morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-06-13
From: An Unlikely Shelter

To: An Unlikely Shelter
Miles today: 10.9

Gorgeous shelter we stayed at last night - spent the night in the loft - could have made a great little apartment! I guess others must have thought so too because there was a sign that said: "Hikers Only - and 1 night stay maximum!"We set out early today, just before 8:00 Am in extremely humid conditions. Surprise, Surprise - they are calling for rain and thunderstorms again today. The walking was pretty easy and we made really good time today. We arrived at our intended campsite for the night by 3:00 PM (after taking over an hour for lunch too!). It's a tent site, complete with bathroom & shower - BONUS! So we took our showers, cooked some early dinner and here we sit, inside the bathroom, wiating out the rain before we set the tent up. It's currently thundering and raining heavier than I have seen in a long time ...well actually, at least a few days anyway. Thankful for a roof over our heads, keeping us dry, even if just for a few hours! We hiked 11 miles today, but we are taking it easy, hoping Fly and Smoothie will catch up with us in the next day or two. We haven't seen them since we got off for the canoe race in Atkins, VA on April 27th. We are looking forward to meeting up with our hiking friends again.
Date: 2003-06-14
From: Side Trail to a Beach Party

To: Side Trail to a Beach Party
Miles today: 5.6

Rough day....not really. So we ended up sleeping in that bathroom. The rain continued to pour down from 3 PM until 8 PM and the tent sites were flooded by the end of it, so we didn't see much sense in pitching a tent. First time for both of us to spend the night in a public bathroom, but we were dry and we slept well, no regrets. We took another easy day today, still waiting for our hiking friends. The weather was beautiful so we took advantage of it. We hiked about 4 miles, passing another historical park in Maryland and took a detour of 1/2 miles to Greenbrier State Partk - where they have a big swimming lake. We have a nice lunch and lounged by the man-made sandy beach. We watched a lot of kids run in and out of the cold water. We waded in the water and enjoyed the sunshine until the thunder rolled in, when we once again holed up in a bathroom to wait out the storm. At least this time we didn't spend the night. We ate some ice cream and left the park between storms. We trekked the one mile to the Pine Knob Shelter where we promptly took a nap after our hard day of hiking :) Tons of youth groups out here today - boy scouts, school groups, you name it. We must have passed or seen 50 people. I sit here at the shelter, watching 2 different groups set up their tents and cook their dinners - this is our Saturday Night Entertainment - who needs TV?
Date: 2003-06-15
From: Close but no pizza

To: Close but no pizza
Miles today: 8.1

Nice hiking today. We strolled and enjoyed a non-rainy, non-humid day to the Ensign Cowall Shelter. Took yet another easy day, arrived here for lunch and are spending the night, hoping to see Fly and Smoothie. If we don't see them tonight, we will probably catch up in Boiling Springs. We are both anxious and ready to start doing some more mileage. Another 12 hours of sleep in my future tonight. I'll be ready to go tomorrow. This shelter is only .2 miles from a road and there is a local pizza place that will deliver to the road crossing - oh I wish we had a cell phone right no. We may have the shelter to ourselves tonight.
Date: 2003-06-16
From: Closer but still no pizza

To: Closer but still no pizza
Miles today: 14.1

We're still looking for our friends - we have no idea if they are 2 hours or 2 days behind us, but we keep looking. We are hanging out at Pen-Mar Park right now. We enjoyed a nice lunch and are ordering pizza for dinner before hiking the last 5 miles to the shelter. We are right on the PA - MD border, saying goodbye to Maryland today and hello to my home state where the Appalachian Trail is famous for its rocks. Hopefully we will enjoy it despite its bad reputation with hikers. We also say goodbye to the South and hello to the North. Just out of the park we will pass the Mason-Dixon Line. P.S. The pizza place doesn't anwer their phone. Do you know what it is like to get your mind excited for a certain food? Two dissapointed hikers going to bed with thoughts of pizza on the brain.
Date: 2003-06-17
From: Going the extra mile for pizza

