morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-06-16
From: Harpers Ferry WV

To: Dahlgren Back Pack Campground
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: clear sky

Ate a quick breakfast in our hotel room this morning (including a REAL grapefruit - first in three months) and got back on the trail around 7AM. Today's trail was a walk through history. We hiked through the historical district of Harpers Ferry, including the John Brown museum. After crossing over the Potomac River on a railroad footbridge, we entered Maryland - our 6th state. West Virginia is only about a 4-mile blip on the AT and Maryland's stretch is only about 40 miles - a far cry from the six weeks or so we spent in Virginia. Once in Maryland, we stopped in Gatland State Park, which is right on the AT and features a large stone archway that is a war correspondents memorial. It was originally built to honor Civil War corresondents, but since then plaques have been added to commemorate journalists from more recent wars. Daniel Pearl's name was included on one for the war in Iraq. The list of shelters we've been hiking by lately reads like a Civil War battle roster - Manassas Gap, South Mountain, Antietam. There are historical markers, signs, and graves of important generals scattered all over the place. It's been kinda fun to add reading to our usual daily routine of hiking, eating, and sleeping.We're tenting tonight at a FREE campground which caters specifically to AT backpackers. The grounds are flat, grassy, and mostly in the shade, and there are restrooms with REAL flush toilets, sinks, and hot showers. There are even trash cans(!), which save us the weight of packing out our garbage. (Bama makes fun of my newly developed fondness for trash cans. Hey, you try carrying around with you all the trash you generate for three or four days. Trash cans are our frineds.) It's Friday night and a scout master looking guy has just set up a bunch of tents in preparation for the scouts who will soon arrive. I anticipate that the current birdsongs will soon give way to boy scout mayhem. Better go hang my food before I have an audience of adolescents laughing at how many throws it takes me to get a rope over a tree limb.
Date: 2006-06-17
From: Dahlgren Back Pack Campground

To: Ensign Cowall Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: few clouds

Five throws to hang the food bag, accomplished before the boy scout crew showed up.Bama and I and about 15 boy scouts woke up around 5:30AM and were on the trail by 6:45. The elevation profile was very easy today, but long boulder fields more than made up for it. As did the heat - it was mid-80's by noon. within the first few miles, we passed the ORIGINAL Washington Monument, a large stone jar-shaped structure built by the nearby citizens of Boonesboro in 1827 to honor our first president. In the few miles that the AT passes through Maryland, they've really packed it with tons of historical markers. Breaks up the monotony of rocks.We reached tonight's shelter around 2PM with every intention of eating a late lunch and pushing on. Then we sat. And sat some more. Inertia kicked in, and we decided "nearly 14" was a respectable mileage for the day. Got to kick back for much of the afternoon and read. And lots of our favorite hikers have also converged here for the night - Kilgore Trout (with his visiting cousins), Mapman and Robin, Headstand, BrainFreeze, Indiana, and surely another concert from Banjoman. So I'm glad we decided to give in to our laziness this afternoon. We'll jumpstart our perpetual motion machine again in the morning.
Date: 2006-06-18
From: Ensign Cowall Shelter

To: Deer Lick Shelters
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

Two new goals reached today: state #7 (Pennsylvania) and we are now north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Bama's sweet tea days are likely numbered.Today was lay-down-on-the-trail-and-die hot, but we discovered a new strategy for dealing with the heat. Get up at 5AM, pack up, eat, and get on the trail by 6:15AM, hike until 10:30AM, take a six-hour break at a state park that the AT runs through, and finish up the final five miles to the shelter at 4PM after the hottest part of the day has passed. Our little hiker posse had a great time at Pen-Mar State Park. A local gentleman in his 70's named Clayton comes out to the park every Sunday and enjoys talking to the thru-hikers who pass through. Clayton proceeded to buy everyone in our group hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream and sodas all afternoon and entertained us all with his lively conversation. There was a live band which most of the senior citizens of the area danced to all day. At one point they even permitted Banjoman to get in on the act. He sang and played guitar and gave a shout out to all the hikers there while some of our group danced and others cheered him on. What fun. It was very hard to pick up our packs and leave that park - and Clayton! We all agreed that this is one of the most fun days we'd experienced on the trail. The evening was capped off with another Banjoman shelter concert and an attempt by Kilgore to play my namesake's song - Little Wing - which was kinda neat.
Date: 2006-06-19
From: Deer Lick Shelters

