morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-13
From: Duncannon, PA

To: Clark's Creek
Miles today: 17.2

w/Keytone8:50 PM ... "Signs, Signs, Everywhere there's signs!"I saw my first rattlesnake today! And not just one ... but 3! We were walking through some rocks, when I saw a sign that another hiker had left as a warning. Looking around, sure enough, 3 rattlers, all coiled in and sleeping ... good thing, too, because we would've just blazed right by them. But they weren't doing anything .. just laying there being all coilly. Then we heard a sound that scared me more than seeing my first bear! One of them was up and moving toward us ... rattling all the way! ... then it stopped and joined the other two. We left when they started to writhe around together like some snake orgy. But it was really cool ... we should probably keep our eyes open a little more going through these mountains. Always it's "tomorrow we'll start hiking" ... but it really will be tomorrow. Stop laughing, I'm serious! We're going to test our legs out at doing two 30's in a row ... one to the 501 Shelter (that was Pella!) and one to Port Clinton and another letter from my girl! She really is motivating me now! I just want to fly from town to town to get whatever cute things she sends me ... which will also get me back in her arms that much sooner! "sigh", well enough sappy talk. I really am ready to hike and, oh, the fun we'll have!Songs: Some Cat Stevens Song ... My Girl Left It On My Phone
Date: 2004-07-14
From: Clark's Creek

To: William Penn Shelter
Miles today: 25.0
Weather: mist

w/Keytone, Jay & Tom, BooBoo, Arms& His Girl, BeatBox, Jester, Gordy9:10 PM ... "Gordy's Eating Bugs!"Nothing fills a shelter like a rainy day .. and Pennsylvania is about as rocky as Virginia is flat! But we didn't go as far as we wanted due to a gross miscalculatin in miles. A 30 today would've made for 22 tomorrow, so we decided to stop short (the rain had a factor as well!) and so 27 tomorrow ... either way, we're in Port Clinton tomorrow, gaining me back one day that I lost. But, yeah, all the rain lately made us have to ford a river today. And it was up past our knees ... hurray for sandals! And I slipped in the mud today, flying back feet first with enough force that I got some hang-time .... or it just seemed like it because I had the whole slow motion thing going too! Falling like that always makes me laugh.Keytone brought up something funny today. The last time he hiked so much in the rain was in the army ... when he was forced to do it. People must think we're crazy to consciously choose to do this day after day! No worries, I like being a little crazy.Songs: I'm such a sap ... I kept thinking my girl saying "So get movin', boy, put those poles to use!" ... and so I am.
Date: 2004-07-15
From: William Penn Shelter

To: Eagle's Nest Shelter
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: scattered clouds

w/Keytone, Billy the Kid9:40 PM .. PHEW!!!Wow! The sky was clear a minute ago, so I walked down the trail in search of a better cell phone signal to call my girl ... of course. I got quite a ways when I saw sprinkles. So I sprinted back to put the tarp on my tent ... and made it just in time. Probably the one thing that went my way today.It started with a walk down the Blue Mountain Parks Showers 500 steps for water ... that just wasn't there. It just kept going down and we fell for it! It took us 30 minutes to climb back up on a grade so steep we had to 4-wheel it!After that, my hip started to hurt with a pain that shot almost down to my foot. I had to grin and bear that for 12 miles. We decided to call our long day short .. so much for Port Clinton. Oh well, the pain was bad enough that I cried a couple of times and nothing I did, not even drugs, helped. Hopefully, that goes away ,,, or It'll be a long 1000 miles home!Pennsylvania continues to be really rocky. I'm sure this state is beautiful ... If I ever got the chance to look up! Aaaa, what are you gonna do?What's in my head? A scene from Harold & Maude when they get stopped by the cop on the way to plant a tree ... heehee ... good stuff.
Date: 2004-07-16
From: Eagle's Nest Shelter