To: Going the extra mile for pizza
Miles today: 15.8

Here comes the rain again. As one hiker suggested last week, maybe it's time to consider gathering some animals and constructing an ark. With pizza still on our minds, we arrived at Caledonia State Park where they have a pool and a snack bar...(maybe with pizza)...which is closed when it is raining! At this point we are almost obsessed with getting some pizza or at least some good "town" food. I sat with the packs under a pavillion while Sonic went on a mission. She found our pizza place - heaven - a half a mile down the road. She went in to the pizza place and asked them if they delivered. When they responded "yes" she said "Great! Can you deliver a pizza back to the Caledonia State Park and take me with you? They laughed and said "Sure!" Gotta love all these great people along the trail. As it turned out their pizza driver never showed up but a family that Sonic met in the park as she ventured out decided after talking to her that they too wanted pizza. So they were happy to give Sonic a ride back with pizza, chicken fingers, french fries, two cokes and ice cream. It was a big pig out party and gave us the fuel to push up the next hill to the Quarry Gap Shelters for the night.We arrived to the shelters shortly before dark and it is one of the best kept and homey shelters we have stayed in. The keeper of the shelter had put in some hanging plants and even solared powered lanterns to light the way near the stream and to the outhouse. We really enjoyed our stay at the shelter.
Date: 2003-06-18
From: Ironmasters Mansion

To: Ironmasters Mansion
Miles today: 17.4

Hopping from one state park to another! This park has special importance to thru-hikers. It marks the halfway point on the trail, and the camp store is famous for its "half-gallon club" - hikers celebrate the halfway point by eating (in one sitting) a hafl a gallon of ice cream. That's right, your own little box o' ice cream. Sonic and I opted not to take the challenge - just yet anyway - maybe when we hit our halfway point in New York somewhere. Staying at a cool youth hostel tonight known as the Ironmasters Mansion near Pine Grove Furnace State Park. We are doing a work-for-stay to keep our budget down. So we are off to do some random cleaning jobs before bed!
Date: 2003-06-19
From: A shelter in the wilderness

To: A shelter in the wilderness
Miles today: 15.5

Arrived about 5 minutes before the big rain began. Staying in the Alec Kennedy Shelter - we have no idea who he is but we are glad to be dry in his shelter. It's rumored a big black snake likes to reside in this shelter as well so we shall surely sleep with one eye open tonight.
Date: 2003-06-20
From: Interstate Rendezvous

To: Interstate Rendezvous
Miles today: 11.9

It rained most of the night and was still raining when we woke up this morning. Sonic suggested waiting for the rain to stop before we left the shelter. Now seeing that it may or may not ever stop, we reluctantly set out. We arrived to Boiling Springs, cute little town to collect mail and take a break from the rain before finishing our day. Lots of friendly people in this town, but most especially the post off guy who quickly offered to take our packs up the trail and drop them at the hotel for us (since he lived up that way and got off at 5 PM). It was nice to walk the last 8 miles (in the rain) pack-free! We checked into the hotel and dried out just before my mom, sis MaryBeth and my Grandmom, and niece Christina stopped by to have dinner with us on their way to Virginia. It is great to be back in PA and close to friends and family.P.S. It never did stop raining today. It only rained harder. Newspapers say if has rained 63 out of the last 93 days. UGH! Tomorrow is the first day of summer, maybe it will get better!
Date: 2003-06-22
From: Where, oh, where have our little friends gone?

To: Where, oh, where are our friends?
Miles today: 6.3

Finally left the hotel around noon, after eating many meals at the awesome Middlesex dinner across the street from the Super 8 Hotel. While at the hotel we called the parents of Smoothie to find out that our friends got a later start on the trail then they first figured. However, for the first time we finally hear from other hikers that they are in Boiling Springs. So we have decided to head to Duncannon tomorrow and wait for them there. For today we are bunking at Darlington shelter.
Date: 2003-06-23
From: Checking into the Doyle

To: Checking into the Doyle
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: clear sky

I woke up to the sun shining on my face and a cool breeze in the shelter. YIPPEEEE! It's supposed to be a warm week - heading into the 90's but rain free for several days in a row. Everyone is excited about that! Staying tonight at the infamous Doyle hotel over 100 yrs. old and quite run down in this depressed little town, but a very friendly place complete with bar/restaurant and $1 happy hour beers. Heading to bed on full and happy stomachs, looking forward to another beautiful day tomorrow.
Date: 2003-06-24
From: Reunited and it feels so good

