morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-07-13
From: Tumbling Run Shelter

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: clear sky

Sun 13 July 2003   Tumbling Run Shelter to Birch Run Shelter   19.6 miles It just seems like the long miles never end. At least 4 of the next 5 days I plan to do 25-mile days. My original schedule would¢ve brought me to Port Clinton Monday morning next week. But I want to be a day early, to have time for a zero day the following Thursday in the Water Gap. So that would put me in Port Clinton Saturday night/Sunday morning. But that won¢t do me any good, as the Post Office closes at 11am Saturday morning. So I need to do extra miles yet to get there by then. All of which presses more onto my daily thoughts the possibilities of slowing down. What if this could end up being the only trip like this I ever do? One of my favorite quotes, by Henry David Thoreau, ¢ I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, to see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when it came time to die, to discover that I had not lived.¢. Maybe it¢s trying to teach me relaxation and taking the time to enjoy everything, and maybe I¢m having a tough time learning that lesson. I¢ve never been an expert at relaxing. Perhaps it¢s about time I practice. I enjoyed all 19.8 miles today, the grades were easy and the rocks didn¢t threaten to break me. Did 10 miles this morning to Caledonia State Park, where I stopped for 4 hours for a barbeque party after I took a ¢pressure washer¢ powered shower in the pool house. Sherpa put on the party and his 12 year-old son, Chainsaw, is going back home after walking nearly half the trail. I chowed burgers and a corn cob and chips, a couple beers, and a hot dog before hitting the trail again. It was sort of odd, how I¢d known this group of hikers no more that 4-5 days and now I¢ll see them never again as I¢ll walk more miles than their pace/schedule has them going each day. Yet even though I enjoy their company I head for the trail, because time waits for no man, and life is short so I need to make sure I got what it is I want, and the beat goes on¢¦. 9.6 more miles has me to Birch Run Shelter, a brand new shelter, the trail for the half-mile before it is torn up from the truck that brought in the lumber. Even though it¢s new I¢ve already seen the mice that make this their home!   -applejack-
Date: 2013-05-17
From: Bland, VA

To: US606
Miles today: 18.4

Cabo shared the shuttle with me this morning and we left for the trail at 8 am and were walking by 8:15. We road walked for a couple of miles then the trail turned into the woods and started up...that's the last I saw of Cabo until I got to Trent's Grocery. I only saw four other people on the trail all day. Three SOBO's and one NOBO who passed me mid morning. One of the SOBO's said he had met about 15 people he figured had emptied out of Jenny's knob,, but I never saw any of them. I got rained on three times in the afternoon. That was okay though, I was already wringing wet with sweat. The humidity was so high and the temp so hot that I was ready wet from perspiration. I had not planned to hike this far today but when I got to Jenny's Knob I read in the shelter log that you could get cheeseburgers and beer at Trent's Grocery, and it was only 5 miles away, that I decided what the heck, I could be there by 5:30 with plenty of daylight left so I went for it...and that's where I caught up with Beerdra and Cabo!We are all tenting at the camp site because we thought we were going to get showers and laundry for our 6 bucks. Guess again, Beerdra has been trying to wash cloths for the past two hours, Cabo was barely able to take a shower and I could not get it to work at all. The toilet doesn't even have water in it! What a mess! A total waste of money!They make good Cheeseburgers though! On-On
Date: 2003-07-14
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Alec Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 25.5
Weather: clear sky

Mon 14 July 2003   Birch Run Shelter to Alec Kennedy Shelter         25.5 miles I gave it the good ol college try, but fell short of the record for eating a half-gallon of ice cream at the Pine Grove Furnace Park. I did happen to pick a flavor with a lot of stuff-ola in it, Peanut Butter Cup. The record was 12 minutes or so and I took 23min. 20 sec. The other hikers around were amazed that I just got up and walked on right afterward. In fact, I took right off and didn¢t get the token wooden spoon they give ya when you do that! Twas an easy 25.5 miles today, all under pleasant blue skies with scattered white clouding. Though I had to stop later in the afternoon- the ice cream! Either I¢m becoming lactose intolerant or the peanut is getting to me. Met a bunch of hikers today. Six of them were at the ice cream thing- Mickey & Minnie, Emily & Slack, and here at Alec Kennedy Shelter, Crow Dog & Prairie Chicken. Met a southbounder going New York to Georgia named Hmm, and she does happen to say that a lot, she¢s from Martha¢s Vineyard. Jollies just got back on the trail from having 4 days off and he¢s here. I may stay at some of the same places he will be this week. A group of four southbounders showed up at dinnertime, they had been working for the same company and all quit and decided to come out and walk the AT days ago. They are quite unprepared and there¢s also animosity between them, they probably won¢t go very far. But they¢re interesting how they just came out here, they¢ve got a tarp, schoolbook packs, and their food is Ramen and Wal-Mart Spam which they intend to cook over fire so they have no stove. I think that would be way cool if they even kept it going for 2 weeks.   ¢applejack-
Date: 2013-05-18
From: US606