To: Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

w/Keytone, Billy the Kid9:50 PM ... "So this is what it feels like to be a rock star"I've got the two greatest girls back home. My mom's so cool. She sent me these socks with the separate toes things so I can wear my sandals the normal way! Then I've got my girl, she sent me the cutest bunny book ... I showed it to Keytone and he agrees, the "thrown through a window" one is the best!But after getting our mail in Port Clinton, we didn't know how to get to a grocery store. We had to walk 2 miles of highway to get to a more "civilized" area with a Cabela's ... and the luck of the trail took us home. After lunch at Burger King, we walked across the street to mobile where I talked to Eric from Harrisburg. He was so impressed by our trio that him and Emily offered to take us to the grocery store ... they were on their way to NYC to see a friend of theres play in a club. Then, after we got our food, I talked to Darla and her hubbie Hecter about Keytone's camp shoes and they offered to take us back to the trail! Thanks to those 4, we got in and out of town by 3:30. We had time to hike to the first shelter and now we're getting our very own light show courtesy of a bunch of lightning bugs. I've never seen them like this ... it's livke a bunch of little strobe lights!In my head : "Gumbo" Phish
Date: 2004-07-17
From: Womdsor Furnace Shelter

To: New Triplit Campsite
Miles today: 22.4
Weather: overcast clouds

w/Keytone, 2 campers10:15 PM ... aarrrgghh!I am so sick of the crap we have to deal with on the trail! I'm sick of having problems now, after 3 months that I've never had before. I'm sick of chafing and the shooting pain in my hip. I'm sick of looking down all day, because as soon as I look up I trip on all the damn rocks in this staste. It's like walking on a gravel road, bt the gravel varies in size from footballs to that of a small car! I'm sick of the trail not being marked. I'm sick of not sleeping ... but my day wasn't that bad. I'm just tired, so it's off to bed for me ... to sleep my crappy sleep, and tomorrow, I'll alk up and do it all over again. All things considered, I could never get sick of the trail ... I'm in it 'til the bitter end.In my head: "Ecstacy" - Rusted Root
Date: 2004-07-18
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: Palmerton, PA
Miles today: 0.0

Arrived in Palmerton to do laundry and buy food. Will leave on Monday heading to Delaware Water Gap for mail drop pickup - will do 17 miles on Monday and 20 on Tuesday to arrive by late afternoon. Won't spend much downtime so can pick up time on the schedule. Still don't have Pocketmail back yet.
Date: 2004-07-19
From: Palmerton, PA

To: Leroy Smith Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

w/ Keytone, Ishmael10:30 PM ... Two and a Half Men Later ...I hate to say it, but I'm getting really sick of hiking. I'm sick of stubbing my toe and tripping, of the shooting pain from my hip, of not sleeping, just to name a few. I mean I only have fun a couple hours of the day and at night when I'm relaxing in my tent, listening to TV or some classical music. Maybe I'm just tired ... let's hope that's what it is ...We got rained out again yesterday. Good thing too because the hill we climbed today was sheer rock and we would've killed ourselves or at least been horribly maimed. As it is, we walked a knife ridge in the rain and that was all we could take. So we got a cheap room in Palmerton, PA, dried out our stuff, did some laundry, ate some food, drank some beer ... the usual. Oh, made some phone calls. By bro's birthday was yesterday, so I called him, and I called my girl (big smile) and true to my word, I was too tired to write so I went to bed ... a real bed. I miss a lot of things: sleeping in a bed, going on night walks with my beautiful girl, having breakfast or beer with friends ... I miss my old life. I'm just tired ... I'm really tired. One thing that doesn't tire? My resolve. I'm just too damn stubborn. Keep it up trooper ... Umba band: In my head: "Get Out", JoJo
Date: 2004-07-20
From: Leroy Smith Shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: few clouds

w/Keytone, Billy the Kid, Traildog, Ishmael, Spin Cycle, Bumpkin, Paradox10:30ish PM ... What A Girl Does ...I'm tired. I'm tired of the constant pain. I'm tired of the exhaustion. I'm tired of watching where I put every step for 10 hours everyday. I'm tired of the rocks ... I'm tired of Pennsylvania. This state has done nothing but demoralize me to the point of thinking about giving up and going home ... thinking about working Coast Guard Festival at the Dee-Lite made me smile in comparison ... I've lost the love.Then I talked to the wonderous person who is my girl ... how does she do it? Just hearing her voice makes everything seem right with the world. You see, we pulled a 21 mile day to get to the post office by 4:30 ... with a late start. I've never felt so exhausted in my life ... it's been my worst day yet, filled with rocks, pain, and evil thoughts. Yet getting letters from and talking to her made it all - the paid, the exhaustion, the thoughts, everything - go away. My mom helped, too ... so did the nap I took ... and putting my feet up, but my girl ... she just makes me smile!In my head: "F*#k Pennsylvania!"
Date: 2004-07-21
From: Delaware Water Gap, PA