To: Quarry Gap Shetlers
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Repeat yesterday's experience, but instead of a park with music and senior citizens substitute a swimming pool. I'd been fantasizing about this swim for days. When we reached Caledonia State Park, it started to rain and thunder a little so they closed the pool for a while. No worries. That gave us time to take hot showers, wash some of our reeking clothes in the bathroom sink, and dry them with the hand driers. We're a classy bunch. Eventually the skies cleared enough to allow us a swim. As hot as it's been, I was actually shivering after my swim - the water was pretty cold and the clouds and breeze returned the minute I was wet. I didn't mind - I consider it a treat to be chilly on a 90-degree day in June.Another couple of miles brought us to a gorgeous, clean shelter complete with hanging baskets of flowers. I don't know what we're going to do once we have a hike without a state park to eat and goof off in for hours in the middle of the day. We should hit another park at the end of tomorrow's hike - Pine Grove Furnace State Park, home to the "Half-Gallon (Ice Cream) Challenge." I will root others on in this endeavor, as I don't need the gurgly belly that would likely result from trying to eat a half gallon of ice cream.
Date: 2006-06-20
From: Quarry Gap Shetlers

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: broken clouds

I'm doing all I can to choke down a package of ramen noodles right now at the hostel at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. I sorta lost my appetite watching today's Half-Gallon Challengers shovel ice cream down their throats. Ugh. There ought to be a mental delete key for these kinds of images. Indiana, 18, won hands down among today's group, polishing off a half gallon of rocky road in 12 minutes, 37 seconds. Kilgore Trout, on the other hand, gave us all nearly an hour of anguish which was harder to watch as time went by. I think five or six guys managed to eat the whole thing in under an hour. I'm really happy I'm not a guy in my 20's so that I could play spectator instead of participant in this challenge.We hit a HUGELY important fraction today: ONE HALF! In a complete coincidence, today is also my three-month anniversary out here. Having planned about six months to complete the trail, it's kinda cool that I just happened to hit my time and geographical midpoints on the same day - especially since my daily mileage has resembled nothing of the schedule I'd planned for myself before I began. Physically, I feel strong...about the only recent issue I've had to contend with are a couple of small spots of poison ivy on my lower legs (probably from the overgrown trail we hiked through a week or so ago). But that's fading. My boots, on the other hand, are on the verge of disintegrating...one is being held together with duct tape (hiker symbol of pride). They just have to last me until Thursday morning, when I'll (hopefully - this time!) be able to pick up a back-up pair of new boots in Boiling Springs PA. Mentally, I'm still enjoying myself immensely out here - especially when we have cooler days like today, with a beautiful breeze. A pretty severe thunderstorm came through around 1 last night and helped to cool things down today. This halfway point serves as a reminder to me to quit zoning out and daydreaming while I hike and try to soak up as much of my surroundings as possible. In just three more months it will all be over, and I'll have to return to doing laundry at home in my washer and drier instead of in public restrooms.
Date: 2006-06-21
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Alec Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Other than about an hour of boulder scrambling during the hottest part of the day, today's hike was pretty friendly. Reached the shelter by 2:45PM, read, and napped before dinner. We're setting up for a longer 18+ mile trek tomorrow that includes a quick stop for a maildrop in Boiling Springs along the way. I had my Cascade, MD boxes forwarded there since our schedule had us walking by Cascade on a Sunday when the PO is closed. In addition to food resupply boxes, my new hiking boots should be waiting for me - which is good, as the duct tape is now wearing off my current ones.In addition to being the first day of summer, today has the dubious distinction on the AT of being "Naked Hiker Day." I'm pleased to report zero sightings (nor participation on my behalf).Capped off another evening with concerts by Banjoman (great rendition of Alice's Restaurant) and Kilgore Trout - who, among other tunes, played one of my favorite songs: Harvest Moon by Neil Young. Hadn't realized how much I was missing music out here til I heard that tune.
Date: 2006-06-22
From: Alec Kennedy Shelter