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: light rain

Breakfast at Trent's of sausage biscuits and coffee to go along with my 600 calorie Honey Bun that got me off and hiking by 8:15.The first climb out of the gap was moderate then the trail turned mostly flat. It reminded me of hiking through the "bottoms" back home. I was all ready to give the Virginia Club a huge "attaboy" until I started straight up the mountain from Wapiti Shelter...STRAIGHT Up. No attaboy for you now!As we...Me, Cabo and Beerdra...ate lunch we found a stray dog. Cabo and Beerdra fed it in attempt to get it to follow them. It followed Beerdra until we stopped for water then it followed me all the way to the intersection where the turnoff was to Woods Hole Hostel. I really had not planned to stay at Woods Hole but Cabo and Beerdra wanted to take the dog there and contact the humane society, so I didn't want to hike on up the trail. I waited around for Beerdra to take over the dog duties but she didn't show and the bugs were eating me alive so I decided to take the dog in myself, and...once I got there I decided to stay. So, that's how I wound up at Woods Hole. On-On
Date: 2003-07-15
From: Alec Kennedy Shelter

To: Cove Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 25.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Tues 15 July 2003        Alec Kennedy Shelter to Cove Mtn Shelter   25.5 miles Got up early today, 5am. Went into Boiling Springs and called peoples in Massachusetts, got breakfast, and went through my mail. Thank goodness! Someone sent me homemade cookies! Thanks MA! After that I walked briskly through a 25.5mile day with a fellow thru named Jollies. Quite a pleasant-weather day for the traverse through Cumberland Valley, and I may walk with him tomorrow too, but after tomorrow afternoon he¢ll walk on ahead as his schedule has him doing much more distance. I called my boss Gail, and things didn¢t sound as good as I hoped. I just hope she can hold the situation together without losing it till I get back, because of course; I¢ll solve everything when I return! Yeah, right. Nice shack this Cove Mtn Shelter is, which is good as chances are there¢ll be thunderstorms tonight. Just walked in is a nice thru-girl named Blip. I hope she doesn¢t mind snorers!                  -applejack-
Date: 2013-05-19
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

Since Neville and Michael went to Damascus for Trail Days there was no dinner last night or breakfast this morning at the hostel. For dinner i cooked a dehydrated meal that Little SAS had given me, Yumm! She gave it to me because her food bag was too heavy. Lucky me! We were able to get coffee at 7am and Neville had Pumpkin bread in the oven, free gratis, but I was ready to go so I just ate a honey bun from my food bag and got on the trail. I only had 10 miles to get to town but I wanted to get there in time to resupply and do all the usual town chores and relax for the rest of the day. As I was hiking into town two ladies stopped and offered me a ride to the motel! I inquired at the office of the motel about directions to Walmart and the manager gave me a ride out of the kindness of HIS heart. Then, when I was on the way back, a lady and her son pulled alongside me and offered me a ride back to the motel! Talk about small town America!!! Love it.The trail today was a lot of rock hopping and mud, and since everything was wet I had to be especially careful not to slip and fall. To add to the aggravation, I walked in a cloud all day missing several "views" because of the fog. Enough with the rain already!! I have been wet ever since leaving Bland, three days ago and the forecast for the next week looks like more of the same. The hikers mantra goes "no rain, no pain, no Maine. I've had plenty of the first two, so lets get with the Maine part. We have to have rain in order for there to be water in the springs and creeks but, so far, we've had little problem. After the trip to Walmart and Food Lion, I will have a heavy pack to hike out with tomorrow. Oh, this hiking stuff is SO hard. Note to Jack and Heather; I was so caught up in the excitement of passing that white blaze in Blande that I completely let the significance of passing 600 miles escape me. Oh I was aware of the distance, just not the enormity of it. Thanks for the reminder.On-On
Date: 2003-07-17
From: Story Mtn

