morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-06-12
To: Preparation Part 3: Gear
Miles today: 0.0

Today is my day off. I have spent the morning running errands and getting all of my ducks in a row. The picture posted here is to show why my trailname is going to be "'bow": lots and lots of color. And Le Kitten! Here is a little run down of what I am packing, in case there are any curious people out there wondering what exactly one plans to pack for such an excursion. Remember, I have a backpack half the size of Matt's pack:Gear:Backpack (Little Blue as she is called. L.L Bean Bigelow "Day" pack)Hiking Poles: a must on the AT if you want your knees to survive the wreckage. I have never used them to go hiking before until I started going again with Matt, and what a difference! When one broke right before I began to hike Tumbledown I had to go without, and it was a night and day difference. Sleeping bag: EMS Mummy bag 40 Degrees. I might be a bit warm, but no fear, I have no problem laying on top or zipping the entire thing down.Sleeping Pad: EMS. It blows up and gives me a 2.5 inch boost off of the ground, or the hard surface of the shelter, or wherever I sleep. (this will attach to the outside of my backpack)Cookware: A small pot and a spork. That's pretty much it. Matt has a stove.Drinking apparatus: I have a 2L CamelBak with a hose that connects to the front of my pack for easy access. I also have 2L worth of Platypus water containers that are made of a thick plastic and when not in use can be folded down to almost nothing. They are virtually weightless when empty. That gives me 4L of water when need be. (My mom reminds me of her summers spent in Penn. and how incredibly hot it actually gets).Clothing: I am debating exactly how many shirts, but I have a feeling that I am going to want more than what Matt is currently carrying (two shirts: one for hiking, one to wear at night). Eww. Besides, They're so colorful, I don't want to just wear one color the entire time! I am thinking of 3-4 right now. I have a lightweight fleece for around camp at night if it gets cold, and also a very thin lightweight long sleeve shirt. I have a rain jacket (Gortex) and rain pants, two pairs of shorts, and a skort. A little much, but it all fits so whatever. If I get picky about the weight I can send something home. I also am bringing 4 pairs of underwear, 4 pairs of socks, and 3 bras. I have a big hat, a bandanna that will be utilized as a washcloth, and a sarong that I used in Asia as a towel, it dries quick and has many uses. Misc.: sunscreen, bugspray, sunglasses, ipod, cellphone & charger, camera & charger, a first aid kit, my medication, a headlamp, hair elastics, soap, toiletries, etc. To some, this is obviously minimalist living. But when you have to carry what you bring on your back it becomes something of a necessity to leave as much as you can behind. I already know a lot about this, spending 10 weeks backpacking South East Asia in 90 degree weather with 95% humidity. Good times to be had there. Many more good times to come while on the trail. I am itching to go. Only 6 short days and I am off!
Date: 2009-06-20
From: Manassas Gap Shelter

To: Front Royal, VA 
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: moderate rain

Hello! What a day! Matt, Heather and I emerged from the hotel, packs on backs, donning our poles, only to be greeted by torrential downpours...yes! We walked to the post office across town and then Matt stuck his hand out on the 3 mile walk to the trailhead. Fortunately a nice guy gave us a ride. As he pulled away we heard a loud crack of thunder and we were off.It is humid here. It takes a while and a lot of really deep breaths to acclimate. Fortunately the uphills we did today were all switchbacks. Trails in Maine are anti-switchback. We must really take pride in taking the hardest way up a mountain possible..sheesh.But I am not in Maine! I got so lucky today. My first day on the trail and I got to experience trail magic! Matt and I feasted on dogs and burgers from some guys at a shelter. Amazing!Now we are at Manassas Gap with lots of boyscouts. The shelter is known for its infestation of copperheads and rattlesnakes. I counted my lucky stars that the shelter was full and that we set up our tent. Poisenous snakes? Felt a little too much like Asia to me. We are in Viriginia not Laos. I feel good. Keeping up with Transition for the majority of the day made me feel good, even though I know he was going slower than usual. Menu: bagel, poptarts, pretzels, hotdog and hamburger (!), rice and tunafish. kick: Thunderstorms to start off my first dayKiss: being with matt, experiencing hiking in beautiful virginia forest, and no pain!Love to all,Bow Sent on the go from my Peek
Date: 2009-06-21
From: Manassas Gap Shelter

