 2013-03-24
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 11.7

Cold Spring Shelter to NOC.Arrived here at 2:30 p.m. after leaving about 8 a.m.Had called here yesterday to make a reservation.All they had open was a bunk room (yuck) or a cabin for $200 a night. I bought hiker food at the small general store. They had a very limited selection. The outfitter here has Mountain House freeze dried meals. I do not eat them. They are expensive, buly and, in my opinion, not very good. Did laundry too. It is a nice cabin.Met a hiker named Tenderfoot early in the day and we ended up in the cabin together.I had a steak dinner and key lime pie for dinner, plus some excellent chili.Ended up with lots of drama with and about Tenderfoot. More about him later.Several people say weather could be quite bad at elevations where I'm headed tomorrow and recommend staying a day. I'm still thinking about the situation. The cabin is not available tomorrow, so at the very least, tomorrow will be very interesting.