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 25.4
Weather: clear sky

Thurs 17 July 2003      Story Mtn to 501 Shelter      25.4 miles Low on food this week. Stopped using prepurchased trail mix because of peanuts. Is my imagination trying to imagine the dinner that which is the same dinner every night to be that bad, or does the consistency of my tuna fish really resemble Alpo that closely?   Right now waiting on a thru named Musk to return from hitchhiking to get pizza, here at the 501 Shelter with Widget & Mountain Dew. Took 25.4 miles of AT to get here, more if you count losing the trail midday. I was walking under I-81 gazing up at mankind¢s work of this bridge whilst I walked right past the trail turnoff. Then down the street there was some kind of blazes that made me think it went that way. Wasted over half an hour before I saw someone who pointed the way. Then I got thirsty & hungry and ate some of tomorrow¢s food. I¢m hoping to have some pizza for tomorrow. Musk just walked in, so end journal entry!   -applejack-
Date: 2013-05-21
From: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter

To: Stealth Camp Site
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: broken clouds

Not a lot to report today. A lot more rock hopping this morning that slowed my progress and then this afternoon the trail was about as flat as you could ask for. The heat is with us now. I broke my thermometer so I don't know exactly, but I would guess it was above 85. Along with the heat comes the bugs. I swat them as long as I can then break out my trail magic bug spray (thanks Chris) and get a little relief until I sweat it off my skin and then start swatting again. I had to get inside my tent as soon as I had it up to get away from them tonight,, but first I had to kill the ones that got inside before I could get the screen zipped up. I've got the fly pulled back on one side to get some air circulation and as the sun goes down it is getting cooler and quite nice. I might sleep this way if it doesn't rain. The last time I was able to get a weather report it said there were supposed to be scattered thunderstorms every afternoon this week. Hoo Boy!I had planned to go a little further today but with the heat and bugs I finally called it quits here, exhausted, at this campsite. Tomorrows profile looks flatter, except for the 1100 ft climb first thing in the morning and another that will come in the afternoon. You cannot trust the map profile though, flat on the map just means sorta-kinda. Trail magic this afternoon in the form of battery power. Tech announced that his solar charger was full and that he would charge anyone's phone that wanted it. I jumped at the chance. He carries a small laptop and needs the charger for that. On-On
Date: 2003-07-18
From: 501 Shelter

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Fri 18 July 2003      501 Shelter to Port Clinton         23.7 miles That was probably the most quiet shelter I can recall, it was enclosed and when I woke up in the middle of the night nobody seemed to be snoring. I must have made the only sounds whilst I slept. Woke up and crawled out an hour before alarm, wanted to get a good start and get through this last of my string of 25 mile days (today was 23.7) esp. since it had been predicted to rain. Had usual breakfast and then the 3 slices of pizza saved and that lasted me all day to storm out the walk from 7:20 to 4:20, only stopped walking momentarily to answer nature, didn¢t bother for lunch. Rain and thunder threatened and sprinkled all day, but held out. Got to town and the Post Office still open, got mail, went to hotel to see about room- no room, no matter, I can sleep for free at a church-owned pavilion which I¢m actually finding to be preferred. Had pork chops at hotel and a couple of 75-cent draft Rolling Rocks- over to pavilion. Fred, a volunteer fellow with the church, instantly shows up and kindly rides us (me & Bob- another thru) to stores and phone. Super guy, that Fred. Get back and lightening/rain let loose. I eat ice cream and drink Rolling Rock, sit in chair, watching. Others here (4) are to sleep, I off to hotel for some beers with 2 other thrus there, Monkey & Jay. Tough music selection in jukebox. I could only comprehend Creedence and Fleetwood Mac, others were country and pop. Returned to pavilion, have another ice cream, and Widget & Mountain Dew show up, having left not till noon and got drenched in rain that¢s now done, arriving 2 hours after dark with headlamps. They had a fun walk out! I shared a (Rolling) Rock with Widget and went to sleep. Woke up at 3am and decided to write this entry. Should be a nice day tomorrow, both for weather and for a nice 15.2-mile itinerary. Also have my next relief shoes/socks ( ! ) for which feet should be happy. The next 5 days will be 16+/- mile days before my planned zero day at the Water Gap with my Aunt Joli and cousin Jon. After which I¢ll still be right on for the 20 mile/day original schedule, but have been making plans to reduce daily mileage there. Alright, sleep now.   ¢applejack-
Date: 2013-05-22
From: Stealth Camp Site

