morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-05-01
From: Hot Springs

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Stayed in Hot Springs for a 0 day. Went to outfitter and got new boots. Hi tec boots. They were really resonable in cost and I do believe these will work well. Went out for dinner at the Iron Horse Station. We celebrated Skippers bithday, great food, good wine and killer desserts! Had a good time laughing and trying on hats in gift shop with Arriba and Calamity after dinner.Ready to hike in the morning!
Date: 2009-05-03
From: Spring Mnt. Shelter

To: Hemlock Hollow Farm
Miles today: 5.3

Raining! Ran into older guy in morning who asked if I walked with my umbrella so I could smoke while I hike. I love my umbrella, everyone else gets soaked in thier raingear and I stay dry with my umbrella. My pack stays dry also.When I saw the signs for hot meatball sub sandwhiches at the Hemlock Hollow Farm I was in. Once there the folk running the place, Fred and Haddy were really nice. Took bunk in the bunk house for 20.00. A shower felt good and the other folks in the bunk house were great fun. Arriba and Young Scott were there also. When I decided to speed up the drying of my undies in the microwave a very valuable lesson was learned.   Only nuke your panties for 2 minutes! as they start to burn when you go for 3 minutes! Oh yeah we all had lots of laughs over my nuked panties!The front porch of the bunk house had great chairs and a view of the creek running in front of the porch. It was a very relaxing place. Fred and his sons have built all the cabins. With wood logged off of the place and milled into wood to build with.
Date: 2009-05-04
From: Hemlock Hollow Farm

To: Stealth camp
Miles today: 9.2

Had a missing umbrella in the morning after many searches in and around the bunk house with no results. I had Fred pick up a umbrella for me on his first shuttle run back to Hot Springs. Oh you should see the bright pink patterned thing he came back with. It is like a golf umbrella and wighed like 10 pounds. Not really that heavy but you get the idea. Well Junior and I jumped ahead down the trail to devils fork gap. It started raining and I was strugling with the monster umbrella. The morning wasn't going too good. When I went to get out a clothes change what do I find? My beloved sno peak umbrella!!! It made my day. I felt bad ditching the huge pink monster in the woods. But I kept in mind what Fred, from the bunk house had told me about the locals telling him, when he first moved to the area "If you need to get rid of anything just throw it in the creek, the water will rise and it will wash away!" The people of the area have been there forever and some have never even left the county. It is a beautiful area and yes I'd say the folks there are a little backwards.Finding my umbrella made my day! I didn't know how much I loved it till it was gone!
Date: 2009-05-05
From: Stealth camp

To: stealth camp
Miles today: 9.0

Wow what a day! got to the bald and had good view took some photos and decided to make use of the 30 mile wind by drying my rainfly to tent. Then thought I'd sit in gully and eat a snack. when it stated to rain I just opened up my umbrella and continued my snack. When it started to get serious about the rain I wrapped my rainfly around myself and my pack. With the rainfly umbrella combo I was staying warm and dry. I just hung out until the rain eased up. Hiked to the shelter where I cooked dinner and visited with all the wet damp cold hikers. How I love my umbrella! It keeps me dry and is making the hiking so good even on the wettest days! Hiked on from shelter and found nice stealth site for the night.
Date: 2009-05-06
From: stealth camp

To: Erwin
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: moderate rain

Started this morning in the dry. Made hike to high rocks hung out taking photos and enjoying the place. Hiking on it started to rain yet again! Out comes my trusty umbrella! I ran into some day hikers one of which visited with me and gave me an orange! He told me the forcast was for flash flooding and lots more rain for the day and coming night. When I got to the road I just hitched on into the wonderful Holiday Inn Express!! Oh yeah!! going to enjoy some RR in the dry before going back out.
Date: 2009-05-07
From: Erwin

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Enjoying clean clothes and good breakfast here at the Holiday Inn. Several other hikers staying here also. The local trail angle Miss Janut took us out to dinner last night. The town of Erwin is pretty spread out so it is very nice to have Miss Janut available for shuttles. She does it on a donation basis. She is a wealth of information about the trail and has been associated with the trail for a long time. Johnnys a local hostel is just a mile walk down the road and after a well deserved afternoon nap I stopped at the gas station next door and enjoyed a Klondike icecream on my walk to Johnnys. Several of my fellow hikers are staying there. It is located by the trail and river. The river is just boiling with all of the recent rains. Johnnys also has an outfitter shop, which is selling lots of umbrellas! My fellow hikers have seen the beauty of staying dry while hiking with the umbrella and are going to try an umbrella. I know they will enjoy staying dry while hiking in the rain. It is pretty cool to show up at a shelter dry when everyone else is soaked thru. I just put the handle thru my chest strap and tie it above with my bandana, this leaves my hands free to use my treking poles. My favorite saying is "a chicken has a little head and knows to get out of the rain"
Date: 2009-05-08
From: Erwin