To: Rod Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Let me just say that Virginia is a lot more beautiful than I realized. We spent this long day hiking through lush forest with lots of green carpet and enormous hardwoods, gorgeous fields in Sky Meadows State Park, and crossed numerous streams and springs bubbling with life. That is not to say that we did not also cross giant highways and busy roads. The AT is not all wilderness, contrary to popular belief.Hiking 13 miles takes some mental stamina. Breaking up the day by stopping at shelters is nice. I ask Matt how many miles until the first spring or shelter, and all I think about is making it there. But in all honesty it is not that hard, the terrain is mostly rolling hills, but by the last 3 miles my feet were hurting a lot.I made it though. The shelter was packed. There was a girl named Hobbit and her sister Knicker, and they had a sweet border collie named Jumar. I also met a ton of other people, including a man named Dodger who has been on the AT every year since 1992 and has thru-hiked it 3 times. WOW.After chatting, eating dinner and washing my hair in the spring, I was exhausted and climbed into my tent a "happy camper".Song of The Day: Mud by Rick Charette (Which I sung numerous times aloud throughout the day...it has been SO muddy)Kick: lots of mud, sore feetKiss: Hiking through my first state park, meeting a lot of nice hikers, and pointing out lots of white oak, which I have not seen in Maine for a while. Oh and 13 miles, which Hobbit said was very impressive for anyone's first day on the trail.Lots of love,Bow
Date: 2009-06-22
From: Rod Hollow Shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: few clouds

Rod Hollow Shelter- Bears Den HostelMiles: 9.9 So I've been hearing about this infamous "rollarcoaster" for some time now. It is a 13 mile section of the trail that truly defines PUDS (pointless ups and downs). You go up 10 or so "hills" with absolutely no views whatsoever. LAME. But I enjoy rollarcoasters, so I figured it couldn't be too too bad...Then comes the sign, shortly after we left the shelter. WARNING: you are about to enter the rollarcoaster! We"ll see you on the other side, if you survive. Yikes. Well, there's only one way forward...I don't know if Transition was lying to me to make me feel better or what, but I distinctly remember him telling me that each hill gets smaller as you continue along. What a JOKE. At first I thought that the hills might feel harder because I was tiring, but by the end of the ride both Matt and I were huffing and puffing up the steepest of "hills", cursing every step.It is weird hiking from point A to point B, instead of hiking to summit a mountain. Sometimes it is nice, because there are flat sections that traverse through gorgeous farmland and woods. But like today, it was so hard mentally to push yourself to summit all of these puds knowing that you weren't even going to be rewarded with a view. Your reward? A small flat ridgewalk before another painful descent that kills your knees only to meet your next hill at the bottom. Fun? Yes indeed.The real reward was the castle in the sky: the Bears Den hostel. It's a stone house donated to the trail from a retired doctor. With over 30 bunks, a spacious upstairs common room, kitchen and dining room, it was an oasis. Hopeful, Redwing and their daughter Lydia were amazing hosts. Hopeful handed me a bowl and some scissors and invited me to pick fresh lettuce from her garden. How did she know I was craving vegetables? Pizza and Chunky Monkey topped off a hard but rewarding day. Of course I was the only one out of numerous hikers that couldn't finish a whole pizza and pint of icecream by myself. Maybe my hiker stomach will come later...Song of the Day: Your Love is Like a RollarcoasterKick: The rollarcoaster kicked my butt. Heather had to get off the trail 4 miles in with knee problems.Kiss: the Bears Den was a welcome retreat from camping after the ride.Much Love,BowSent on the go from my Peek
Date: 2009-06-23
From: David Lesser Shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Leaving Bears Den was hard! I can see why hikers have such a hard time leaving places with all the amenities. But we must press on. Harpers Ferry, the psychological halfway mark for Transiion and the headquarters of the ATC is so close!The first 4 miles were the last few ups and downs of the rollarcoaster. I was feeling well rested, and Transition and I hiked slowly with Heather incase she had any knee issues. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. It flattened out and was fairly easy going. I think that one of my biggest issues out here is that I don't seem to eat enough. I stuff myself at dinner, but I still can't finish all that I cook, Matt has to eat it all. When I am actually hiking I do not feel hungry. Transition says that when you exercise a lot your body concentrates on getting blood to your organs and so your other bodily functions shut down. As much as I drink (way more than Matt drinks.. We are always stopping at springs for me) I never go to the bathroom until nighttime. I am starting to realize that I need to munch on the trail. Smart hiking practices I guess. Matt stuffs his pockets every morning with a shmorgesborg (?) of energy bars, granola bars, and snickers. He has like 4-5 in each side pocket. I laughed at first, but then I started asking him for food towards the end of the day when I usually start to get lightheaded. The only problem is is that I do not crave these bars. Anything dry and nutty only seems to make me more thirsty. It's a learning process. Now when I resupply in HF I will be sure to stock up on things I like: fruit leather, pretzels, M&ms, etc.The David Lesser Shelter we are staying at tonight is great. A porch with adorondak chairs and a porch swing near covered picnic tables. We tented again though, especially after I read in a logbook at the previous shelter about a rabid skunk that would not stop attacking a group of hikers even after being sprayed with pepper spray. Can we say persistant?Oh, and .my feet hurt. Surprised?Kick: feet.Kiss: relaxing with Transition and the Sis on the porch swing. Harpers Ferry tomorrow!!Much love,Bow
Date: 2009-06-24
From: David Lesser Shelter

