morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-07-05
From: Campsite Somewhere North of Pearisburg

To: The Captains
Miles today: 16.1

Day 79Today...I cried. A LOT. I just kept thinking "Why am I doing this??"Being alone and not knowing where anyone is or when I might see them again is really hard. It was tough that so many other people had friends and family visit.I found out from some sobo sectioners that the kids were at the shelter ahead of me last night and were still there into the late morning. When I got there they had gone, but the fire was still going. I ended up catching up to them and Hawk at the water source. We all convened (well, not Hawk, somehow we lost him...) for lunch at the Pine Swamp Shelter where I proceeded to have a complete and total breakdown. Snot running, wracked with sobs, breakdown.Sittingbull had a bad stomach ache so he and I stayed at the shelter while MedMan and Grandma went ahead. Grandma gave me some chocolate to help me...and then Sittingbull talked me down from the ledge while I sat there bawling my eyes out. I had no phone service all day. Actually worse, I had bars but no calls would go through. I think that was good, cause if I had been able to call home in the state I was in, I'm sure Mom would have said come home...and I would have.The last half of the trail today sucked! No other word for it. The book was wrong on mileage in a few places and the trail itself was BY FAR the worst maintained so far. I got totally scratched up by brambles and I slipped again when trying to go over a windfall.Captains is a camping hostel. He has a "zipline" over the river to transport you and your pack and he lets you tent in his yard or sleep on the back porch. We all set up in the yard and had a fire in the fire pit. We get to use the inside bathroom and can plug in our electronics to charge! That was a pleasant suprise as I wasn't expecting electric till Daleville and used up a battery and a half trying to stay connected to people and and not be too lonely in my tent last night.
Date: 2010-12-17
To: Decision to thru-hike!
Miles today: 0.0

After spending much time sorting things out mentally over the last week, I came to the realization that 2011 would be a great time to thru-hike. Personally, financially and physically, I'm ready. Also, given the events over the last couple of weeks, I can certainly benefit from some quality time on the trail. The only unknown at this point is getting a leave of absence from work. Once I get the owner's blessing, it will be planning time for a March 21st start. Lots will have to be done in the next 3 and half months.
Date: 2010-12-20
To: Getting time off work
Miles today: 0.0

Getting everything together for a 2011 thru-hike. Talked to all 3 owners of the company at which I work about thru-hiking next year. All of them are generally willing to let me take off that much time but need to think about it a little more. Hopefully should hear something soon. I'm guessing that I'll be very busy in the weeks leading up to the hike getting things wrapped up before I go.Need to get some new gear for the hike. My Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight has served me well for the many years that I've used it but I don't think it will hold up to a thru-hike because of its age. Looking at getting a Lightheart tent. Nice and light, easy to set up.
Date: 2011-01-06
To: It's on !!!
Miles today: 0.0

Just got the blessing to thru-hike the trail from all of the owners at where I work. Wow! It's for real now! Lot's of thoughts are running through my head at the moment but the bottom line is that I'm excited. Way back in the early nineties, the seed was planted even though I didn't think I had the physical ability to do it. Several years ago, I became convinced that it was possible to put in the miles day in and day out. Hiking has always been enjoyable but it was the doubt of being able to hike 12 or so miles a day that kept me from pursuing a thru-hike. Now I'm ready and everything is in place.Of course, there's a lot to be done before I can take off. Gear improvements and upgrades, food and mail drops and how to handle special situations are some of the many things on the todo list. With a March 21 start date, there's not a lot time to get all of this completed so efficiency is a must.So, as stated above, on 3/21, the hike starts. It will definitely include the appraoch trail at Amicalola State Park. Katahdin, here I come!
Date: 2011-01-16
To: Planning, gear and miscellaneous musings
Miles today: 0.0

It has been a couple of weeks since my last post. Right now I've been busy with planning the whole hike. First order of business was to get an handle on the resupply points along the trail. I know better than to think that I can guess exactly how many miles I'm going to do each day especially 3 months into the hike. Just basically estimating it so I know generally what I need to package up and send to each resupply point. One thing that needs to be resolved is the question of what foods to package up. I'm trying to avoid too much repetition but I also don't want to make the task of preparing meals too difficult. I'm sure I can find some good ideas on trail forums. On the gear front, I got a droid phone so I can journal using the phone and upload later. In fact, this post was done with the new droid as a test. Not only will I be able to post to trailjournals, I can also take pictures and upload them. Cool device since it's one device with all the stuff I need. Also, just got my Patagonia down sweater today. It should keep me warm during the cold nights in the spring and when I get up north. Will be ordering my lightheart tent tomorrow which will pretty much finish up the gear purchases except for maybe a new stove. Right now I use a MSR Whisperlite which I like except for the bulk. The Jetboil is a little more compact and maybe more efficient. While down in Florida, it seemed that I was constantly thinking about the hike. My family was curious about it, of course, so that kept it at the forefront of my mind. I don't think I was obsessing over it too much but there was this ever present anticipation that comes from knowing that one is embarking on a great journey. I guess I'm just excited about the chance to pursue my dream.
Date: 2011-01-30
To: End of January, less than 2 months
Miles today: 0.0