To: Reunited and it feels so good
Miles today: 0.0

FINALLY - Fly and Smoothie find us waiting for them in Duncannon, PA. We discovered them at the Mobil station (our first stop in town too)and walked back with them to the famous Doyle Hotel. We caught up on stories and time passed and happy hour rolled around and cheap beers. So more time passed and the miles we were going to hike so we wouldn't have to stay in town kept shrinking. Hours passed, the pool table opened up, the juke box had interesting music and soon we had talked ourselves out of hiking at all. So we celebrated by staying yet another night in the Doyle. It's certainly good to be back in step with our friends, Fly Smoothie. Watch out Wench, Hotdog and Liteshoe - you are next. :)
Date: 2003-06-26
From: Swatara or Sweat are us?

To: Swatara or Sweat are us?
Miles today: 15.6

Today's hike brought us over hill and dale to the point where 'Guana and I had section hiked in PA while 'Guana was training for her canoe race. And so our friends, Donna and Alison have volunteered to be our gracious hosts for the next two days while we wait for Fly & Smoothie to complete this leg of the trail and we will rejoin them in Port Clinton. Gotta love those trail breaks! :)
Date: 2003-06-29
From: The Hostess with the Mostest

To: The Hostesses with the Mostest
Miles today: 0.0

After a big fat two zero days with our friends, we have to say goodbye to them to hit the dusty trail. We get to rejoin Smoothie & Fly who have flown over the rocks of PA and we get to meet Smoothie's parents who graciously treated the eternal hungry hikers to dinner. Thanks Ma & Pa Smoothie!! It was great. And so we will spend the night camping across from the pavilion in Port Clinton tonight and hike out early tomorrow to beat the heat up the climb.
Date: 2003-06-30
From: Cave Dweller

To: Cave Dweller
Miles today: 15.8

We hiked out of Port Clinton about 9 AM with Fly & Smoothie, tackled a few climbs to get on top of the ridge, and we had a great day from there. Stopped at Pulpit Rock for lunch - which had a beautiful view of the valley and surrounding ridges. Four miles later we were at the Pinnacle - said to be one of the best views in PA - and it certainly lived up to its name! We played on the rocks and took pictures and watched Fly explore one of the caves before moving on. ("SECRET CAVE" - says the sign with an arrow that points to the entrance)We arrived at the Eckville Shelter by 5:30 PM with plenty of time to relax and enjoy the sunshine. This is a great shelter - another unique one. The shelter is located behind a caretaker's house and comes complete with a flush toilet, solar shower, and soda and ice-cream-stocked refrigerator. We are tenting in a grassy field across from the shelter and house and are enjoying the beautiful 80 degree weather
Date: 2003-07-01
From: Camping beneath the powerlines

To: Camping Beneath the Powerlines
Miles today: 13.3

Today's hike was relatively smooth and ended in an unexpected campsite. Too crazy to walk down 1/2 mile on a steep trail to the official campsite, we choose one with a unique view of the powerlines and towers which buzzed with electricity. There we saw a beautiful sunset and almost saw sunrise....if we could've gotten up so early for it.
Date: 2003-07-02
From: Our night in Jail

To: Our night in Jail
Miles today: 11.6

Our hike today landed us in Jail - that is the nickname of the Palmerton Hostel. If you check in after 4:30 PM you have to register with the police and if you get locked out, accidentally at night, just go to the police station and they will let you back in. It was in this jail, which is a really nice hostel with great hosts, that our friend Donna (aka Jinx) found us. We passed the evening listening to Donna and various hikers take up the guitar and sing. It was the most pleasurable time I have ever spent in jail. Okay, so it was the only time I have been in jail. :)
Date: 2003-07-03
From: Rocky, Rocky Day

