morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-04-24
From: Waynesboro 

To: Antietam Shelter, PA
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: clear sky

4/24/161071.1869'The last couple of miles were all down hill and not too bad.We worshiped with an AG Church this morning. It was a great refreshment. They sang much loved old hymns and praise songs.We had one speed thru Hiker tell us we would "get our legs" on the fourth day another said that we would "get our legs" after 400 miles. No one has told us when we would get our lungs.We had a big climb out of Waynesboro this morning. This is how my climbs go. I keep my eyes to the ground to watch for best footing, careful to avoid wiggling rocks, looking for the best way up to protect my knees. Then I run out of breath and stop at the first semi-level area to catch my breath. Then I look around and the wonder that I am actually on the trail as well as the splendor of the trail takes my breath away in a different way. I praise the Lord. So fun also when in the middle of a road of larger boulders and rocks a wild violet pops up its head or another mile down in a similarly unlikely spot, a bunch of miniature daisy looking beauties.I fear that I sometimes might be giving the wrong impression. The trail is extremely difficult. It is extremely challenging. That is what makes it worth doing. I am beat up each night that we push ourselves a little, but at the same time very satisfied. My heart is full. I have loved ones cheering for me. I have a husband so supportive that he bought into the dream, and still willing to do it at the pace I need to go. Today we met Mr. Nature and Silvercloud, and others.   We ended up at the same shelter that River-rat made it to and meet Me Nature here. Mr Nature is being supported by his wife who does the tourist thing while he hikes then once every three days of so, he gets off and helps her move the motorhome on up the road. The people we met come from all sections of the population. Sad is the number we meet trying to work out War shock, commonly known as PTSD. There may be another misunderstanding of the trail due to my mentioning of all the names. I do this mainly for my benefit so I will better remember. Ninety-nine percent of the time Bob and I are hiking, we are alone with each other, the Holy Spirit, our prayers, and our thoughts. Not another person in sight, Judy the beauty of our surroundings. Many of our meetings on the trail last about 30 seconds or so. If we stop to eat at a shelter we might visit longer and when someone else is at the same shelter for the night, we visit for a little while after we have set up our hammocks, set up for the bear bag, and prepared our dinner. Even then the visit isn't very long because hikers midnight is 8 and we are almost ready to sack out. Tonight our hammocks are right beside a very loud stream. It is a very soothing sound. The Wanna Bs
Date: 2016-04-25
From: Antietam Shelter, PA

To: Rocky Mountain Shelter PA
Miles today: 7.8

1078.91539'Today was a relatively easy day compared to recent days so we can't figure out why we are so exhausted. Still very rocky trail much of the time.There was a blue blaze ( side trail) that we took out to another beautiful Overlook. The site was called Chimney Rock but I failed to picture why it had that name. We took off our packs as we started out that side trail. The scramble up the rocks reminded me of rock climbing in Utah as a kid. The break from our packs and view refreshed both our bodies and spirits. I saw a lot of butterflies today, little black ones dancing together, big black ones, some with white on the tail some with bright blue on the tail. My favorite though and the one I saw the most was a small light blue one that in the right light looked like an irredescent violet. This one was either following me along for a couple of miles or relaying butterfly friendship my way. Every time I see a butterfly anymore I think of my sweet Princess Butterfly Ada, our grand daughter, who was mesmerized by a butterfly outside of RV window when she visited is while we lived at Wycliff. I am having a great time reading the trail log posts of my new friends Zip-tie who is always ahead of us. Her cheerful humor is delightful, a true gift.   There are log books in all shelters but I don't always remember to read them or write in them. We set up our hammocks inside a shelter thinking there would only be us and maybe River-rat. The are actually two small shelters at this location. Soon a young man named Marathon arrived. He started in Georgia late February. Later two locals arrived but fortunately they were setting up tents outside the shelter. You can see our set up in photos. It is 8:00, Hiker Midnight, so I am going to post this then go to sleep, I hope.BreatherP.S. Another wildlife sighting today as we startled a large bird, either a grouse or something similar.   BackerLater, The Wanna BsBreather and Backer
Date: 2016-04-26
From: Rocky Mountain Shelter PA

To: Quarry Shelter
Miles today: 5.6
Weather: broken clouds

5.61084.51469'We arrived at Quarry Shelter at about 1:30 PM after climbing down from 1531'to Calendonia State Park at 871' then up to 1469' again. Actually there was a significant climb over a mountain before coming down to the State Park. At some of the highest peaks we could hear the thunder from afar so really tried to hurry.   Skies had cleared by the time we got down. Still the forecast said a major Thunderstorm was coming and the next campsite was on the top of a mountain. Bob was beat so we stopped for the night. I made a nest and took a nap. River-rat caught up with us. Also here us was Growler and a girl who is doing her shake down and planning on starting in May. She doesn't have a trail name yet.This is a beautiful shelter and it has a regular caregiver who calls himself the innkeeper. He added hanging flower baskets and keeps it extra tidy. The shelter looks pretty new. We had a Knorr chicken noodle something and added instant potatoes. It was good. I went to bed at 6:30.It didn't rain. I hope we get over today's Heights before it does. The Wanna Bs
Date: 2016-04-27
From: Quarry Shelter

