morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-07-22
From: Moxie Bald Mountain Lean-to

To: Stealth Camp on Pleasant Pond Mountain
Miles today: 12.0

I woke up early had a couple nutri bars and was off for a planned rough 13+ mile day. Today I had planned to get over Moxie Bald Mountain and Pleasant Pond Mountain. It started with a pretty vertical climb within several 100 yards of the shelter. Lets see the elevation guide shows a climb of over 1000 feet in less tha a mile and then another 500 feet steep push to the summit just a short time later. It took me over an hour to go a mile but when I hit the summit the weather was beautiful and the views were outstanding.The sun was out so I made the decent down the mountain and had a long walk ahead of me to Pleasant Pond Mountain and a 4 mile ascent to the top of it. I stopped at Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to for lunch and as I ate a sectioning Doctor and his 3 kids came in for lunch. He was arrogant with me and harsh with the kids. I quickly ate lunch and left. I still had many miles to go to get to the next shelter and at times crossing bogs and having to follow the trail up a streambed rock hopping slowed me down. I forded the stream going into Moxie Pond, came out on a gravel road and quickly slipped back into the forest. The afternoon was quickly waning and I was a little worried about trying to summit Pleasant Pond Mountain and the very steep descent on the other side before dark. I was also a bit worried about water but had been assured by a hiker I met earlier that thee was water on the mountain. I began the long ascent up the trail. It was steep in places and slow going. The boulder climbs were coming more often and each one seemed steeper and steeper. My water was diminishing and I had not seen any water on the mountain yet. At about 5 PM, I realized that it was possible that I would be hiking down the steep descent in the dark if I pushed on and as I had not found any water I was running very low. I had less than half a liter in my hydration bag so the decision was made to find a stealth camp and camp for the evening. I found a site in this beautiful pine forests and it was even flat. Soft ground and pine needles under my tent. Sweet. I set up my tent, hung my bear bag as I was next to a game trail, ate another cold dinner of salami and tortillas and listened to the sounds of a forest at dusk.   I am worried about my water but looking at my GPS, I am 1.2 miles from the summit and only another mile or so after that to the next shelter. I will get up early when it is cool climb the mountain and in a worse case scenario the guidebook shows water at the next shelter.   Today's word of the day is Water!
Date: 2013-07-24
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-to

To: Catatunk
Miles today: 5.8

I woke up in the shelter this morning, ate a quick breakfast, packed my wet clothes and was walking towards Caratunk by 8 am. The trail was a slight downhill to Caratunk but with the typical roots and rocks compounded with mud. I didn't care as there was a hostel in Caratunk and I could do laundry, have a shower and dry my pack and equipment. The miles went quickly and I actually was sort of walking in the mud today. As I was finishing up the last mile or so, who did I see walking North but Ghost. Ghost was a day behind me when I left Monson so I was curious as to what was going on. Apparently she had to get off the trail due to blisters so she called for a shuttle to bring her to Caratunk yesterday. So we walked together the last little bit to Caratunk's Post Office where we called for a shuttle to the Sterling Inn Hostel.The owner of the Hostel picked us up and took us to a very nice Hostel in an old Victorian House. I did laundry, dried my pack out, showered the mud off and soon I was sitting on the veranda talking to a few northbounders who were resupplying there and heading out. Oh, and doing this while eating a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. The afternoon was lazy, Led Steplin and Pixie made in as well as a few more northbounders who were spending the night as well. Dinner found us down the street drinking beer and having a great dinner. We spent 3 hours there just talking and telling war stories. Back at the hostel now and am packing my pack for a 13 mile hike tomorrow. Today's word is beer.
From: Waiting for doctor appointment at home