To: Rocky, Rocky Day
Miles today: 0.0

Today Donna slackpacked us up the Lehigh Valley climb. This climb is well known in hikerland as one of the steepest and most torturous as it is nothing more that a huge rock pile with no protection from the elements. No trees, no bushes, nothing. Donna offered to take other hikers' stuff and in fact ended up making two trips to take all the hikers and their packs up to the head of the trail. Donna then met us at the 5 mile point with our packs. Without our packs we were able to do make the climb and go 5 miles in two hours. Thanks, Donna!!! The rock climb was delightful considering the lack of weight. Our hats our off to our fellow hikers who made the climb with full pack. We didn't bring our camera, so if any hikers got great photos of   that rock pile, we'd be happy to have one to show people.'Guana and I hiked our boots off today over rock pile after rock pile. It was truly a psychological and physical challenge. To turn around a pile of bushes and see nothing but a long line of sharp rocks to walk on time after time again is wearing. Our spirits were wearing thin, as were our boots, when we finally decided to make camp just before Wind Gap near Hahn's lookout. We spent the night with Aloha and Shaka who also had tented there. Water was running low but we figured we could go on tomorrow without a resupply. Risky, in this kind of weather we knew so we vowed to get up early in the morning and beat the morning heat.
Date: 2003-07-04
From: Fried, Friends and Fireworks for the Fourth

To: Fried, Friends and Fireworks for the Fourth
Miles today: 17.0

We set out early this morning and climbed down Wind Gap which was nicely graded. We wished the climb up Wind Gap was the same but it was the steepest we had encountered in some time. We were on a quest to reach friends who were meeting us in Delaware Water Gap. So on we pushed while the mid-day heat began to fry our brains. Our water lasted until the next shelter where we picked up a ton of water, rested our hot heads and ate lunch. On we pushed through the afternoon heat until I had to slow down or I felt I was going to pop a gasket. We stopped at every stream to douse our hot heads and to drink water. As we neared the town of Delaware Water Gap - someone told us the temperature was 100 degrees. I believed them.Timing is everything - as we descended into the Delaware Water Gap we ran into a familiar figure. Gizmo, a Ridge-runner (Ridge-runners maintain the trail and keep people out of trouble), we had met our first day on the trail in Georgia was staning on the trail talking to some of the group of hikers we had been with earlier in the day. He greeted us with a warm smile and said he remembered me because of the guitar I was carrying at the time he met us. He had told us he would take us to the Martin Guitar factory when we got up in PA if we met and he was still offering. We thanked him and told him we would see him later since he bases out of the hostel we were heading for. So on we hiked - as we descended into town, we were just a minute into a parking lot off the trail when a car with a canoe on top approached us. It was our friends, Cecil, Mop and Kip. As I said, timing is everything. We spent the evening catching up and they graciously took us to dinner. Thanks you all! We enjoyed the visit. Back to the hostel we decided to tent out in the yard of the hostel and the misquitos were hungrily awaiting our arrival. They attacked us as we set up our tent. We are convinced that we made record time in setting up our tent - 3 minutes or less! As we were setting up our tent fireworks in the neighborhood began to explode and they continued into the night. Happy 4th of July everyone. I am grateful to be in our homeland and thankful of the opportunity to live here.
Date: 2003-07-05
From: Tubing on the Delaware

To: Tubing on the Delaware
Miles today: 0.0

Today we spent the day icing our feet, I mean floating down the Delaware River with our friends Alison and Donna. Actually, we achieved both! The water was cool enough to ice our rock-aching feet and we enjoyed a 3 hour float down the Delaware River. It got a little exciting when the river turned into white water twice. Both patches scared me a bit, but we navigated them well without flipping over. Some other people were not as lucky. We all stopped to help a couple whose canoe had flipped over in the surf. Donna, Alison and Carol helped them empty their canoe of water and get back in. Unfortunately, they did not have their belongings secured so everything went floating or sinking. They recovered their backpack, Alison found their shoes, I got stuck in my innertube in some rocks but succeeded in rescuing their paddle. Alas, the girl lost her purse. And so another couple learns the woes of canoeing for the first time. For the second night in a row we ate at the Dansbury Depot. We loved it so much the first time that we told our friends about it who treated us to a dinner there. Thanks a lot Donna and Alison! So much generosity from so many. With Donna and Alison returning to Philly area, 'Guana and I were once again returning to the hostel and decided to tent. So off we set to beat the misquitos and set up our tent in the dark by headlamp! Another record time for setting up the tent.
Date: 2003-07-06
From: A Rest from the Sun