To: stayed another nite in Erwin
Miles today: 0.0

Was going to head back out today till I got a call from Calamity and Skipper who needed a place to stay tonite. So it didn't take much for me to offer to share a room with them here at the comfy Holiday Inn! It is always fun to catch up on whats been happening with fellow hikers. Calamity shared the story of chasing off bears till 3 am. They were in a campsite with out a bear bag hanger and some of the hikeres had hung their bags too low to the ground where a bear was able to steal the food out of thier bags. I think of it as Yogi saying to Bobo " Look Bobo another hiker food bag!"
Date: 2009-05-09
From: Carvers Gap

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: light rain

Started at Carvers Gap where I had Miss Janut shuttle me. It was a good morning with some sun and great views. Enjoyed hiking to the shelter. which is an old barn that has been converted into a shelter. What a nice surprise to find a sign attached to the shelter this way sign that sail 3rd annual Barn Party! Being from Kansas I could envision pig roast and kegs of beer! I wasn't far off. Former thru hikers were putting on trail magic, veggie chile and the best grilled cheese I do beieve I ever ate. There was cookies, chips sodas and lots of beer. They challenged the group of hikers to out drink last years hikers. And my fellow hikers rose to the ocassion and drank 156 beers! It was a great barn party! The view of the valley below the barn was breath taking beautiful! Sure was glad of staying the extra night in Erwin it made my timing perfect to hit the barn party! The former thru hikers throw this bash once a year on a random night.
Date: 2009-05-10
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: stealth site
Miles today: 13.0

Happy Mothers Day! When I climbed up to the Hump mountains I stopped to enjoy a honey bun that I had bought in Erwin. Thats one cool thing about hiking you can eat things that you otherwise would not. As I was enjoying the great views and my honey bun other hikers came along. Fidget gave me a crossword puzzle for mothers day. It was so sweet and just made my day. The sun was wonderfully warm and dry! I hiked till I was tired and threw down on some nice pine needles. What a good mothers day I enjoyed!
Date: 2009-05-11
From: stealth site

To: Mountaineer Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: light rain

Was raining when I woke so I took my time making coffee and breakfast in my tent vestible. Got a late start and went to Mountaineer shelter, when I arrived it was only like 3pm and would have hiked on but the shelter is very nice and new and there was some great hikers there. We had a fun night around the campfire. It is always fun to run into hikers you havent seen for a while and catch up on what has been happening to them. This shelter rocks! It is new and has good water source plenty of sleeping space on three levels.
Date: 2009-05-12
From: Mountaineer Shelter

To: Kincor hikers hostel
Miles today: 15.0

Wonderful day of great trail and sun shine! I took a blue blaze to coon den falls and they were awesome! It was a fun trail with one part even having a rope that you used to let yourself down a really wet and slippery rock area. I just enjoyed the falls. As you walked down the trail a spring started on your right it was a small stream at first and just built the further you went. As you made your way down the falls were out of sight but you could hear them in the distance. It was so great to get to them! I lingered there for quit a while getting water, taking pictures having a snack and just soaking in the beauty! The water rushed out and hit a rock that was perpendicular to the rest of the face. then the water fell at least 50 foot. It was just so beautful it is one sight I will hold in my mind to bring up in the future. When I got to Denis Cove Road I knew I was down the road from Kincora hostel so I got a quick hitch to the hostel. It is run by Bob Peoples who has been doing trail maintenace and running the hostel for a long time. Baltimore Jack cooked up a huge dinner of lasanga and salad. What fun to eat a dinner with your trail family around a huge table on the porch.
Date: 2009-05-13
From: Kincor hikers hostel

To: Damacus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Got a ride from Scott who I named Beef Cake along with Baltimore to Damascus. Took room in Bed and Breakfast for night. It was a really neat old house with claw foot bath tubs and wonderful woodwork. Remided me of my grandparents house. Had great swing in the front yard which was right on mainstreet.   What fun to see other hikers I knew and meet new ones too. I also met a local named Hootie who will let me keep the trailer in his backyard. Will be watching for my friend Teresa in the morning. She is bringing my Harley to Damascus. I look forward to seeing her. She has been my resupply person back home mailing my packages to me. What a super job she has done! Many many thanks to her! It is so important to have great support people back home to mail your resupply boxes on a timely basis so when you arrive to a town you box is at the Post Office.
Date: 2009-05-14
From: Damacus