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Had our earliest start on the trail yet this morning (5:45AM) and, given the heat and humidity, we may need to back it up even more tomorrow morning. We hiked beside huge waist-high fields of wheat and corn for much of the day as Cumberland valley is dotted with small farms. The first couple miles the terrain was very flat but exposed, so I was baked by the sun most of the day. Around mid-afternoon, our merry band of travelers came upon a pump handle spigot beside an old barn and we all dunked our heads under the ice cold water. Mapman filled up a bucket of water and - by my request - threw it over me. It felt fantastic! Our first climb of the day kicked me hard, straight up with temps in the mid 80's and not a breath of air. I know many people out here and probably at home must think we are lunatics for getting up so early. To me it's a small price to pay for avoiding whatever heat I can. Plus, I just really enjoy walking in the woods while the forest is still waking up... I feel a bizarre sort of connection with nature at this hour, like we are waking up together.Another highlight of the day left us with purple fingers. A few miles of the trail passed under mulberry trees and blackberry bushes, and we feasted. What a treat!Today's mileage included a quick stop in Boiling Springs for a mail drop. I am very happy to report that I am now wearing new non-duct-taped hiking boots. Also loved the letters from everyone and box-a-goodies from Joe. The Mountian House meals, energy bars, and Gatorade continue to be a hit with me (and the other hikers since I share the wealth)Aparna, I can't believe you are leaving UPO! I wish you all the best in what sounds like a facinating new chapter in your life. And this is WAY overdue but congradulations to Megan and Christine! Joe sent me a copy of your program and your ceremony sounded beautiful.Sadly, tonight is our last Banjoman concert for a while, as he is heading home to visit his family in Maine for a week. It's been such a special treat to doze off to sleep each night for the past week to the sound of his music. I guess we shouldn't be shelfish and hog him all to ourselves out here. I'm sure he will break in another hiker-fan club when he returns to the trail in a week. Our hiker family may fragment further tomorrow since many people plan to take a zero day in Duncannon at the "infamous" Doyle Hotel. Bama and I plan to stay the night there after our 11-mile hike into town, but we will push on Saturday.
Date: 2006-06-23
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Duncannon PA
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Beat yesterday's record early start today and started hiking at 5:15AM. By 7AM, we were sweating like crazy. A pretty strong thunderstorm blew through overnight and you could still cut the humidity with a knife all morning.Reached Duncannon by 10:30 and trail angel Mary shuttled us to a nearby outfitter for fuel by 11:30. We'll have Mary to thank for our ability to cook meals in the coming weeks. The Doyle Hotel is quite a special place. Let's call it historical and definitely hiker-friendly and leave it at that. (Another hiker compared it to the house in the movie 'Fight Club.') Definitely motivates me to get back on the trail in the morning. We've done all the usual town chores, laundry, groceries, and will try to fit in one more greasy meal before calling it a night.Tomorrow begins a big test for me: the infamous rocks of PA that I have been reading about for years. I think we had a quick preview of them this morning on our hike down into the Susqehanna River basin. These are are not the fun, large boulders that permit easy jumping from one to the next. These rocks are smaller pointy beasts just the right size to turn your ankles and and stub your feet repeatably. And there's always some kind of rocks on the trail. This next section of jagged hell is supposed to last 30 miles with no break and in temps soaring to the high 80s and mosquitoes and gnats gnawing on arms, legs and face...sounds like the makings for a grumpy few days ahead. Sigh.
Date: 2006-06-25
From: Peters Mountain Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: light rain

Who says hiking can't be a water sport? Wow. I have never seen a mountain trail turn into a Class III whitewater river before today. We hiked in a thick mist until about 11AM, when it began to sprinkle. Within a half hour, the sprinkle became a steady rain, then the kind of driving downpour that I associate with hurricanes. While I've been rained on before out here, I don't think I've been this wet yet. At first, I left off my rain jacket and just allowed my clothes and body to get soaked. It felt refreshing. The rain was washing me clean. As it rained harder though, I started to get chilled so I had to put on the jacket for warmth. It became soaked in no time too, but still kept me warm. The last couple of miles before the shelter had us slogging through a fast-moving shin-high stream as we wandered down in to Rausch Gap. It was crazy! I took a couple of pictures of what will look like cascading waterfalls, but that was the trail. As Kilgore just said, "This isn't a rain day, this is biblical."So here we find ourselves at the end of the day, eleven of us stuffed into a shelter that comfortably sleeps six with our wet clothes, boots, packs, etc strewn everywhere. Stone stairs lead down to the shelter and there's a this huge waterfall cascading over it now. It's still raining steadily. In the hour or so since we arrived here and Kilgore came in, the worst part of the trail went from shin-high to waist-high. Hope things dry up to some extent before we begin to hike tomorrow.On a positive note...   1. I wasn't hot today.   2. There were no bugs. They drowned.   3. There is currently a roof over my head.
Date: 2006-06-26
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: moderate rain