To: Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: few clouds

w/Keytone, Billy the Kid11 PM ... Short & SweetSlept in; good breakfast; good lunch; excellent cinnamon-sugar tortilla topped with ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate and raspberry sauce; late start; new shoes; new state; only 10 miles ... all the makings of a nice relaxing day. I can't get used to it, though. We got some big miles ahead of us. But I got some big sleep right now.In my head: "Broken", Seether
Date: 2004-07-22
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Gren Anderson Shelter
Miles today: 20.9
Weather: haze

w/Keytone, Billy the Kid, Trail Dog, Spin Cycle, Bumpkin, Rally, T, Rooney Toons9:55 PM ... Behold, the Power of A NapI'm tired. I keep saying it because I am. I'm tired of sweat stinging my eyes and of tripping when I go to wipe them every minute. I'm tired of my poles skipping off rocks to hit me in the shin. I'm tired of bugs flying into my eyes, and hair, and ears, and mouth. I'm tired of waking up every morning dreading the   fact that my day will be spent the same way as the last 3 weeks. Hiking is becoming less fun with every passing day. The miles are getting longer and becoming more of a burden than an adventure.What keeps me going? ... I don't know any more. Maybe it's the cute letters in each town. Maybe it's because I've made it this far, why quit now? I seek inspiration daily only to find none ... I'm tired ... I'm tired.In my head: "My Immortal" - Evenescence
Date: 2004-07-23
From: Gren Anderson Shelter

To: Unionville, NY
Miles today: 21.1

w/Keytone8 PM ... Are We Hiking from Bar to Bar?So, things are finally looking up. Seeing the last of the rocks for a little while did a whole lot for my mind. So did a couple of dreams I've had lately.A couple nights ago I dreamt that my girl came and kidnapped me again. We walked around a city, holding hands, and laughing. Then we went on a picnic ... it was just one of those dreams that keeps you smiling and happy way after you wake up. Plus, I woke up before she dropped me back off ... so she never really left me, which is the way it is for me. I always think about her.Then, last night I had this dream where I was skiing, doing all these cool tricks and just rocking it out. Then it turned into an army dream and my mission was to steal water from this snow cat and return it to base ... well, I failed. That night we went to this temple where you set your personal token on the altar and it shows you something you want to see ... and I saw nothing. I think it was becuase I failed in my "mission" and I was very disappointed in myself. Premonition? Probably. If I give up now on this trip, I'm going to be disappointed in myself because to me, I failed. Others may not see it that way, but I would. As much as I want to spend the rest of my summer back home with those I love, I really just want to complete this mission more ... so I just gotta keep trucking!And so we come to today. We're staying in Unionville, NY, at a bar that has some bunk space ... yeh, another bar. But the rocks are fewer and we even got some farm trail and easier wood trails. Just a little something to perk me up ... add some zest ... put some pep in my step. Oh wait ... what's that I feel? Ah yes, it's the excitement coming back!In my head: "Leave" - JoJo
Date: 2004-07-24
From: Unionville, NY

To: Wawayanda Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: few clouds

w/Keytone, Ursa Minor, Swan10:15pm...short and sweet again   So I slept like crap on my food-storage-shelf bed with the bar crowd singing really bad country songs until 4am...apparently, there is no cut off time at small local places. And we could've done laundry and showered at the mayor's house! How cool is that?...too bad we didn't read the sign at the Post Office until this morning.    I'm missing my girl...what's new? I got to talk to her for a while last night...from the the middle of a side street, up a hill, at night, with dogs barking at me. At least it helps to alleviate the "missing" for a little while...little being the key word. And, being the hopeless romantic that I am, I even wrote her a nice letter...from the bar...which seems to be a reoccuring theme with me.    Walking was really nice, for some reason, today...oh yeah, it was almost all flat. But, I really needed a nice day like that. We even caught up to Ursa Minor and Swan, who I haven't seen since Harper's Ferry, when I came back from my vacation. We should be passing a lot of people here soon if we keep it up. Next up should be Blue who's less than a day ahead. Eh, who know's. The trend for right now, though?...sleep.In my head? "Everywhere"-Michelle Branch
Date: 2004-07-25
From: Wawayanda Shelter