To: A Rest from the Sun
Miles today: 0.0

In the morning when we woke, we spoke of getting back on the trail. We went to breakfast and that was our intention. However, after breakfast Sonic still wasn't feeling very well from the sun of July 4th and we thought it best to stay an extra day in town. Since our friends Fly & Smoothie had pulled off the trail for 5 days, we decided to stay another day in town. The hostel only allowed a two night stay and the hostel was itself pretty hot to stay in and we just needed a break from the heat.... sooooooo.... we splurged on an air-conditioned hotel room and yes, we watched television all day long!! Ah, luxury and very little brain cell usage!!! TOMORROW - WE HIKE!!
Date: 2003-07-07
From: Going turtle's pace

To: Going turtle's pace
Miles today: 8.0

'Guana and I set off at a slow pace - and we left notes for Fly & Smoothie to that effect. The hotel stay did my body a lot of good and I felt rejuvenated. "Guana could not resist one more stop at the bakery before we left town. Then we hiked one mile to the Park information center just across the New Jersey border and waited for the heat of the day to pass. I found a lightweight star finder which I bought for the journey. I have wanted to learn more of the constellations' names and there was no time like the present. I am letting go of learning Spanish on the trail, since it is difficult to find the quality time to do that, so I am picking up a few other goals as I go along.Our day passed by on rocks - no the rocks did not stop at the Pennsylvania state line as we had hoped. The ascent out of Delaware Water Gap was fairly easy but the thunder began rolling and the rain poured down on us as we reached the summit. There was no camping inside the park so we had to wait until we were outside of it. 'Guana was getting tired so we found a campsite just outside of the park and threw up the tent. It was a gorgeous site in the grass with a great view of sunset. We spent the evening trying to hang our things on trees so perhaps they would dry by morning. Our clothes and boots had gotten soaked from the short hike. Yes even our boots -soaked - they are beyond snow sealing and the Gortex has worn out. They are in fact beginning to fall apart. 'Guana has outgrown her boots and mine are losing their tread. So we eagerly await a new pair of boots in one of our next maildrops. :)Speaking of maildrops, my parents sent us a package of dried Beef Stroganof, which warmed our bellies that evening. Thanks Mom & Dad :) :
Date: 2003-07-08
From: The Last of the Mohicans

To: The last of the Mohicans
Miles today: 2.3

This may be our lowest mileage day yet! Our campsite of last night offered a cool breeze and we got almost 12 hours of sleep because of it. My body needs the extra sleep now and then, so it felt good. Tonight is another story....it is almost 11 PM - way past hiker bed time, and I can't sleep because I am sooooo hot. My thermometer reads 88 degrees here in the tent and it's 11:00 at night!! Yuck!! If the misquitos were not novering outside the door, I'd be sitting out there. Ah...the dog days of summer are really here. We are in New Jersey now, pretty exciting! Many hikers (including me) were secretly hoping that the rocks would miraculously disppear the the PA border, but no such luck so far. Maybe tomorrow. We should see some bears here in NJ. They say if you don't see a bear here then you've been walking with your eyes closed! Apparently this state has the most amount of bears on the entire AT. Who would have thunk it?We are still slow-going waiting for Fly & Smoothie. They were kind enough to return Sonic's hiking poles to REI, so we are waiting for them to do the great pole exchange. (Sonic's been borrowing Fly's poles while they were off.) Then we will start seriously hiking - ready to crank through some of these states and hit beautiful New England, where maybe it will be a little cooler???
Date: 2003-07-09
From: Nowhere

To: Nowhere
Miles today: 0.0

Oh yeah - yesterday's entry was entitled the Last of the Mohicans because we are staying at the Mohican Outdoor Center. They have a great lodge for hikers to hang in and offer free tenting. So we are enjoying their hospitality for a second day as we wait for the Fly & the Smoothie. Apparently they are not far behind us so we are hoping to see them tomorrow.'Guana and I passed the day playing marathon scrabble, boggle and yahtzee games. We also caught up on some reading and just enjoyed the day.