John's trail nemesis is walking up. Apparently, mine is 24 or more hours of driving rain. Today was one of my most draining days on the trail. I've experienced much more difficult terrain, colder ad hotter temperatures, tons more bugs. But today we started out in the same pouring rain that began yesterday and lasted through the night. For the first couple hours, we dragged our boots through ankle-high water, which again resembled a whitewater stream. I considered calling Scott to tell him to bring up my kayak, except that my cell phone no longer works. It drowned in yeterday's rain.My only thought as I slopped through mud and water was that I would have to do this for another eight hours, with a right foot that has decided to develop two painful blisters after 1100 miles. The rushing wather of the rocky trail made hiking slow and gimpy. I felt so uncoordinated and miserable and soaked to the bone. Everyone in our shelter last night had to put on yeterday's wet clothes this morning (in the interest of keeping at least one change of clothes dry for sleeping). At my lowest point this morning, I actually had tears in my eyes - a first for me out here as a direct reaction from the trail. Words from Old Drum helped me get through the day: "When all else fails, I can always take another step."The rain cleared for a while by mid-morning, but it continued to sprinkle on and off all day. To add insult to injury, Bama, Drum, and I managed to lose the trail twice today just from not paying attention. We probably added an extra mile to this fun-filled day.But, "this too shall pass," and it (mostly) has. We arrived at tonight's shelter around 4:15 to find out that a local trail angel and hiker hostel owner (Amy) was bringing in home-made chilli, macaroni salad, cookies,and sodas. This is a wonderfully roomy shelter with enough bunks for everyone and hanging space for our wet gear. I've already had a "solar" (cold) shower and have taped up my right foot in layers of moleskin and duct tape. But all this takes a back seat to the people who are here with me. Bama, Mapman, Robin, Headstand, Ponch, Moe, Carbomb, Lichen, Kilgore Trout, Tripper, and of course Old Drum, who especially looked after me today. During the final hour or so of our hike, he kept turning around to ask "Are you okay?" I know my endurance for days like today would be a fraction of what it is if I had to make this journey alone. My hiker family (though the members of it come and go) has become so important to me, which is an element of this hike I'd never predicted beforehand.
Date: 2006-06-27
From: 501 Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

10:30AM. Drum, Bama, and I sit in the shelter quietly reading and occasionally look up through the skylight to see the pounding rain that constantly drums the tin roof of this box we're in. Comfy, dry box though...most shelters don't have doors or windows. It's beginning to look like we will zero here, and I'm COMPLETELY at peace with that decision. If I were hiking in this downpour today, I fear it would be my last day on the AT. This may be a zero day I take in order to save the thru-hike.10:45AM. Amy and Fritz, our nearby trail angels, just came in with coffee and muffins and news that a couple of creeks we'll have to ford north of here on the A.T. are flooded. I'm liking our decision more and more. I've been craving a reading day for over three months. Looks like today is it.7:30PM. How can it still be raining HARD? The last of today's soaked hikers just arrived, including Indiana, Rusch Hour, and Slick B. My Mountain House pasta primavera (thank you Joe!) was supplemented with pizza and raspberry tea brought (again) by trail angel Amy, who seems to be serving as the house mother for this shelter. If we had to be stuck in a shelter in torrential rain for a day, I guess this was the one to pick.We hear there's been about 12 inches of rain in the area over the past couple days and four more inches are expected tonight, with possibility of clearing tomorrow afternoon. I'm sure the trail will be the flume ride at Disney tomorrow and if we have any creeks to cross we'll have to turn our packs into rafts. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried. Drum, Bama, and I may need to rope ourselves together to keep from washing away.
Date: 2006-06-28
From: 501 Shelter

To: PA Hwy 183
Miles today: 9.3

Near 9PM last night, a couple hikers who had stopped in our shelter earlier in the afternoon for a break and then moved on in the deluge, returned to the shelter because the trail had become waist-deep with water. These were young healthy kids in their 20's. Drum, Bama, and I just looked at each other. Time for a new plan, with safety taking priority over mileage. And the rains continued through the night.Fortunately, the rain finally let up around 7 this morning. We hung around and had a leisurely breakfast giving the trail water a little time to recede. Our trail angel Fritz then shuttled us about nine miles up the trail to the highway where our hiking companions turned around last night. A bonus: on the way, we stopped at a Subway for a second breakfast and a lunch to pack in and eat on the trail. And since we were hiking back to our same shelter, we could leave most of our heavy stuff behind and "back-slack."Once I accepted the fact that my feet, socks, and boots would continue to be thoroughly soaked (about three minutes in), today's hike was an enjoyable one. Ankle-deep in water most of the way, the trail reminded me of a waterslide I was on once in the rainforests of Costa Rica - only minus the man-made plastic part. It was really quite beautiful, and the sunshine did wonders for my mood. After this amount of rain, I'm sure the bugs will be throwing a big ol' party soon. But today they were tolerable.Upon reaching our shelter, trail angel Amy took a jeep-load of us to her home for a spaghetti dinner, an opportunity to do laundry, and to play with the dozens of viszla and terrier puppies she raises. I was in dog heaven!Tomorrow, Amy and/or Fritz will pick us up at 7AM, feed us breakfast, and put us back on the trail at the highway we started on today. The plan is to hike to the small town of Port Clinton, where we hear that the only open business this week is a peanut shop. We'll be leaving 501 Shelter for good - finally! It has served us well as a safe, dry port in a storm.