To: Stealth Camp Site
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: scattered clouds

The day started good but it was one of those up and down days. Oh I don't mean the mountains, that's a given. No I mean the day was up and down. During the night last night I had a Thunderstorm come through sometime after midnight. I lay there listening to the thunder as the lightening lit up the sky and my tent. I was able to go back to sleep though and nothing got wet. This morning I rolled out at 6:30 and after breakfast of a honey bun and hot cocoa with instant coffee in it I proceeded up the mountain in hot and humid weather but clear skies. I inventoried my provisions last night and determined I needed to resupply so I decided to hitch into Newport VA, 8 miles away. The very first vehicle to come along picked me up and took me all the way into town at the local restaurant. I got a cheeseburger, fries and a coke for lunch then walked over to the store for my resupply. When I walked back out on the highway the second vehicle stopped and picked me up and took me all the way back to the trail!! Wow, talk about luck! One of the guys that gave me a ride said they are used to hikers hitching into, and out of, town and readily give rides. Gotta love small town America!The afternoon was the icing on the cake. No sooner did I get back hiking than another thundercloud came, up it rained something fierce then started hailing. Nothing for me to do but bear it so I got under a big Oak tree and tried to avoid it as best I could, which was not very good. Let me tell you, marble size hail HURTS!!!So, the drama for the day was not over. I walked another five, or so, miles and had another thundercloud come up. I could see it moving toward me across the valley and found the first semi-flat spot I could and threw up my tent before the rain hit. I found out today I can get my tent up pretty fast when I have too!I don't really know where I am at, I know I am between two points and that's good enough for me. I will get to find out in the morning when I hike out. On-On
Date: 2003-07-19
From: Port Clinton

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Sat 19 July 2003   Port Clinton to Eckville Shelter      Great weather, comfortable miles on not bad terrain, overall not a very taxing day. People here have been talking of how the weather is unusually hotter and more humid this time of year in Pennsylvania. It was beautiful today, yet another good day to jump, skydiving being one of the few things I think of that I miss compared to this. The terrain was pretty easy and included a few great vista points. Had breakfast with Bob and Gretel at 3C¢s Restaurant. Had scrapple for the first time. It was OK, but I don¢t foresee myself needing that again. Went for a casual 10:15 departure and went on at my preferred saunter. Passed Gretel resting whose ankle was hurting. She¢d broken it and been out healing but 2 weeks ago or so. Mountain Dew & Widget slacked. From the point I¢m at back to town, but I¢m happier here tonight at Eckville Shelter. I¢ve got a more comfortable bunk, took a shower (albeit mildly cold), and there is soda, cookies and ice cream sandwiches available. It¢s right behind the caretaker¢s dwelling who is a forest service volunteer. He is a bit touchy about what you ask him about and shot me down early, though. But he¢s really not a bad guy. There¢s a fellow here, though, that no one really wants to associate with and I avoid him mainly because he has the sniffles. We kind of hope Lone Wolf will come here and they can entertain each other. So I take some Oreos and a National Geographic Magazine and climb into my net tent early. Tomorrow I¢ll probably tent in the woods by myself for some solitude.   ¢applejack-
Date: 2013-05-23
From: Stealth Camp Site