To: East Mombasha Road
Miles today: 17.0

w/Keytone, Ursa Minor, Swan....the day in retrospeck Spent a REALLY exhausting day climbing up and down, up and down, up and down...you get the picture...on New York's wonderful rocks. And what did we get for it? Well, ice cream, for one, and a bed to sleep, for another! As we were looking for some water and a place to camp, we came across a cooler full of the stuff! So we filled up...then read the note which offered us a bed, shower, laundry, food, the works at John and Sue Hayward house. A little "Welcome to Tuxedo, NY" if you will. And nothing says hospitality like beer and steak with a Dead Head cop! Thanks!
Date: 2004-07-26
From: East Mombasha Road

To: West Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: scattered clouds

w/Keytone10:35pm...mere miles from The City!   Feeling good this morning with a full stomach, a clean person, and a blessed feeling from being able to call my girl so often...although our packs weren't any lighter. But New York was gorgeous, sunny, breezy day. Feeling less tired really rocks. I even got to swim today...yay! But the best part was towards the end of our day. We had just crested a mountain when we looked upon the horizon, and what did we see?...New York City! We could actually see the buidings downtown! And from the shelter we're at we can see the lights of The City. It was simply amazing! So much so, that I felt like sharing it with someone...so I called my girl. Yeah, I'm a dork. But she was surprised...and the lights really are pretty...In my head?"Pieces of Me"-Ashley Simpson
Date: 2004-07-27
From: West Mountain Shelter

To: Graymoor Friary
Miles today: 12.1

w/Keytone, Zipcode, Father Ounce, Dances with Moose (southbounder)8:15pm...so a nun, a monk and a friar walk into this bar...   And, so I'm back online! Well, sort of...you remember when my Pocketmail crashed and I had to get it fixed?...well, it's fixed, so things should be running smoothly again, if they ever were! Plus, now I can make my girl's heart pidder-padder again by sending her oodles of emails!    Oh, guess what! I got to walk through a zoo today! The trail goes right through it and I got to feel like one of the attractions! Apparently, smelly, bearded guys with backpacks and ski-poles stand out in a crowd. But I got to see bears (like I haven't seen them before), deer (same as the last one), a fox, some coyotes, snakes (although hearing and seeing a rattler is MUCH scarier) Ooo! Ooo! And I got to see the most cutest otter! He was all jumpy and divy and twisty and rolly and swimmy! I love otters..they're so playful.   But we spent too much time there and picking up my mail...and eating food in town...that we could only make it another 4 miles (in the rain, I might add). But I did that 4 miles in about an hour...I was running for food! A local place called the Graymoor Center gives hikers dinner if they're there before 5...and free food gives me wings like a girl's letter! It's home to some Franciscian Friars (not Monks as we were told). So, we got food there and I made some more afterwards...I's 'ungry! And now I'm about to get to bed before 9 for the first time since I started this trip. I'm tired, it's cool and rainy and I'm sleeping outside in a pavillion...should be a good night!In my head? the sound of rain on a roof
Date: 2004-07-28
From: Graymoor Friary

To: RPH Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: overcast clouds

w/Keytone, Father Ounce, Zipcode, PW (a southbounder), Chris and Elly9:17pm...Monk-erific or Friar-tastic?   Wow, the second night in a row that I'm in bed before 10. Good, because I need it...I can barely keep my eyes open and write.   So, I woke up early this morning to catch the Friar's mass. I was hoping for some chant or some enlightenment to show me the direction I need to go in life. Instead, I got an interesting sermon about finding your pearl, the one thing you really want in life, and an example using the movie Harold and Maude!   Well, that's what I had running through my mind this morning. I don't quite believe in coicidence, so the movie reference was more than that...I think it may be telling me about my girl. Is she my pearl? She is right now for sure. So, did I get my enlightenment or is it just me thinking too much? Either way, it beats the monotonous beating of my feet...it may even beat the stromboli I had delivered to me at the shelter tonight. Well, I can't think any more and my eyelids weigh 40 pounds...yeah, it's bedtime.In My Head: "everything"-avril
Date: 2004-07-29
From: RPH Shelter