To: Toms Run Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

4/27/20161098.11300'It is real easy to lose track of the days out here. Trying to keep up this journal is the only thing that keeps me on track. We had the longest day of hiking hours and the most miles today. I had fall four and five. The second one, #5, I was sure I was going to fall smack on my face. STOP LAUGHING, grandchildren. Something inside told me to roll so I actually fell on the edge of the pack then rolled back to my shoulder. No injuries during either fall yet pulled a thigh muscle trying to stand up after a rest later on.   This made the last 3 miles and especially the last half of a mile with its steep downhill slow and painful.For part of yesterday and much of today the trail was either lined with Rhododendron plants or they were at least scattered along the trail. I had read about this phenomenon many times in the journals, the experience beautifully described with all senses involved and I was really looking forward to this part of the trail. Unfortunately, we arrived before the blossoms. :-( For the most part except a few step up and downs the trail was almost level and there were even parts where the ground was soft and the rocks were few. We were hiking the mountain ridge and unlike in Maryland the ridge was kind. We hiked several hours in the rain worth ponchos on. They worked great covering our packs as well as our selves. They are called "backpacker parkas" and we got then from REI. We stopped at a shelter for lunch and a longer rest but mostly to read Zip-tie's log. Again it provided the humor I need. She wrote an Ode to Gorp. It was great.We are still in Rocksylvania as the hikers call this state and we are told the worst comes in the North. We can take it! I do need to start picking up my feet though. It always seems to be the straggling foot that trips me. We set up under a picnic Pavillion tonight. Bob's great idea.A group of through hikers arrived one or two at a time after we arrived. The first two were Salt and Waffles. This nice couple let me use some of their icey hot on my thigh muscle. The rest I have not met. Maybe in the morning. One was wearing a kilt. Two had hiked 40 miles today supposedly. They all started in Georgia in the early spring, so they are all tough nuts. They are also young and agile. Today we passed the 2016 half way point (yes, it changes). We took a picture at the sign even though it in no way is our half-way point. Our psychological half -way will be the terminus in Maine, MT Katahdin. Our actual half-way point will be a good deal south of Harpers Ferry. We will try to take a picture there as well. Prayer needs on the trail:   Bob's back, Bob's joints especially his left thumb, my left upper thigh, my right knee, and my deformed and clumsy feet. Bob is over in his hammock snoring away, sweet music to my ears as I know he didn't get much sleep last night. 9:40 pm. Way past hikers midnight.
Date: 2016-04-28
From: Toms Run Shelter

To: tent site before Jim Fry Shelter 
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: light rain

1106.21280'We caught up with Salty and Waffles as well as Biscuit at Pine Grove Furnace. The trail goes right through this little town. The general store caters to hikers but is not usually open this time of year. We shared a hamburger and a large salad plus fries. It was the best hamburger I have ever had! The salad was also wonderful, fresh and crisp. This is the place that thru hikers from Georgia do the ice cream challenge so we watched some try. Waffles did the best but after the quart and a half carton, she could not go for the extra pint it would take to make it a half gallon.The hike out of Pine Grove was poorly marked and we could have easily gotten lost if we didn't backtrack to the last white blaze and try again.We were unable to make it to a shelter so we had to stealth camp. Bob and I shared his tarp as we were able to find three trees to use for our hammocks, both tying to one then out to the other two. It was wonderful not to have to set up my tarp. I had a chill to my bones and wasn't very helpful. We didn't cook. We wanted to just get warmed up by changing into dry warm sleep clothes (maybe I won't send those home after all) and getting under our down quilts.I shivered for about an hour or so it seemed.
Date: 2016-04-29
From: tent site before Jim Fry Shelter 

To: tent site before Alec Kennedy Shelter 
Miles today: 9.2
Weather: overcast clouds

