morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-05-20
From: Troutville, VA

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 134.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Well its been a chilly couple of weeks! I've switched out to summer gear- 35 degree bag and less clothes. Its still getting down to low 40's high 30's at night which makes for nippy evenings but not all that bad. The worst part is the cold winds during the day, because the sun is still shining so you get sweaty but the minute you stop that wind just bites right into the damp clothes. Enough complaining though- the forest is just alive with leaves and undergrowth and flowers and animals! It is increasingly more pleasant to wander along amidst fields of wildflowers, and towards the end of the day encounter a dear nibbling on a late afternoon snack.   It is not so pleasant to come across snakes though- I have "kind of" freaked out after almost stepping on a few snakes... Oh but I'm not afraid of them...The real news is we took a couple days off for Trail Days last weekend. We rented a car and headed down to Damascus, camped out in Tent City and had a blast. Unfortunately I had some stomach issues so I wasn't really in the festive mood, but it was a good time nonetheless. I saw a lot of people I hiked with earlier on who are a bit behind The Pain Train. It was great to see them and hear their stories. The sad thing is that now the crowd is thinning and spreading out along the trail, so for the past few weeks it has been just the three of us and maybe one or two other people at each shelter. While its nice to have first choice of tentsites and shelter spots, it can get, well, boring seeing the same people all day everyday. Don't misunderstand me- there is never a dull day on the Trail, but it is exciting to meet and chat with other folks from time to time! So in short, it was really great to catch up with old buddies and see some familiar faces! Also because a bunch of folks did not take time off, we are meeting a lot of hikers who were just a few days behind us and have caught up, so that is also neat. We sometimes feel famous because people read the Pain Train shelter register entries and wonder who we are, then are excited to finally meet us. Its a lot of fun. On to Shenandoah National Park! I'm pretty excited! (I hear its easier) oh I mean... I hear there are lots of animals... like bears... and snakes...
Date: 2008-05-29
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Pinnacle Picnic Ground/ Alexandria, VA
Miles today: 74.1

Its been an eventful week- both good and bad. First of all the bad news. I had been having some serious stomach pains for a few days, and finally when we came across a picnic area in SNP one morning the guys convinced me I needed to see a doctor. So we got a shuttle ride into Luray, VA and I went to the ER where the doctor gave me antibiotics for Giardia. But since it takes a couple days to kick in, I decided the best thing would be to have my kind, awesome, helpful brother pick my pathetic self up to hang at his house in Alexandria for a few days. But Jarrod and Colin, being the gentlemen that they are, refused to hike without me so they decided to come along and use the opportunity to check out DC for a few days. So here we are, walking the dogs down the fine streets of Alexandria, enjoying warm comfy beds and luxuries such as milk with cereal and grilling on the patio. The good news is we are getting a nice little vacation and are gearing up for hitting the halfway point and banging out the next 1200 miles! Oh also, I am feeling much better now and am able to eat without feeling nauseous... or like I'm going to die. So we hope to get back out there in the next couple of days. The Pain Train WILL Roll On!
Date: 2008-06-06
From: Pinnacle Picnic Ground/ Alexandria, VA

To: Harpers Ferry!!!!
Miles today: 87.0
Weather: haze

Much has happened in the past week! The Pain Train is finally back on the trail! We ended up taking a grand total of 6 zero days with my brother. Jarrod and Colin got to check out DC, and when I felt better the three of us went into the city to see a couple of more sights, and what do you know, ran into a fellow hiker in the middle of our nation's capitol! Peak Axe- with his beard and pack- stuck out a bit in the crowd... it was great to see him, and such a funny coincidence. All in all it was a great week, but we sure are glad to be back out in the woods! We finished up Shenandoah NP, finally got out of Virginia and have made it to the psychological halfway point, home of the ATC headquarters: Harpers Ferry, WV. We got our pictures taken to put in the official 2008 hiker book, and checked in at numbers 231-233 for NOBO thru-hikers this year. It is such a thrill to be here. We also hit the 1000 mile mark which is huge. So many big milestones, I am having a hard time beleiving I actually walked over 1000 miles (and that I have over 1000 to go!) The interesting events of the past week include: three bear sightings (all the good kind- off to the side of the trail and completely uninterested in us), my first rattlesnake encounter (not so good but quite lucky- I came one step away from stepping on him... those guys really camoflage well!), a tremendous storm that caused quite a bit of blowdown making for interesting hiking for the next couple of days (and caused me to fear for my life), and hiking the "rollercoaster," a 13.5 mile section of trail that goes up and down 10 peaks (which would have been more fun if it weren't 86 degrees and, as Colin put it, 300% humidity). It is supposed to be around 100 degrees in the next few days, and super humid, so we are going to start a new routine of early morning hiking, a siesta, then night hiking to avoid the heat of the day. I have never sweat so much in my entire life. I now look forward to rain to cool things down. Well, enough of the south; Mason Dixon line here we come!
Date: 2008-07-20
From: Harpers Ferry!!!!