Getting closer to my start date and the anticipation is growing. On the gear front, everything is in except for just a couple of clothing items. In the picture is the Lightheart tent that I just purchased set up for seam sealing. I really appreciate how well made it is. Also, setup is a snap. Stake the 4 points of the diamond shaped floor, insert the trekking poles inside then stake the fly and it's up. Another gear related decision was to get a Jetboil stove. This was based on the recommendation of a couple who had thru-hiked a couple of years ago. Saves about a pound and a half, takes up less space in the pack and the boil time is awesome. Getting all the food together has been interesting. The challenge is to do it economically and not have a lot of repetition. I guess I could look forward to town stops if I don't do a good job here. Some friends told about a couple of websites that may have some good food related ideas. Certainly need to check them out. There are many things that need to get wrapped up before I start. It can be overwhelming at times but I must remember that sometimes accomplishing something great requires a lot of effort.
Date: 2011-02-23
To: Off to the Foothills Trail
Miles today: 0.0

It's less than 4 weeks to the start of my thru-hike. It's amazing how fast the time has passed. Preparation for the hike, trying to get everything done at work and socializing has kept me busy since I made the decision to hike. The reaction of people over the last couple of months has been interesting. Most are very positive with a mind to help out where ever they can. Some people simply cannot grasp what I'm about to do. Usually, it's comments like "That's a long way." or "What about the bears" (most common). Many of those are also trying to work through the logistics in their own mind. "How are you going to carry all that food?" or "What do you do when it rains?" I don't consider these folks to be negative so I try to work with them by explaining how one should deal with each of the issues they bring up. Great endeavors are never free from trials and tribulations but are rich in understanding of those issues. What frees a person to pursue their dreams is the knowledge of what to expect and how to deal the troubles that will come as well as the expectation of a great finish. Well, I need to either get on topic or change the title of this entry. Morning Glory and I are heading off to hike the Foothills Trail in South Carolina. Sort of a shakedown hike to make sure I've got all of the gear set. That's the excuse anyways. The real motivation is probably the desire to get out and hike. Spring fever as it's sometimes called. Sort of parallels the Gaelic Storm song "Heart Of The Ocean" which just starting playing on my computer.
Date: 2011-02-24
To: First day of the Foothills trail
Miles today: 0.0

Morning Glory and I got to the trailhead a little later than we had hoped to. Thus we ended up hiking in the dark to get to the camping area near Virginia Hawkins Falls. Great camping area by the stream with the sound of the falls in the distance. Hike in was pretty short, about 4 miles or so. Had a little trouble with footing due to poor lighting, especially on some of the steep downhills. Expecting a good shower in the morning so we'll see how the new tent does.
Date: 2011-02-25
To:  Off to Toxaway river camping area
Miles today: 0.0

Got a fair amount of rain last night. The tent stayed quite dry so I guess the seams are properly sealed. Couldn't sleep at all because of the many thoughts running through my head. One was the question of how the tent would do in the rain. Since this was the first backpacking trip since making the commitment to thru-hike, thoughts of what it would be like to finish at Katahdin also went through my head. Mostly, just memories of my late wife kept me awake. I can remember missing her when I went for week long hikes. This is the first trip since her passing so there were many emotions to deal with. Today's hike was pretty easy until the end. They don't believe in switchbacks on that part of the trail. I'm now sitting in my tent at the edge of the Toxaway river. It's very relaxing with the sounds of the water flowing over the rocks, much like the previous night. With no signs of rain, I'm expecting a very peaceful night. The version of the Lightheart solo tent that I have has the awning option. This allowed me to set up the tent with the awning side facing the river. It was nice to lay in the tent and look out toward the river.
Date: 2011-02-26
To: To Bear Camp Creek camping area
Miles today: 0.0