1115.91175'Another day of hiking in the cold and wet though not quite as cold as yesterday. Mr Nature caught up with us after a zero with his wife. He said he, too, and two others got mixed up coming out of Pine Grove. They gave up and went back to the hostel. He was angry about it.Someone named Bookworm caught up with us, another thru Hiker from Georgia who started in February.   He wanted to know if we had seen Biscuit which we had. He was hiking with him before he took time out to zero with family and was trying to catch back up to him. He was another Hiker wearing a kilt. He warned us that Bananas would be catching up to us soon.She was not far behind him. Maybe an hour.We went through a part of the AT called the Pennsylvania Rock Maze. The young people evidently love it, we, not so much. But it was different and a challenge. There was one place I could not NOT get up onto the next rock. It was about four and a half feet up and in a narrow area between rock walls. We threw or poles and packs up then Bob helped shove me up. I asked Zip-tie how she did it. She said she threw her poles up then hand hauled. I was imagining these young people climbing up the two walls like the grandchildren climb up a door frame then getting on it that way. I know one thing for sure. This part of the trail has changed since Grandma Gatewood hiked it. Saw some beautiful flowers today. I hope Harmony finds out what they are called for me.
Date: 2016-04-30
From: tent site before Alec Kennedy Shelter 

To: Boiling Springs 
Miles today: 5.3
Weather: overcast clouds

1121.2. Boiling SpringsNever does a hot shower feel so good as when you have been hiking day after day for 5 or more days without one. Today we hiked only a few miles it appears but it seemed like many more as we climbed three peaks them descended forever into farm land around Boiling Springs, in the Cumberland Valley. Our last mile was through farm land. Not far enough away was the smell of a chicken farm.I think maybe we were further back on the trail last night than our GPS showed and we hiked 6 today. Anyway today we are 2 miles short of 100.The neatest thing that happened today was meeting Bear Bell and Grasshopper on the trail early in the morning. They section hike. How wonderful it would be to live near enough to the trail to do that! We had a great visit with them. They read along on people's journals like we did for so many years. Then when we arrived in Boiling Springs there was a little bag of trail majic waiting for us at the ATC.   It had snickers in it so we took one with thanksgiving then found it was prepared and put there by Bear -Bell and Grasshopper. We went out for pizza with Zip -tie and Shoelace. The pizza was excellent. Shoelace started in Harpers Ferry last Saturday. Zip -Tie leaves out tomorrow. I told her she needed to stay ahead of me so I could read her log entries.Tomorrow we hope for Church then a short resupply figuring on another in Duncannon. We will stay until Monday at least so we can get our box. We found a person who does shuttles so we can get around town. Seems like a nice guy.
Date: 2016-05-01
From: Boiling Springs 

To: Boiling Springs 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

May 1ZeroWe took a shuttle to Boiling Springs Bible Fellowship but though the door was open, it appeared that no one was there two minutes until the service was to begin. We quickly hiked three blocks up the street to the Lutheran Church and enjoyed the service there. I have never been to a Lutheran Church before but it was quite like the Episcopalian services.   Now that I know Jesus and can understand the litergy, I love this type service in many ways. I love how every service includes a prayer for the sick, for the poor, for the church, for the nation, and more. I love how every service includes at least three readings from the new testament and a psalm. I love how communion is always a part of the service. The hymns however, have a verigated meter that is hard to follow. Regular attendees can't follow them. But I praise God, this is the third Sunday it has worked out for us to worship with a group of believers and it has just happened to be three different denominations but always the same God, the same Christ, and wonderful people of God. We shared a shuttle to Walmart and resupplied enough to get to Duncannon where we will resupply again. I missed fruit last resupply so we may have overdone the fruit this time plus we purchased two apples for a bedtime snack and two bananas for breakfast. Craving healthy. No one to split boxes with so we ended up with a bit to add to the hiker box at the ATC Felicia, Aniles may be the best pizza on the trail but of course we haven't tried them all. Thanks for the recommendation. The Wanna Bs
Date: 2016-05-02
From: Boiling Springs 

To: Carlisle 
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: scattered clouds

11295/2Nibbles, Survivor, Cookie, ( yes, she is well and back on the trail - many prayers answered), Shoelace, and another character that I fail to remember the name were almost visiting in the front area of our Lodge this morning. We joined them for a great visit while waiting for our shuttle to the PO. We picked up our little box with the next few sections of maps then put our extras from the resupply and Zip -Ties extras into the hiker box at the ATC office. Then we hiked the half mile down to the trail head. Funny how much we hate to hike that extra half mile. Ha!We were told that the trail today would be very easy but boring as we hiked through farmers fields. We did find it easy but not boring at all. We actually were hiking through little forest glen like areas that bordered the fields and only occasionally went through a field. We crossed wooden styles to get from one field to another which was a new experience. The first two were slippery as Zip-tie had warned us. The Glens were full of wild flowers and birds songs. How I wish I knew the names of the flowers and the identity of the birds songs! On a blaze post on the middle of one of the fields we saw a red - winged black bird. It was a beautiful sight to watch it take wing.I had trouble almost day with my left ankle and some crazy leg pain on the same side. We traveled into the Days Inn on Highway 11 and checked in. My glasses were broken (just lost the screw to my earpiece) so we contacted our new trail angel friend Grasshopper who not only have us a ride to the CVS for a repair kit but also treated is to supper and a wonderful visit. We were unable to fix the glasses due to something about spring loaded. I now have duck traped glasses and will have to be very careful. This was another wonderful day on the trail. I forgot to mention that the first style marked 100 miles for us. Also there is a vine that looks like a miniature honeysuckle but has no odor. Another very similar but white has a similar odor to paper whites and was pervasive.
Date: 2016-05-03
From: Carlisle 