To: Waiting for doctor appointment at home
Miles today: 0.0

Side went in for his back injection today. They did not knock him out this time so we were fearful it might be quite painful like the other time but wasn't bad at all. We're so hopeful that he'll be back on the trail soon. Now we'll take a few days of rest to let the inflammation go down in his back and see the results.
Date: 2013-01-21
To: The Basics of Using Trail Journals
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Welcome to our Trail Journal! For now our journal will just be chat sessions of pre-hike stuff. Somewhere mid-March to mid-April the real action will begin as we start out at Springer Mountain in Georgia and head north 2185.9 miles in search of Mt. Katahdin in Maine. It will take us about 6 months as we follow the white blazes through 14 states (GA, NC, TN, VA, WV, MD, PA, NJ, NY, CT, MA, VT, NH and ME). We'd love to have you along for the ride as we undertake this grand adventure - we will definitely need all the support we can get.This journal entry is meant for newcomers to this site. If you already know how to use Trail Journals, might as well skip to the next entry.The keywords across the top of the page are associated with all the journals on the site. All the blue keywords on the left side of the page provide the functionality for you to maneuver around our journal and learn more about us and our hike. When you select 'ABOUT', you'll find a few words about us.When you select 'GEAR', you'll find details on most of our gear. Backpackers love to talk about their gear. We spent oodles of time researching gear and talking to others in order to find the best weight/price point for us. Being of the older generation, it's important that we not carry any ounces we don't really need. SO of course we have everything we'll be taking in a spreadsheet so there won't be any surprises when we try to lift our packs.Under 'MY OTHER JOURNALS' will be the journals from other backpacking trips we have done. At this point there are just two other short backpacking trips to include there.Under the 'GUESTBOOK' section, you can 'SIGN' our guestbook or 'VIEW' entries others have left for us. If you 'SIGN' our guestbook , we'll get an email with your email address so that we can correspond with you.We'll be adding other information like 'PHOTOS' and 'MAIL DROPS' over the coming weeks.You can traverse through our journal entries using either the First/Previous/Next/Last keywords above the date in the center of the page or by using the dropdown arrow under 'BY DATE' on the left side of the page. The 'LIST' view includes the title and date of each journal entry so would be helpful if you were looking for a particular topic that you read a while ago.Hope you enjoy and for those of you thinking of a hike of your own, hope you will find some information that will ease your planning process.
Date: 2013-01-22
To: Our Hiking History
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We've been day hikers for years hiking locally and planning vacations that included a lot of day hiking. Most of our hiking adventures have taken place along the Skyline Drive in Virginia, in the Green Mountains of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the Catskills and Shawangunks of New York.During the summer of 2011 we started kicking around this idea of doing a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail. And since then, it's been pretty much of a snowball rolling downhill and picking up speed. Now, mind you, we hadn't yet made the transition from day hikers to backpackers but that didn't seem to slow us down any. We used to go camping at state parks with the kids in our younger days but aching backs put a halt to that about 20 years ago. Now what would possess us to consider long-term tenting?In 2012, we had our first backpacking adventures. Our first mini-outing resulted in back problems for 'Side' and a broken pinky finger for 'Miles'. The following longer outings resulted in foot problems for 'Miles'. Okay, we weren't off to the best start but we were learning about what our bodies could handle and testing out our gear. And, oh yeah, the aching backs from sleeping in a tent were back (not to mention aching hips). Really, what were we thinking?
Date: 2013-01-23
To: Research, research and more research
Miles today: 0.0

An undertaking of this magnitude warrants some heavy research. There's so much to learn.We both did a lot of research on the internet and visited every outfitter we could. We followed the trail journals of hikers similar to us. We attended ALDHA's (Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association) Gathering the last two years attending sessions and learning from everyone there. This is a great weekend reunion of new and old hikers. We did some trail magic the last two summers, sitting by the side of the trail with drinks and food for the hikers coming through. It was a good opportunity to pick their brains about favorite gear and such. They were so inspiring and all left us with the same message - "You have to do this".'Miles' is an avid reader and tackled many books with individual accounts of long-distance hikes including 'A Walk in the Woods', 'AWOL on the Appalachian Trail', 'Becoming Odyssa', 'The Barefoot Sisters' (both books), 'Skywalker', 'Hiking Through', 'Journey to the Crest' and 'Wild'. Our local library system had books on many related topics, like lightweight backpacking, trailside cooking, predicting weather, map reading, etc.'Side' read some of the above books but was the go-to guy for finding the best prices. Thank goodness we got discounts on a lot of our gear because it can totally break the bank shopping for gear for two.
Date: 2013-01-24
To: A Little Gear Talk
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