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: clear sky

YAY! Transition is done with Virginia after a month and I have crossed my first state line! Today, as you can probably tell, was more like a half day of hiking. We left at a decent hour and Heather's knee was feeling good. We all stayed together and went at a good pace. The good news about continuing each day is that your pack gets lighter and lighter until you resupply. "Little Blue" as my pack is named, felt terrific on me today. I barely noticed the weight on my back. So nice. The miles were fairly flat, and except for a short food break because of my lightheadedness, I felt awesome. The AT goes right over a large bridge that crosses the Shenendoah River and continues directly into Harpers Ferry, WV. We stopped in at the AT headquarters so Transition could sign the registry and get his picture taken for records. This season, there have been 466 thruhikers that have passed HF before him, making him number 467. Sadly, only half of that number usually make it to Katahdin. I noticed by looking at the registry just how fast Matt is going. Everyone that has signed in around him started in midmarch. He started April 15th. What an accomplishment! So proud.After hanging at the HQ, we mosied on downtown, which is technically a national historic park. After checking in at The Towns Inn, dinner and a much needed shower, Matt, Heather and I walked around town to see the sights. This town is a history majors dream. John Brown, the abolitionist from Kansas, led the raid on the arsenal here. The town switched hands during the Civil War eight times. With the Shenendoah River on one bank and the Potomac on the other, I can see why. Such a pretty place, all of the buildings are made of stone. So great.Song of the Day: Country Roads (take me home to the place where I belong: West Viginia..) love it.kick: lightheaded on the trail.Kiss: Harpers FerryMuch love,BowSent on the go from my Peek
Date: 2009-06-25
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Today we took a "zero" day and headed in to Washington DC for a day of sightseeing with Heather before she left to return home.The train station at Harpers Ferry is a step back in time. It's reminiscent of stations of long ago, and if you try to ignore the businessmen in suits on their blackberries, you can almost picture yourself waiting for a coal train instead of the not-so-charming commuter.We got into DC's Union Station around 830, and had all day to play. Transition listed where we went in his blog, but here goes another:CapitolNatural History MusuemWhite HouseWashington MonumentWWll MemorialLincoln MemorialKorean MemorialFDR MemorialJefferson MemorialHolocaust MuseumYes, in my mind, this was NOT a zero day. We walked like 4 miles. I desperately wanted to catch a glimpse of Bo, Obama's Portuguese waterdog, but to no avail. A picture of Bo and Bow would have been sweet.It was nice being in DC, despite the heat and sunburn that I aquiried on my shoulders. I had'nt been since the 4th grade, so it was great to go back. The three of us had a lot of fun posing for pictures and exploring our country's monuments.But back to the woods Matt and I must go, so we sadly departed from Heather and caught the commuter back to HF. To our surprise, the hostel lady double booked our bunk and so we got to stay in our own room/suite for the price of our bunks. SWEET. After a few beers at the local bar (which we had to walk a mile uphill to get to since the bars in the historic part of town close at 8!) we went to bed, just as tired from a day of sightseeing as a day on the trail.Song of the day: She'll be Coming 'round the mountain when she comesKick: saying goodbye to Heather! Kiss: Seeing the sitesMuch Love,Bow
Date: 2009-06-26
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Rocky Run Shelter, Maryland
Miles today: 15.4

Broke a record today!! 15.4 yahoo. It actually wasn't that bad. We broke up the day with two fairly long breaks, so it made the miles more managable. We didn't get out of Harpers Ferry and on the trail until ten. You immediately cross a footbridge that takes you across the Potomac to Maryland. YAY my third state! Maryland is known being, for lack of a better word, flat. It is apparant that these rumors could possibly be true as youhead out of HF. The first three miles felt like I was walking the Boulevard: flat, straight, and right along the river. It was a bike path that straddled the river on one side, and an old dried up canal bed on the other. Despite stopping to take numerous pictures of gigantic turtles and mysterious swimming rodents, we stilled managed to walk the 3.4 miles in an hour and 15 minutes. Nice.After the bikepath, it was another 3 miles up over a small hill to get to the first shelter, where we stopped to have lunch. We ate with two other thruhikers Freebird and Otter. There was also a little cat meowing for attention that freaked us out, considering there are now two rabid animal stories making the rounds along the trail from hiker to hiker. Fortunately, the cat showed no signs of rabies and was too afraid to come close to us.Another relatively easy 4 miles and the trail passed a Civil War battlefield, with a giant stone arch. A half dozen of thruhikers were relaxing under the shade of a tree, and so we took a break as well. I took my boots off and did some stretching while listening to stories told by the hikers.After a nice long break, we were off to do the last 5.4 miles or so. It thundered but never rained the entire time until we got to our shelter. How lucky! Although my feet felt great the entire time, my calf muscles have been sore, so the last few miles downhill were a little slowgoing. Still, including more than an hour of breaks, we hiked 15.4 miles from 10-530. Not too shabby.This shelter is brand new, and we have it all to ourselves. Someone even left the most recent edition of Time for me to read and commentate aloud to Matt.Song of the day: Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson (a tribute. We had Otter singing it at the top of his lungs behind us for half a mile)Kick: the most humid day yet. Heather was gone. Matt and I only spoke during breaks...comfortable silences.Kiss: 15.4 and a nice shelter.Much Love,Bow
Date: 2009-06-27
From: Rocky Run Shelter, Maryland