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: moderate rain

1135.3 1421'5/3We shared our continental breakfast dining table with a thru Hiker named Rabbit. Later on the trail we met Mushroom headed south doing a section hike and Postal Poet heading north. Poet is also doing a flip flop but started further south than we did. Rabbit had started in Georgia in February. He said he regretted the rush involved in keeping up with a group and wished he'd spent more time at falls areas enjoying the beauty.Received a sweet note from Bear Bell today. She missed getting together with us last night and sent us her favorite verse :"Cause me to hear Thy loving kindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto Thee. Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God." Psalm 143:8,10It is one of my favorites as well. Nice to find a kindred spirit on the trail.The hike today was as Grasshopper had told us, even more beautiful than the day before. Some of the trail followed a small brook. There were some very nice bridges to get us over streams and creeks (see pics) and the 700 for climb in the last mile wasn't bad at all except that I am still having trouble with my ankle. This allowed us down a lot. I must take it easy and let it rest even though we probably could make it the 6 miles to the next shelter before dark. This is very frustrating to me but Bob is taking it all in stride.   Set in the wall on the side of the trail coming up was a stone couch from which we could view the valley as if on top of the world. We set up our hammocks in the shelter between the bunks. See picture. Hope that bit so many show up tonight as to make anyone uncomfortable. Two new flop -floppers showed up with their dog, Otis. They started a week ago further impressing on us just how slow we are. Later Survivor showed up. The urgent care place found no broken bones so he is back on the trail. He made it here all the way from Boiling Springs today.
Date: 2016-05-04
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Duncannon
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: mist

5/41145.4Received bad news from home late last night.   Bob and I both found our hearts very heavy and question what our role should be. As I read the received text aloud to Bob through my sobs, Survivor spoke up. Turns out that he is a Survivor of Lymphoma and had comforting information to share with us. He is doing this hike as a fund raiser for the leukaemia / lymphoma society. I felt the presence of God in the midst of my despair.   I prayed and cried most of the night then woke to a fog so thick I almost couldn't find the privy. It was a crisis situation, but ended well. Funny that we woke up thinking only 6 miles today. We had been warned by Zip -tie that the last three are "murder" so we certainly hoped the fog would lift. We got and early start however and decided to try to make it all the way to Duncannon instead of stopping at Cove Shelter. We wanted to Skype with our daughter, a poor substitute for holding her tight, crying and praying with her. The trail was even tougher than we thought possible. Some of it involved a long steep series of rocks, some set and some not set, climbing down down down and on the edge of a possible great fall. I was extremely nervous and Bob was also but refused to show it. I fell twice today, fall six and seven. As a result I turned my ankle and bruised a rib. It was very difficult for Bob to see me struggling in pain. Ahead we are always warned that it us worse. Today that was true.Both Giggles and Survivor, our shelter mates passed us in the afternoon, and the two section hikers with Otis passed us even earlier. The more fit find it difficult but not as difficult as we find it. When we arrived in Duncannon we sought a bed with Wi-Fi. We found The Red Carpet Inn and a young man who was day hiking have us a ride to it. It was several miles from anywhere but we got to talk to our daughter who is keeping a brave face. She assured is that she has a great support system including her siblings and the church family.   Her mother -in -law is also available to help.We are torn due to a great desire to be with them at this time. Here we have nothing practical we can do to help except pray as we hike. There, it appears there is not much we could add besides our prayers. So we decide that after a zero to allow some healing, we will continue to hike and pray.We are both very discouraged due to the injuries and the worries at home. It is not a walk in the woods and the difficulty can not be explained accurately. The hike rumor that the ATC paid someone in PA big money to turn over all rocks on the trail so the sharp edge would face up does not even begin to address the difficulty with unsteady or slippery rocks, steep ups or downs with a cliff on one edge of the tower of rocks you must climb. Tomorrow our trail angel, Grasshopper has offered to take my glasses to an optician to be fixed. Bob has offered to allow me to stay off my feet as much as possible, despite the pain in his own.
Date: 2016-05-05
From: Duncannon

To: Duncannon
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

5/5Zero Grasshopper not only took my glasses to be fixed then took Bob to do our resupply. We lost two of Bob's socks somehow in the laundry, leaving him now with only two pair. We are ready with lots of trepidation for what tomorrow holds. Hearts heavy, bodies still in pain.