A couple of months ago, we had started our 'GEAR' info. Spent quite a bit of time over the last few days updating it adding more of the gear we'll be carrying. It's a lot of work but remembering when we were first researching gear how helpful it was to refer to what others thought was the 'right' stuff to take. On one of our days doing Trail Magic in 2011, we met 'Scribbles' as she was passing through. What an inspiration she was for 'Miles' in those early days when a thru-hike was just words we were saying. Her gear page was our go-to as we researched gear. Figured if we tried to keep our weight similar to the weight of her pieces of gear, we'd be in the ballpark. She was so kind to respond to our email queries about this and that. During the ALDHA Gathering in West Virginia last October, we were so amazed when this lovely lady came up to us and said hello. It was Scribbles. We so enjoyed our conversations with her there.Have to say that backpackers are such a kind group of folks. So friendly and always willing to share information and a story.We've tried to be sensible about what is the 'right' stuff for us to carry in our packs so that the journey will be enjoyable. We know there are lighter alternatives to some of our choices, but so far we're content with our choices. Ideally 'Side' would like to keep his backpack below 30 pounds and 'Miles' would like to keep hers below 25 pounds. So far, we've both been a couple pounds above that. You'd think with us getting to share some items (like the tent, filter, and cooking equipment) that we'd be able to get those numbers lower. And now 'Miles' wants to add a Kindle. Well, guess we'll figure out what we're willing to lug along as we get out there a hundred miles.Tomorrow will try to post a list of the little stuff that didn't make the GEAR page.
Date: 2013-01-25
To: Small items in the backpack of Miles From Nowhere
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Okay, for smaller items that didn't make the GEAR page.....Extra items in 'Miles from Nowhere' backpack:CAMP KITCHEN:some coffee filters (to use when the water source is really icky)fuel canister (6.8 oz)mini Bic lighter (0.4 oz)small pot scrubbyvarious sized ziploc baggiesOTHER CLOTHES:underwearball cap (2.3 oz)magic gloves (those cheap little knit gloves, for sleeping and camp use)Crocs for camp shoes (plus 2 small carabiners to hang them from back of pack) (11.6 oz)HAIR ITEMS:small brush (1.2 oz)ponytail holderssmall conditionerEYE CARE ITEMS:eyeglass prescriptionlubricant eye dropssmall microfiber cloth for cleaning glasses and camera lensTOOTH CARE ITEMS:travel toothbrush (0.5 oz)small tube of toothpaste, 0.85 oz (1.1 oz)Plackers dental brush (cleans between teeth and under dental bridges, can use for 2 weeks, comes in pack of 4)HAND / FOOT CARE ITEMS:clipperssmall emory boardblister padscorn padsfoot powderPERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS:CareOne hand sanitizer spray stick (60 uses, weighs 0.7 oz)part of a roll of toilet paper with cardboard removedpocket trowel for digging holeswet wipes wet wipes (dried out to be rehydrated on the trail)FIRST AID ITEMSAfter Bite pentick removerace bandage (1.6 oz)Johnson & Johnson waterproof tape (1/2 inch x 5 yds)Nexcare bandaidsalcohol wipesMEDS:vitaminsibuprofenbenadryl (spray and tablets)migraine medstumsgiardia med (just in case>REPAIR ITEMS:several needles and a little threadsmall safety pinsdental floss small piece of tent fabricsmall piece of tent screeningOTHER ITEMS:ID (license, credit card, medical cards) (0.5 oz)Applachian Trail Trees & Wildfowers waterproof foldout guide, 4" x 8" (1.1 oz)small notebook, pen, duct tape wrapped around pen (1.6 oz)REI Tri-power safety whistle (0.7 oz)Victorinox Spartan knife with fingernail file and scissors (0.7 oz)SOL survival blanket (3.4 oz)instaflator for inflating air mattresses (bought but haven't used yet)two tall kitchen garbage bags (for wet/dirty things or lining the pack if needed) (1.1 oz each)small pack of tissuesearplugs (for when the shelter rattles with snoring)chapstick with SPFsunscreenbug repellentsmall piece of clothesline to string up in tent for drying clothesrubber bands
Date: 2013-01-26
To: Small items in the backpack of Sidetracked
Miles today: 0.0