To: Pine Knob Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: few clouds

We had, in relative terms, a bad day today. I say that because things could have been a lot worse, but as far as days on the trail go, this one takes the cake for dissapointing. Being only a few short miles from the town of Boonsboro, Maryland, we planned on hitching in and resupplying at the grocer. After a couple feable attempts, we were able to flag down a young mother on her way to her son's karate class. We happily crammed our packs on top of Thomas the Tank Engine backpacks and sports duffles, and climbed in. Transition got the front seat, while I straddled my butt inbetween two car seats occupied with boys reading library books. The ride was spent reading an ocean exploration book to the yougest while similtaneously carrying on a conversation about bionicle action figures with the older boy. I did'nt realize how much I missed kids until I found myself literally wedged between two of them.The mom dropped us off at Weis, the grocery store, where we resupplied and grabbed lunch. Sitting outside on the grass, we decided to "rest" after I exclaimed that today I just "wasn't feeling it". We ended up sleeping on the grass in a supermarket parking lot. I don't think I have EVER felt so hobo-esque in my entire life. Transition got quite the sunburn too..oops. We finally got up, brushed ourselves off, and pressed on, intending to make it to the library to get some internet access. We walked across the parking lot as many an on-looker gave us the "stare". A mile and a half later, drenched in sweat (we are used to the cover of trees, not the unforgiving asphalt!), we found ourselves at the door of the library, only to have the librarian lock the door in our faces. I almost started crying. At this point, the day seemed wasted. Only 2 miles in, we both felt like we hadn't gotten anywhere. Dismayed, we took a short break and then continued back into town. Our luck turned when a lady that was exiting the library walked home, got in her car and found us halfway to the trailhead and drove is the rest of the way. Yes.Still not really in the mood to hike, we put on our now full packs and walked another 5.5 miles. It doesn't sound like much, but when you're not in the mood, it's not very fun. We trudged on and on, it was the longest 5 miles yet. Mentally exhausted, we made our way to the shelter, which was .6 from a busy highway, so close that we heard cars whizzing by all night instead of the usual sounds of the woods. Lucky though, because we were not there for 10 minutes when a trail angel came up the trail with two Dominoes pizzas. YES. A good ending to a sluggish day.Kick: Not in the mood to hike, sunburns, no library access and a longgg 5 miles to the shelter. Oh and I lost the sucky valve on my camelbak..blah!Kiss: Dominoes pizzas and fun conversation with three brothers weekend hiking that spent the night at the shelter with us. Song of the day: I had a Bad DayMuch Love,Bow
Date: 2009-06-28
From: Pine Knob Shelter

To: Ensign Cowell Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

Well, we did more than 7.7, so no complaints. Our plans were initially to hike 15 miles, and we were on a roll in the morning. We made it 10 miles in to a shelter by 1, with plans to relax and maybe take a nap before heading out to do the remaining 5. After 20 minutes of relaxation, Transition began to blow up his sleeping pad, exclaiming that he didn't really feel like pushing on. What? With rain beginning to bounce off the metal roof and the calming song of thrush, we settled into naps, sleeping bags and all. Sometimes you just have to take a "nero" and relax. I think that at this point, after so many 20 mile days, Transition is ready for some easier days. Let me tell you, I did not argue!We spent the afternoon lazying about. Matt gathered wood and after the rain he kept a fire going all afternoon into the evening. By nightfall, the shelter was packed with 10 others. It was nice meeting a lot of new thruhikers. With a big fear of snorers, we decided to take a couple tylenol pm's and retired early to the top loft of the shelter. Yes, this was my first night not cacooned in the protective net of a tent! Fortunately Matt and I could sleep side by side in the loft, so I felt better (I don't know why) about the bear/mouse situation. Song of the Day: Summah time, and the living's easy...Kick: We accidentally burnt my spaghettios on the fire..what can I say though, that was the worst thing that happened today!Kiss: having a real campfire, being able to relax all afternoon in the rain, sharing the shelter with a lot of amazing thru-hikers (all of which were guys!)Much Love,Bow