To: Unionville, NY
Miles today: 0.0

Well its been a very long time since my last journal! I don't have much time to write but I just wanted to give a quick update to those who are wondering what happened to me! I ended up taking 3 weeks off in Central PA- grand adventures to the Jersey shore and Florida and the Bahamas... but I got back on and have made it through that terrible, terrible rocky state and am making my way through Jersey. Should be done with Jersey tomorrow, on to NY! Its very exciting to be in the North finally, I feel like I'm actually making headway! The heat has been killing me lately, but I shall push on. Lots of bear sightings here in Jersey, as well as a few rattlesnakes... yikes. But, bears are pretty skiddish and rattlesnakes at least give you a good warning before you get too close. Thats all I have time for now but I will try to write more next time! Fair Winds!
Date: 2008-08-01
To: Great Barrington, MA
Miles today: 496.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Well, this is it folks. I¢ve been procrastinating writing this because I suppose I somehow thought that if I never wrote a final entry it wouldn¢t actually be over. But alas, Driftwood is off the Trail.Until about 2 weeks before I got off, there was no doubt in my mind I was going to finish. To me, completing a thru-hike was simple. I love hiking, the woods, meeting new people, being dirty, sleeping outside, eating everything in sight, smelling terrible to everyone else except yourself- everything that being a thru-hiker involves. What I didn¢t realize up until this point though, was that I was feeding upon my companions for camaraderie and that inherent need for relationships that is part of being human. Colin left the trail in Pennsylvania which was a big blow to the Pain Train, but it wasn¢t until Jarrod left that I realized how important companionship is in this type of endeavor. I love those guys, and it just wasn¢t the same without them. It is funny that I was perfectly comfortable hiking alone at the beginning, but after knowing how great it is to have buddies, it is just not as much fun without. After Jarrod left, I had a blast for about a week being spontaneous and making my own decisions. I missed him terribly, yet I still enjoyed the solidarity and freedom, but that wore off quickly and I realized I just wasn¢t having fun anymore. I met a ton of great people and did have a good time with them, but I guess The Pain Train spoiled me and I just couldn¢t get into a groove with my new fellow hikers. So when August rolled around with my annual family vacation in sight, I just couldn¢t justify staying on the trail- lonely and miserable- thinking constantly how much fun they would be having. So, I got off and during that week with the family decided I am done for this year. So, I am back on Long Island, enrolled in science classes at the community college with my sights on grad school for Environmental Education next fall. I am supremely bummed to not complete my dream of thru-hiking, but I am excited to get on with ¢real life.¢ What is life like after the trail? I dream of the Trail almost every night, I feel funny taking a shower everyday, refrigerators are my new favorite thing, and I have to laugh whenever I hear ¢within walking distance.¢ It amazes me how comfortable life is when you don¢t have to set up your house every night, treat all the fluid you drink, find a good tree or rock to squat behind a few times a day, and for goodness sake, not carry all of your belongings on your back everywhere you go!BUT- that¢s not the end! I REALLY want to finish this thing I started, so when the Army decides they are done with Jarrod, we shall return and conquer the AT! This is looking like 2010. Only 667.7 miles to go!To all those friends I met along the way- its been grand. To those still on the trail- keep on truckin- you are my heroes.
Date: 2007-12-04
To: Concerns
Miles today: 0.0

I've explained a decent amount about why I am attracted to long distance hiking, but I have yet to divulge some of my reservations and concerns. So, here we go:I am somewhat concerned about Georgia. I am starting on March 4th, and I certainly expect to hit some snow. Although I am from NH, home of "some of the worst weather in the world" (in the Whites anyway), I think even us New Englanders take for granted that even if we are freezing our ass's off, we still have the option of retreating indoors. For those of you who aren't aware, the AT is not exactly placed in an area where hikers can get stranded, a week away from the nearest person/town. Nevertheless, it is a concern. The cold isn't really what concerns me, but the wind. If the wind is anything like what we get up in NH (the last few days are a great example), it could make for some "unpleasant" situations. Another concern is ticks. I am not overly concerned about bears, or snakes, but ticks in the mid Atlantic states will be a hassle. It's more than a hassle if you don't thoroughly check for them as well. Deer ticks are about the size of the "o" in "In God We Trust" on a dime. Some of them carry Lyme disease, which has forced people off trail for weeks, or ended their hike. Not cool. Getting injured. I'm not talking blisters, but something that prevents me from even having the option to go on. Man that would suck. I really feel for people that have had to get off the trail because they had taken a bad step on one of their 5 million (the AT is estimated to be around 5 million steps taken) and broke their leg. I have slept in a few shelters that had mice, but I am usually a pretty sound sleeper, so I didn't wake up to them running across my sleeping bag or anything, but I might get pissed if I forget to bear bag a candy wrapper and they chew a hole in my pack or something I might get "irritated." Also, I have no idea whether or not I will consistently stay at shelters. I will probably stay at the shelters to start, but I honestly don't know. I'll take it as it comes. It's somewhat amusing that hikers spend hundreds of hours over the planning stages of their hike deliberating every single detail of their hike, all their gear, gathering vast amounts of information on the AT and hiking in general, but a week or three on the trail will tell us exactly what we need/don't, and what works for you. I am certainly in that category, as are a vast majority of people who took the time to post a trail journal here on trailjournals.com. Speaking of gathering vast amounts of AT info, I want to thank whiteblaze.net and trailjournals.com for really giving prospective thru hikers a significantly better idea of what they are getting themselves into, and to the "veterans" at whiteblaze for answering noob questions about pretty much everything AT, as well as posting articles (especially Baltimore Jack's resupply article). Anyways, I'm sure I'll think of more concerns, but for now, I'm out.
Date: 2007-12-06
To: Trail Name
Miles today: 0.0