 Okay, for smaller items that didn't make the GEAR page.....Extra items in 'Sidetracked' backpack:OTHER CLOTHES:underwearball cap (2.5 oz)Crocs for camp shoes (plus 2 small carabiners to hang them from back of pack) (15.8 oz)HAIR ITEMS:Ace small pocket comb (0.2 oz)EYE CARE ITEMS:eyeglass prescriptionhard glasses case for each of us (so we don't crunch them in the tent)small microfiber cloth for cleaning glasses and camera lensTOOTH CARE ITEMS:travel toothbrush (0.5 oz)small tube of toothpaste, 0.85 oz (1.1 oz)Plackers dental brush (cleans between teeth and under dental bridges, can use for 2 weeks, comes in pack of 4)HAND / FOOT CARE ITEMS:clippersbunion protectorsPERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS:CareOne hand sanitizer spray stick (60 uses, weighs 0.7 oz)part of a roll of toilet paper with cardboard removedGSI Outdoors Cathole Trowel (3.1 oz)wet wipes wet wipes (dried out to be rehydrated on the trail)Dr. Brunner's Magic Soap, 4 oz (to share) (5.3 oz)FIRST AID ITEMSAdventure Medical Adventurer Light & Fast Kit (13 oz)neosporintick removerMEDS:vitaminsibuprofenbenadryl (spray and tablets)tumsgiardia med (just in case>lyme disease med (just in case)REPAIR ITEMS:stove repair kitOTHER ITEMS:ID (license, credit card, medical cards) (0.5 oz)cell phone and charger (8.5 oz)iPodwaterproof watch (2.3 oz)mini Bic lighter (0.4 oz)REI Tri-power safety whistle (0.7 oz)two tall kitchen garbage bags (for wet tent and one as spare) (1.1 oz each)earplugs (for when the shelter rattles with snoring)chapstick with SPFsunscreenbug repellentParachute Cord, 50 ft, 3mm, 1/8 inch (4.2 oz)2 carabiners to attach food bags when bearproofingAquamira drops (as backup if filter fails) (3.2 oz)
Date: 2013-01-27
To: The physical, mental and emotional aspects
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Doing a long-distance hike is quite an undertaking. You not only want to be physically prepared but also mentally and emotionally prepared. THE POSITIVE ASPECTSThere will be many wonderful times and fun folks to meet on the trail. The word 'camaraderie' means 'Mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together'. This is so applicable to a long-distance hike. The camaraderie that develops between hikers, townspeople, and trail angels provides comfort. (Trail angels are those who provide you with unexpected good deeds out of the goodness of their hearts - food/drink they deliver trailside, a ride to town or back to the trail, just to name a few.) There is the spiritual aspect, leading a simpler life, getting to know the deeper part of yourself, being able to still put together a project (planning and then executing) and bring your drive and confidence to it.There is the opportunity to see remote parts of our beautiful America - relaxing by a stream, strolling through a meadow, walking through a gentle rain, looking out from a mountaintop.THE NEGATIVE ASPECTSmany ups and downs - The trail can be grueling but fortunately you build your physical conditioning while out there. Sidetracked prefers uphill because the downhill is so hard on the knees. He's hoping to avoid knee problems that he's had from hiking in the past. Miles From Nowhere prefers downhill even though it is hard on the knees. At least she can breathe when descending.aching joints and other body parts - The old timers ache before they even start the trail and then it gets worse.rain - Staying dry can be difficult and lugging wet gear just adds to the already heavy weight of the pack. You have to develop a loving bond with the rain to help your mental game and keep depression at bay.cold - You don't know what weather conditions you'll hit in the mountains in the early and late parts of the trip. There can be some cold nights but we'll try to carry the right gear to prevent freezing.sweat - The heat takes its toll on your body. You and your clothes smell pretty ripe. Raingear makes you sweat so while you may keep the rain off you, you still get wet from inside. In cold weather the sweating is quickly followed by the shivers when you stop hiking.missing your family and friends - The emotional part will be tough. We will be able to communicate via Trail Journals and email when possible. We'll be able to make phone contact sometimes. But it's not the same as face-to-face time and warm hugs. Feel free to meet us along the trail to deliver either of those (but you want to use caution on the hug part - see the sweat section above).Don't mean to focus on any negatives before we get started - just trying to be realistic and, thus, better prepared.
Date: 2013-01-28
To: How we'll layout our hike
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