To: Hurds Corner Road
Miles today: 19.9

w/Keytone, some crazy woman9:37pm...sneaky like a ninja Once in a bluemoon, eh? yeah, my mommy told me that once every 4 or 5 years, the moon cycles twice in one month and that the second full moon is called a Blue Moon. I'm not sure if it's full today, but it sure is close. I know this because we're camping tonight...stealth camping actually, in this dude's field where we're strategically shielded from his house, the road, and his neighbor's house! Not a bad day, all in all. I felt like a Hobbit, as we started out our day with a leisurely stroll for a second breakfast at a nearby deli...where we also got lunch to go. So, a little later I had a fatty "Stallion" sub and we hiked on...to the next deli, where we had dinner! Which brings me back to where I am now. Oh man, I heard the funniest commercial today on the radio..."rock without enthusiasm!" "ARE YOU READY TO ROCK!!"...cough...cough..."I guess so." "BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA ROCK ALL NIGHT LONG!" "How about less, I really need my 8"..."Me too." Nothing says good day like laughing to yourself in the middle of the woods! And I got some really good encouragement from my girl. Life will be sweet when I get home, but for now, I started this trip with the full intention of finishing, like giving my word to myself...and I'm not about to back out on my word now! And I kissed a REALLY big tree today. So, making decisions, second breafast, AND kissing a tree? I'd call that a good day indeed.In my head? that new Eminem or B2NKOTB or whatever song
Date: 2004-07-30
From: Hurds Corner Road

To: Kent, CT
Miles today: 18.8

w/Keytone   So we did it!...the 7 state challenge has been completed! 7 states...1 month...all in July, the 7th month! Yeah, you have to do those kinds of things to make this trip exciting again. Because it does get the excitement flowing...like when you cross into a new state...OR into a new region! That's right...I'M IN NEW ENGLAND! And we can tell because we had to drop 100 bones each on a motel room for 2 nights! But we need the rest...even though one full day won't be enough, but it'll have to be.   Limping into Kent, CT never felt so good! Limping, yes. I injured my shin about 8 miles from Kent and hobbled the rest of the way. Not sure what's wrong yet...I mean it just feels tight, but it hurts like no other! And we couldn't even stay here...too expensive and no rooms available. So, we had to go to the next town north called Cornwall. And after getting our in town errands done (I got a cute postcard from my girl) we had to figure out how to get there.   So, in enters Rawley, a local, shaggy haired, high school hooligan who was more than willing to drive us...even to the beer store before the motel! Really, though, he was a really nice kid...but we need to involve his name in some kind of mayhem if we hike past his school. RAWLEY RULES!!    So we got some showers, some beer, some ice cream and got off our sore and screaming feet...the only thing that could've made it better would've been talking to my girl. [sigh] But I did get to see "The Mask of Zoro".....aaaahhhhhh, real world luxuries.In my head? radio really sucks around here...
Date: 2004-08-01
From: Kent, CT

To: Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 17.0

w/Keytone, Sunshine, Buckeye10pm...when will it stop!?!   So, I'm still not sure what I did to hurt my shin...but what I AM sure of ishow much it hurts...which is a whole hell-of-a-lot! 17 miles of pain andlimping, up and down hills...wet hills, none the less, so I tripped, slippedand fell a whole bunch, too! God, am I sick of it all! Now, I'm being keptawake by the threat of rain, the swelchering heat, thousands of belchingbullfrogs and the drone of millions a mosquitoes who all want a piece of me!It's enough to make me cry again today. Some days are bad, but this one hasbeen horrible!....just plain FREAKIN' horrible! Another thing I know for sureis that I am not going to limp all the way to Maine. And I can't afford to takethe time to rest and heal...well, I guess I could, but I can't afford it! Ithink I've got some big decisions to make in the next couple of days if I don'tstart to improve......In my head? Images of my girl making me pizza