WalkItOff¢¦whats in a name? Not much if you want a funny story, as is the case with most other trail names. First off, a trail name is the name you are called by on trail. Most hikers choose not to go by "Bill" for a few reasons. First, there are probably a lot of "Bill"s and keeping track of friends on trail and off gets tricky. Second, people like to reinvent themselves on a thru hike, and a new name is a place to start. You can be named by the trail, meaning that a hiker named Bill begins his hike as Bill, and then eventually something unique or amusing he does will get him dubbed "Kilt Man" or something like that. Another trail name option is to come to Springer with a trail name. I think I will do the latter. If I am gonna be called a name for 5 months, I want it to mean something. While it is pretty cool to let the trail name you, its very unlikely that it will mean anything significant. Most likely it will be something you do during the first few days. I want my name to reflect my whole hike, not just the first few days. So, why WalkItOff? WalkItOff reflects somewhat of a New Hampshire, puritan, stoic, "suck it up" attitude. It's got some great dry humor it there too. You feel tired?...walk it off!...Your knee hurts?...walk it off!...You want to go home?...walk it off! Oh man I love irony. Some great movie quotes:"Beatings will continue until moral improves!""You will do pushups until you are no longer tired!" ¢ (Full Metal Jacket?)Ok those may not be exact quotes but they are from movies and I think you get the idea. It also has some simplicity connotations. As I walk, I hope to live a simpler lifestyle, fitting all necessary possessions on my back, and learn even more so what I truly don't need. It's a lot easier to determine what I don't need than what I do. So I will WalkItOff.
Date: 2008-01-05
To: Happy New Year
Miles today: 0.0

Happy New Year!This year should be one for the ages. How much better can it get? I like my job, I leave for the trail in less than 60 days, and most importantly, the New England Patriots are 16-0 and about to make an assault on the playoffs...and we are only a few days in! Just kidding about the "most importantly" part, but I do consider myself a big Patriot/NFL fan and it's awesome to see my team rewriting history. It seems like the stars are aligning for New England Sports. Red Sox (World Seriers Champs), Patriots (16-0), Celtics (28-3 as of today), Revolution (lost in championship), and even the Bruins are over .500.In other more hiking relevant news, I consider myself just about as ready as I can for this trip. I am no longer gear shopping , no longer scouring whiteblaze.net for the smallest piece of advice. Its just a matter of waiting it out. However, now that I'm done with my class at UNH, I plan to get a 2 month gym membership, but I dont plan to go training crazy. I also preordered my copy of the "Appalachian Pages," which is a new guidebook created in part by ATTroll, who is one of the webmasters of whiteblaze.net. It's nice to be able to give back to the people at whiteblaze that have helped me so much in preparation for this hike. It's a very visual guidebook with images rather than letters for representation as well as a watermark to show elevation gains/losses you plan plan to encounter that day.This segment to trail prep is also different in the sense that I consider myself ready, and now it's time to inform/educate friends and family of my hike. My Mom included a link to this journal in our annual Christmas letter, coworkers have been encouraging me to bring a gun (I wont), and people that know I'm hiking are asking lots of legitimate questions. I decided to show my family the AT documentary "Trek" which is about 4 guys on their 2001 thru. I think my family was genuinely interested and gave them a better sense of how/why I will be hiking.2 months to go!
Date: 2008-02-27
To: Fun Facts
Miles today: 0.0