To: tent city Damacus
Miles today: 0.0

Teresa made it to town and it was so much fun to see her. We unloaded my Harley and dropped off the trailer in Hooties backyard. Went to tent city and set up for the next 3 nights. Wow I have a two man tent to sleep in and it feels like a mansion! Most of my fellow trail friends are camped down the way in what became called camp "dizzy bat" This is due to the game they play where a person chugs a beer while all others count. Then they spin around the bat however many times it took them to chug thier beer. It is a fun game to watch the young play. Lots of falling down on the spinning! After the required spins they get in position and the empty can is pitched to them and they hit it with the bat. I'm glad that I don't drink beer so get out of having to take my turn. I love to watch the younger hikers having fun with such a inventive game. Reminds me of all the crazy things I did in my younger days. Not to say that I still don't do crazy things, just as I get older I have to be more careful of what I do, you know it takes longer to heal when you get older. I don't want to not be able to ride my Harley home!
Date: 2009-05-15
From: tent city Damacus

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Tent city is quickly filling up with lots of people. Both current hikers and previous thru hikers. Gear reps are here in tent city and they are doing repairs for free. I get my waist buckle replaced and my treking poles tuned up.Teresa has brought ribs from KC and we warm them up to share with fellow hikers.Some of the people I have been hiking with do 30 plus miles to make it into Damacus. The young ones sure do impress me with thier ability to walk so far in one day. The local Baptist church is doing alot of stuff for the hikers. Free dinners, Showers, and a health screening. There are vendors set up in the city park selling gear and crafts and food. Music, arts and talent show going on also. It is just great fun! At night there is really good music being played in tent city. Also Miss Janut has a drum circle. With a huge bon fire. It is like being an indian and just letting your spirit out with dancing around the fire! What an experience to be part of.
Date: 2009-05-16
From: Tent City, Damascus

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Another day of fun! Went for the health check at the Church. It was neat to do. They took blood and did an assesment of your health. Also doctors and foot care. I am proud to report I am in great shape with my good HDL numbers off the chart! I have gained 5 pounds and am 51 percent hydrated. The doctor agrees that my knees would never forgive me if I tried to walk to Maine. It has been another really fun day! In the evening there is another drum circle and camp dizzy bat is cheering on players into the night. My adopted trail daughter Muscels had her fire sticks and puts on an awesome show! My adopted trail son Groov gives me an bumper sticker "Hiker Trash" I will miss all of the hikers I have met. What wonderful bonds you make while out hiking on the trail.
Date: 2009-05-17
From: Damascus, VA

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Today is bitter sweet. We pack up and get Teresa ready to head back. I make gear changes to ride back on my bike. It is with a heavy heart that I say my good bys and wish everyone a good hike from here on. With promisses to stay in touch and best of luck to all. Teresa and I go to a near by town for a hotel night where I can sort out what I need to take and what to send back with her in the truck. It is a challenge to make the transition. In the morning Teresa takes off and I go on the bike back to Damacus where hikers are leaving out back for the trail It is good to see Arriba and say a good bye. I head to a local lake to camp for the night. In the morning I do some trail magic and leave cliff bars for hikers on the trail. It is with a heavy heart that I head north from the trail on my journey home. The bike is running good and I am thankful to have the time alone to help process all that I have experiened. I go see Calamity at here job at a local whitewater rafting outfit. We have a good time taking a raft out for the day on the Nahala river. I camp at the paddle Inn. In the morning I say yet another goodbye and head to ride the Dragon tail It is a road with over 300 turns in 11 miles. I am slowly getting back into the rythms of life off of the trail. It was wonderful to spend the time hiking on the AT. I am sure that I will hike again. I want to thank everyone who sent emails to me It was great to hear from people who were reading my journal. I strongly urge anyone who ever thought of hiking to do so. It is a wonderful adventure! You are sure to see awesome things and meet some great people! Always remember "What you Dare to Dream, Dare to Do"N Da Wind
Date: 2008-11-10
To: Preparation #1
Miles today: 0.0

Greetings, ever since hiking the State of Virginia and the 100 Mile Wilderness in 2005, I've had a longing to return to the AT and make an honest effort to hike the entire trail. I was going to wait until I was 62 and finished my second job; however, I've decided I can't wait any longer. So, next year on April 8, 2009, I will start walking north from Georgia.As every hiker knows, less than 10% of the hikers that start the AT actually finish. So the odds are against me from the start! I've read hundreds of journals of hikers that made it and those that didn't in efforts to understand what variables made for a successful thru-hike. And the reasons hikers make it are all diiferent. We all know you can't under estimate the physical aspect of hiking the trail at whatever age, but I believe the mental is what casues most to quit the trail. Everyone wants their life back. To see their friends, sleep in their own bed and take a shower once a day. These are all things I will have to wrestle with during my journey. For now, I can say I'm looking forward to those challenges.
Date: 2008-11-11
To: Preparation #2
Miles today: 0.0