Got going a little later than desired mostly because of the cold. The low was 36 according to Morning Glory's watch. Last night's sleep was fine even at that temperature with the Marmot Helium bag. Really am happy with that purchase. Morning Glory didn't do so well with the cold weather in his sleeping bag. He told me that he kept waking up shivering. We covered 11.2 miles pretty quickly. Terrain was not too bad except for a couple of steep hills. Stopped at Bear Camp creek for the night. The unusual name comes from the past use of this camping area. During bear hunting season, a lot of hunters would camp here. It's a great camping area with good water source and flat tenting spaces. We're going to be treated to the sound of water rushing over rocks for the third night on a row. Really makes sleeping nice. Spending most of the afternoon just relaxing and enjoying the pleasant weather. As it was yesterday, it's been mostly sunny with highs in the upper 50's. I think we'll both be turning in early tonight. I've bern fighting a cold or something. Morning Glory is just tired.
Date: 2011-02-27
To: Finishing up at Whitewater falls
Miles today: 0.0

Last nights temperature was a little warmer than the night at Toxaway but still too cold enough for Morning Glory's bag. There were still hot coals from the roaring fire we had the night before so it didn't take long to get it going again. Morning Glory, true to his name, got packed up and on the trail about 10 or so minutes before I left. I guess I take my time packing up. More than likely, I'll be more efficient after a couple of weeks thru-hiking. I still won't be in a rush just because I'll want to relax and enjoy the journey. Shortly after I started hiking, I came across Hilliard Falls. it's on a side trail that's about 0.3 miles long. (Picture didn't come out so well because the camera was cold enough to fog over the lens.) When I finally caught up to Morning Glory, he was sitting by a river wondering where I'd been. He decided so skip the falls. He quickly got his pack on and we took off for Whitewater Falls. We got to the Whitewater river fairly quickly. The terrain wasn't bad at all and the views were great - a very pleasant hike to the river. When we got there, we met a young guy who was fishing off of the bridge near where the trail meets the river. He was the first person we saw the entire hike. Shortly afterwards, we met another group from Walhalla. Yes, we were getting close to Whitewater Falls. We finally got to the bridge that crosses the river at the base of the falls. The view of the falls was fantastic but somewhat obscured by the trees. Definitely worth the hike down from the parking area (and back up) if you ever decide to go see the falls. We hike up the hill and around to another parking area that was separate from the main parking area, cleaned up and caught our shuttle back to the parking area near 178. We finished up the day with a hearty burger in downtown Asheville. As far as equipment is concerned, I'm ready to thru-hike. Still have to get food and mail drops finalized but that shouldn't be a big issue. This is the first of the Foothills journals that I did on a computer rather than on the Droid. Basically, I've been sitting in my tent while entering the journal entry as a text note. When I get a signal, I connect to Trailjournals and upload the text. I have to wait to get the pictures uploaded until I have access to a computer since the picture upload doesn't seem to work with the Droid. Overall, doing the journals on the Droid should work out pretty well.
Date: 2011-03-20
To: At Amicalola State Park
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Sitting in the hotel room just thinking about the upcoming hike. Never thought I would be able to fulfill the dream of thru-hiking the AT. There's a strange mixture of emotions right now. First, excitement about the chance to hike. Some apprehension about what is to come. Also, some sorrow because I'll be missing my family and friends. The cool thing is that I know everything will work out probably not like I had planned. I also know that I'll make lifelong friends along the way. But isn't that what a good journey is all about? Things that one ever expects to happen are what make the journey memorable. For the not so pleasant events, a chance to overcome and gain confidence. For the pleasant events, memories that will be always be cherished. For the friends that we make during the journey, wonderful relationships that will be most cherished for the rest of our lives. Well the adventure has begun before the start of the hike. Before starting the trip down to Amicalola, I shaved my head with the intention of not cutting my hair or beard until I finish. Morning Glory picked me up and we headed down to Georgia. Got to spend some quality time with Bark and Berry, 09 thru-hikers. Picked up MissJanet and Thatguy at Neel's gap and arrived at Amicalola at around seven. It was great meeting them. Also met Bat whom I contacted through trailjournals.
Date: 2011-03-21
From: At Amicalola State Park

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: few clouds

Started at the visitor's center and finished at Stover Creek Shelter. Total miles was actually 11.6 miles when the approach trail is included. We ended up getting a ride to the start of the approach trail from "bat"'s sister. The night before, I struck up a conversation with her at the buffet telling her that we would do the approach trail if we could get a ride down to the start. She was very kind to offer us a ride to the visitor's center for the start of our hike. The plan for Morning Glory's van was for "Missjanet" to drive the van up to Springer parking area so that he could hike from Stover the next morning and just drive home from Springer. That way, he could hike the approach trail with me and still get home at a reasonable hour. Before starting, I weighed my pack at the visitor's center. It ended up being a little on the heavy side at 35 pounds but I think it will be fine. The stairs going up the falls wasn't too bad but it still wore out my legs. I didn't do nearly as much training in the weeks leading up to the hike because of the sinus infection and cold that I was fighting. So for the rest of the hike, I felt a little on the slow side. Morning Glory was in rare form. I have never seen him with so much energy during a hike. He basically was waiting for me to catch up at a couple of the hilltops. We finally got to the top of Springer where the AT officially starts. After signing the trail journal, we were off to Stover. Got to meet several more thru-hikers along the away as well as a couple of hikers at the shelter. All have been wonderful folks. Also met the ridge runners who decided stay at Stover for the night. They are important for maintaining some degree of order on the trail. "Missjanet" finally arrive with her companion, "That Guy" and another young hiker who she picked up at the state park and drove to Springer. We all had a great time talking and cutting up during dinner. I'm now sitting in my tent just reflecting on the day's events. One thing I decided to do when I signed the journal on Springer was dedicate the hike to my late wife, Dawn. She was always so gracious in allowing me to hike as well as engage in other hobbies. I can't think of a better way to honor her on this hike.
Date: 2011-03-22
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: broken clouds