It's been awhile: But to be honest, not too much has changed. Along with everyone else, I'm getting antsy. But not too antsy. I know what I'm getting myself into. However, I have come realize that not everyone I know is fluent in "AT speak", which I have mastered over the past few years. Stolen from "Certain" and "Persistent"s journals last year, here are a few facts and a glossary of AT terms that I will probably journal about.The AT is approximately:5,000,000 footsteps 300,000 2x6 inch white blazes 2,175 miles 30 pounds on my back 14 states 8 national forests 6 national parks 5-6 months 1 change of clothing
Date: 2008-02-28
To: Glossary
Miles today: 0.0

Glossary:NOBO--northbounder, a person hiking from south to north SOBO--southbounder, a person hiking north to south GAME--Georgia to Maine MEGA--Maine to Georgia PUD--pointless ups and downs Privy--basically a 3 sided outhouse (some have great views I hear!) Slackpacking--generally you leave all of your gear (except a day pack) at a hostel or other secure place and someone shuttles you "x" amount of miles up the trail and you hike back to the beginning point. This allows you to get in high miles, carry little weight, and spend another night in town. Shelter--usually a 3 sided wooden structure that can serve as your home. They are several along the trail. If you tried, you could sleep at a shelter every night of the trip. You just throw your sleeping pad and bag in there and call it home for the night. LNT--Leave No Trace, this is the ethical philosophy hikers are expected to adopt, in that you leave no trace behind so the people following you do not know that you were ever there, it is a person's personal responsibility and part they take in keeping natural areas preserved for all to enjoy HYOH--Hike Your Own Hike, another mantra that is repeated throughout the hiking community. It basically means don't ever do something you don't want or don't feel comfortable doing just because others are. It is your hike, and you should hike it your own way. Blue Blazing--There are several other trails and sights to see off the AT. Blue blazes mark these places and it is the individual's choice to go see it or not. Yellow Blazing--Walking along roads (yellow lines) instead of on the trail Trail Magic--when something is offered or happens unexpectedly and at the exact moment that you really needed it Trail Angel--people who help out hikers, be it offering a ride, a place to stay, food, etc. Stealth Camping--this has many different definitions to people, but to me it means that you are camped in an area that is not a designated campground. If it's a place where it is technically illegal to camp, then you make every effort to go un-noticed for the night. Regardless of legality, LNT policies are especially important here (but actually always). Ridge Walking--when the trail takes you basically on the top edge (or ridge) of a mountain and you hike on the ridge*Bivy ¢ a waterproof breathable sack to cover my sleeping bag. Upsides: lightweight, replaces the need for a groundsheet, extra warmth. Downsides: condensation, claustrophobia
Date: 2008-02-29
To: Work, Start Dates, and Experiments...Oh My
Miles today: 0.0

Tomorrow I leave. Today I continue to say my goodbyes. Today was my last day of work, and what a day it was. While I still did a fair amount of actual work (which I don¢t mind at all considering I¢m getting paid to do it), the folks at work gave me an epic sendoff. Cards, dinner, gifts and all. So to all the Testers, RAB¢s, and even a few SAB¢s (thank you Beth for being my surrogate work Mother), thank you. Thank you for making my job entertaining, and thank you for caring. I can promise you that I will not get eaten by a bear, ¢violated¢ by Rednecks, or killed. While there are risks involved, there are also great rewards involved as well. The rewards are not monetary, nor are they power or fame driven, but there are other rewards in life as well. They are just harder to define and measure.I¢m thinking of starting on March 3rd instead of the 4th. I¢ve been looking at the forecast for the 3rd-5th and it is supposed to rain all day on the 4th. I know I will get lots of crappy weather, but I think it would be nice to have a good first day. I¢ll keep my eye on the weather using this awesome site if you want to track AT weather. Trying to extrapolate weather from towns nearby is pretty hard considering the elevation differences. http://www.sophiaknows.com/atdb/weather.php?section=1. I¢ll probably make a decision Sunday, but right now its looking like I¢ll start on the 3rd. So much for marching forth on March fourth. In other news, I cant help but perform experiments on myself. This hike is bound to change me mentally (which is hard to measure) but I will most certainly change physically as well.Before:Weight on the Stevenson bathroom scale with only underwear on: 156.4 lbsCircumference around the right calf muscle without flexing: 14 inchesLength of right foot measured from the heel to the tip of the big toe: 11.1 inchesHypotheses:I have no idea what my weight will do. While there is an increase in muscle mass, most males lose LOTS of weight (females less so), but I don¢t have much weight to lose. I¢m pretty lanky as it is. Thruhikers burn about 6000 calories per day, and only intake 4000. The hiker either makes up for their calorie deficit in town, or they lose weight. It will be very important for me to eat as much as possible. That¢s a good problem to haveThruhikers say that they can easily identify other thrus by their smell and their calves. Apparently my calf muscles are supposed to get massive. I predict a 17 inch diameter.Thruhikers also say that their feet grow substantially as well. Most report a 1 size increase from start to finish. I wear a 12 right now, which would put me into the 13 range. That sucks because 13¢s are harder to find. Life will go on.