We figure it will probably take us 6 months to hike the trail. We will be in no hurry other than to make it to Maine before they stop allowing you to climb Katahdin mid-October or sooner if the weather is bad. Since we haven't gotten much exercise this winter, we'll start out hiking 6-8 miles a day and increase from there as we are able. We'll stop about once a week for a day to stay in a hostel or motel to shower, do laundry, and do town chores like resupply, mail, etc. This will give us the chance to rejuvenate. In hiker terms, this day is referred to as either a zero day (where you don't hike any miles at all that day) or a nero day (where you hike a small number of miles that day). The temptation is to have more of these days than you should - will have to be careful.We won't be doing much advance planning for shelters or hostels to stay at.It will depend on how we progress. From our research, we know of a lot of recommended places to stay and will certainly be trying to hit the favorites.
Date: 2013-01-29
To: Day to Day on the Trail
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

A long-distance hike should be considered work, more than a vacation. It can get tedious with lots of days being much the same. Wake up early, grab something to eat, pack up everything, hike, stop for breaks and lunch, set up camp and do chores, eat dinner, and sleep.Some of the camp chores:finding the water sourcefiltering the waterhanging the bear bagjournalingpersonal hygienewashing clothes, if weather allowshanging clothes to dry, whether they were washed or notWe'll be mostly sleeping in a tent. This provides a little privacy, some relief from the roaming shelter mice at night, and a little distance from other snorers (we do our own fair share, thank you). Sleeping in a tent comes with its own challenges. The tent is wide enough to just fit our air mattresses. Lengthwise in the tent, we have a couple of inches above the mattress to lay a few things and a small amount of room at the foot of the mattress for laying things out of our backpacks. It's really tight quarters so you better be organized because once we're both in there is not the time to try to find something that is lost in the tent. Been there - done that. Her stuff at the foot of her air mattress. His stuff at the foot of his air mattress. Yellow stuff sacks for the clothes. Green stuff sacks for the sleeping stuff (bag, liner, sleeping clothes, dry socks).We will try to stay in shelters for sure when it's raining to avoid the wind and downpours and to try to prevent the heavy, wet gear the next day. But everyone will have the same idea.
Date: 2013-01-30
To: Our food plan
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Our food will be readily available items. In general, we'll only be heating water for coffee in the morning to make for a quick getaway from camp. For lunch, it will be cold items (well maybe something warm to drink in the coldest of weather). For dinner, we will generally cook up something and have a warm drink (well, maybe not on the hottest days of summer).Below are some of our favorite lightweight foods to take:Breakfast favorites:instant oatmeal or cream of wheatCarnation instant breakfastbreakfast barscold cereal in a baggie with instant milk powder - just add watercold poptartsLunch favorites:Oberto bbq pork jerkyhard cheesecrisp crackersRitz peanut butter crackers and cheese crackerspeanut butter and jelly on pitabagel with peanut butterDinner favorites:instant soup mixpackaged freeze-dried mealsLipton or Knorr instant noodles or ricepackaged mac and cheeseramen noodles (they taste salty and are lightweight)instant mashed potatoescouscousshelf-stable pre-cooked bacon (to add to the pasta dishes)Snack favorites:BelVita sustained energy biscuitsdried fruitsgranolacandygoldfish crackersCheezits (the salt tastes good on the trail)snack bars (Dove and M&M)packaged Rice Krispy treats and Lucky Charms treatsDessert favorites:Nonni's triple milk chocolate biscotti (lightweight, crunchy and chocolatey)Newtons fruit thins (crispy so they hold up well)instant pudding and milk powder in a baggy (add water and squish)Drink favorites:only water in the hydration unitinstant Gatorade (even a little in a bottle of water is a nice break from just water)hot chocolate packetsNescafe cappuccino or mocha packets (expensive but love these - closest thing we can get to Miles' daily lattes)Extras:parmesan cheesebutter budspowdered cheeseOf course, it will be important to change up the food choices to avoid boredom and intense dislike for the same thing. Many quickly develop a dislike for instant oatmeal and it can be frequently found in the hiker boxes at hostels and outfitters; these are boxes where hikers can either drop things they don't need or pick up items that someone else didn't want and they can use.And we each have food choices that we would rather avoid but need to work on. Side doesn't like veggies which limits choices on the pre-packaged meals. Miles doesn't like nuts. Neither of us cares for raisins. Get over it or starve!