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: light rain

I could tell by the time it took me to get to Niday shelter, this morning, that I had guessed pretty well last night on my estimated location.For some reason today turned out to be one of "those" kind of days. The trail was good and well maintained but I started the day with low energy and stayed that way all day. The climb up Brush Mountain to the Audi Murphy Monument went from 1600 ft to 3100 ft in just 3 miles and nearly sapped me. I just dragged along the rest of the afternoon and finally called it quits here at Pickle Branch. I was trying to make it to the Four Pines Hostel so I could go with the rest of the hikers to the Home Place Restaurant, an all you can eat, down home style, restaurant, but with the way I was feeling I knew it would be dark before I got there and the restaurant would already be closed, so, I called it an early day and took it easy the rest of the day. Having to put up my tent yesterday to avoid a thunderstorm threw my scheduling off and then me having the "lows" today just meant I needed to back off a little...so I have. Speaking of thunderstorms...it's storming again right now!On-On
Date: 2003-07-20
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Tripoli Campsite
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: broken clouds

Sun 20 July 2003      Eckville Shelter to Tripoli Campsite   13.3 miles It¢s been fantastically comfortable weather. Down to the 60¢s last night and probably tonight, not to hot today. Did 13.3 miles today, nice n easy. Got some much needed rest last night. Today¢s walk was much like yesterday¢s- pretty comfortable, a few vistas, chat here and there with other thrus. Came across a restaurant at about 11 miles and had a cheeseburger and some Yerenghing lagers- a local name beer- and took a six to go. That¢s an interesting law here in PA- at bars you can buy up to 2 six-packs to go. So I stopped at Tripoli Campsite thinking up to 4 other thrus would come here. None of them did, but I think maybe at least a couple tented at the AT where the side trail leads here. So I¢m here with some people from Carlise, PA. They are pleasant people, very quiet, perhaps tired from a few days hiking. I of course had the six beers I carried in while sitting in front of the fire I collected a lot of wood for. I¢d spread out the wood in the fire and gone to my tent, then some of the others rose and I thought they were bummed out about the fire still going but now they¢re setting up a tent so it was just the bugs getting to them.   ¢applejack-
Date: 2013-05-24
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: VA624 (Four Pines Hostel)
Miles today: 6.7

Only 6.7 miles today but I'm okay with that. The thunderstorm that blew through last night Was brought in by a cold front. It rained off and on all night. When I woke up this morning it was a good 25-30 degrees cooler than last night. I have found that my energy levels go up in proportion to the temperature drop. I moved up the trail pretty good today!Today's hike went by the "Dragons Tooth" a monolithic rock that Virginians classify as a Must See hike, but just something we have to hike past because it happens to be along the trail. It is awesome though. I had not planned to come to the Four Pines Hostel but the chance to get a shuttle to the Home Place Restaurant was too much to pass up, ITis another must see place and iconic stop on the AT. After dinner everyone just lay around groaning with full stomachs but some actually got their packs on to hike out to McAfee knob to catch the sunrise in the morning. I think I'm going to turn in here at the hostel and hike out tomorrow. The temperature is supposed to be in the 30's here tonight but should be below that in the mountains, so, I will be fine right here, thank you very much. On-On
Date: 2003-07-22
From: AT campsite

To: Kirkridge Shelter
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: light rain

Tues 22 July 2003   AT campsite to Kirkridge Shelter      23.5 miles All right, I¢m ready to admit it; I¢ve had my fill of Pennsylvania. Today¢s 23 12 miles were studded with rude rocks the whole way. If one takes their attention away from the 3-8 feet of ground in front for a moment they¢re likely to kick and stumble. Which makes it tough to pay any attention to anything around you. Last night my tarp held up fine, but the heavy rain splashed dirt up under some, I¢ll learn to pitch the tarp accordingly with more experience in different weather. There are 7 others here tonight at this Kirk ridge Shelter, an amusing crowd consisting of Sleepy Floyd, Moo & 42, Superman? & Torch, and Phlegm & Pipes. Phlegm & Pipes are from Salem, Massachusetts where I work (when I¢m, like, not here). All are getting up early for town tomorrow and will stay tomorrow night in the Water Gap. As I will and half of them the next day zero like me. I don¢t need to leave here till eleven to meet my Aunt Joli and cousin Jon by 2, so I¢ll just do whatever the day flows like. It¢s raining and there was lightening earlier right out the view of the front of the shelter. Kinda nice to be in here tonight watching rather than last night and all my stuff hangs to dry. Until the end of Thursdays zero I¢m still on track with my original 20 miles/day trip average. On Friday, though, may be the first day of a reconfigured itinerary.   ¢applejack-