Woke this morning with a little soreness in the left knee. This is a little unusual because I normally have trouble with the right one. So the decision was to just take it easy and let it recover. Morning Glory hiked with me to the falls just past the three forks camping area. He took off for home to take care of things at work. The hike toward Hawk Mountain Shelter was fairly easy but I didn't push it because of the knee and the upcoming climbs. I have done this section before so I knew about these climbs. Stopped at Hawk Mountain Shelter for lunch with Paul, a fellow through hiker. Really enjoyed the conversation with him. I took off toward Gooch on my own so that I wouldn't be pressured to keep to fast of a pace. After a couple of short climbs and descents, I arrived at the base of Sassafras Mountain, the first major climb of the day. It brought back memories of the section hike that I did in 2009. I met Drew climbing up that mountain with a very heavy pack. At age 72, with all that weight, she was struggling. Other hikers said that she made to Justus Creek which was a big relief to all of us. This was my introduction to the trail community. I learned that day how willing everyone was to help another hiker who had issues. Well today's climb was much easier than 2 years ago. I guess the lighter pack and better conditioning really help. The knee also seemed to be doing a lot better with the constant stretching and an easier pace. At the gap after Sassafras mountain there was trail magic. A thoughtful person named "Survivor Dave" dropped off water and snacks. There isn't any water after Hawk Mountain until after these two big climbs so the water he brought was especially nice. Took off up Justus Mountain after getting some water. That climb was also easier than 2 years ago. There were wonderful views on the top of both mountains so the climbs were worth it. Once I got to the bottom of Justus Mountain, I took off my shoes and socks and stuck my feet in the creek. That felt wonderful after hiking for so many miles. I was soon joined by Pat, then Paul who both were intent on doing the same thing. Others who came by later also joined us. Hunger began to sink in and, after drying my feet, I headed for Gooch Gap Shelter to setup camp and get something to eat. It was warm all day without a cloud in the sky. I feel like I'm getting spoiled by the nice weather but I know it won't last too long. A cold front is coming in tomorrow and with it, a chance of thunderstorms and cooler temperatures. Oh well, I guess it can't last forever.
Date: 2011-03-23
From: Gooch Gap Shelter

To: Woods Hole Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: light rain

Got an early start this morning. Somebody had to since Morning Glory wasn't here. Knee was feeling better both at the start and throughout the day. Treated to some great views off of Big Cedar Mountain. Despite the threat of rain, the views were clear of clouds and fog. Really, the rain never came until after we got to the shelter. I decided to just stay in the shelter mostly because I was to lazy to set up the tent and there were plenty of shelter spots available. I was quickly reminded why tenting is the better option. Noise at night. Memories what happened at this shelter 2 years ago came to mind. At that time, I was a novice hiker and because of that, I got to the shelter late. Because there were no tenting or shelter spots, the only option seemed to be sleeping on the picnic table under the overhang of the shelter. Another hiker named Otter, who arrived later than I did, asked to sleep on the floor near the sleeping platform. Everyone seemed happy with the arrangement. At about 10pm, the rain came with strong winds causing the rain to come underneath the overhang, getting Otter's and my feet wet. I covered my bag up with my poncho and Otter just moved to the opposite side of the overhang. Also, Otter kept turning his headlamp on and scanning the floor. There was mice running around. He decided to sleep on the bench of the table. At that point, all seemed well. At about midnight, the wind shifted so the rain started hitting our heads. At the same time, Otter jumped out of his bag. A mouse had crawled into his bag. The folks on the sleeping platform showed compassion on us by moving up enough to give us room to sleep on the edge of the platform. What a night that was. The wind today was just as strong as it was 2 years ago making me wonder if that area was always that windy. Another treat for that night was learning about Slingblade's pizza. It's simply a plain bagel with squeeze bottle cheese on it topped with pepperoni slices. It was one of those fun and interesting evenings at the shelter.