A few Appalachian Trail Quotes:   Appalachain Trail-Georgia to Maine. A footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness. I always wondered where the footpath was when climbing straight up hand over hand!   Not all who wander are lost.   And when you are exhausted, bored, lonely, dehydrated, hungry, hyperventilated, or have the runs, say to yourself: "Somewhere there is someone sitting in a cubicle farm who would gladly switch places with me."   If your lucky to be out here, then your lucky enough!   A ship in a harbor is safe, but that is not what ships were built for. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than the ones you did. So cast off the bow lines, get into the wind and sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.   Life is short but a smile takes barely a second.   Obstacles are the things we see when we take our eyes off our goals.   The journey not the arrival matters.   I learned that the richness of life is found in adventure.   Walking brings out the true nature of a man.   Men go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.   Your friend is that man who knows all about you, and still likes you.   The best things in life are not things.   Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather, to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming...Holy $h!t... What a ride!jpg"> Nedthefed Stops a Lot Vertical Eddie 05
Date: 2008-11-12
To: Preparation #3
Miles today: 0.0

I made my decision to hike the AT trail last spring so most of my equipment acquisition is nearly complete. I'm using some of the gear I used in 2005, while most of my clothes are or will be new. Even since 05, equipment and clothes continue to get lighter.When I started my hike in 2005 in Damascus, I weighed my pack which had 7 days of food and 4 liters of water in it at the MRO. It clocked in at 40lbs. Wow! Jeff Patrick gave me that look like, another uneducated hiker. And I was. And I was starting out with mostly summer gear because it was June.Over the next 70 days while hiking Virginia and the 100 Mile Wilderness, I was able to get the pack weight down to about 32 lbs with several days of food and 2 liters of water.Right now, with winter gear, my base weight (on paper) is about 21 lbs; however, I continue to tweek things to make it lighter. I have my estimated base weight with summer gear around 14 lbs. I have a few extra layers for winter as I hate cold weather.I still continue to learn from other hikers who have been successful and preceeded me.Pickle "AT in 02 & 08" told me he had a heavy pack and wore mid-weight hiking boots in 02 and his feet hurt badly by the mid-point. In 05, my feet limited my daily hiking distance because after hiking 8 hours my dogs were just too sore to continue. In 08, Pickle's base pack weight was 10 lbs and he wore trail runners. He said he had no foot pain the entire way. So, I guess the story here is get that pack weight down and your feet will be much happier.I've already posted a number of items in my gear section.Katahdin from Whitecap Mountain
Date: 2008-12-11
To: Preparation #4
Miles today: 0.0

Some of the books I've read in preparation for my hike:   FIXING YOUR FEET by John Vonhof. Great book for people who push the limits of their feet - runners, walkers, hikers, adventure racers, climbers, soldiers and dancers. Talks about all kinds of products, different tapes and what the experts do to prep their feet for an upcoming endeavor.   MOUNTAIN WEATHER by Jeff Renner. Backcountry forcasting and weather safety for hikers, campers, climbers, skiers and snowboarders. Good book with nice illustrations.   APPALACHIAN WILDFLOWERS by Thomas Hemmerly. Nice descriptive book; however, the photos of the flowers could be larger.   WILDFLOWERS OF THE BLUE RIDGE AND GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS by Leonard Adkins and photos by Joe Cook. Great photos of wildflowers and where your likely to find them on the AT.   THE HANDBOOK OF KNOTS by Des Pawson and THE MORROW GUIDE TO KNOTS by Mario Bigon and Guido Regazzoni. Gotta learn those special knots for the trail.   THE SIBLEY FIELD GUIDE TO BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA by David Sibley. Nice guide to bird identification.Stops a Lot fording Little Wilson stream
Date: 2009-02-02
To: Preparation #5
Miles today: 0.0

It has been a while since my last post. Thought I would mention a few pieces of gear that Im Not taking on this hike that I took in 05. Not taking camp shoes, gaiters, tent ground sheet, hydration system, backpack cover and an extra pair of hiking shorts for camp use. Total weight saving of 2 lbs 7 oz.I bought a CD audio book of bird songs made by Lange Elliott along with Donald and Lillian Stokes. It identifies the bird followed by about 30-40 seconds of its bird call. I uploaded them to iTunes and pick out the birds from eastern North America and downloaded them into my Ipod Nano. When I go out for long practice walks of 8-15 miles I take a bird book so I can look up the picture of the bird as it plays on the Ipod. It passes the time and also keeps my hands elevated like hiking poles and prevents the hands from swelling up like they do when your hands hang down along your sides when walking for long periods. I have to say all those small birds sound pretty much alike.ULA Circuit packed and ready to go with six days of food (no water) weighing in at 26.13 lbs