morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-04-30
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It's time to pursue a life-long dream:a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Where this dream originated, Idon't know. Seems it's been on my heart at least since high schooldays. My first experience with this particular trail came over twolong weekends during my senior year at the Naval Academy in 1973 whenit was possible to drive three hours to Shenandoah National Park andhead either north or south. It would be another 30 years before thenext opportunity to hike on it came about, and I have been able to dothree sections totaling 800 miles since then. But at lastretirement has come, and the opportunity to fulfill the dream of afull thru-hike has fallen into my lap.This is a low-tech hike, meaning nocell or smart phone. Definitely showing my age, eh? A keyside-effect of this is that this blog can only be updated when I canget to a computer off the trail with internet access. That usuallymeans a public library. Sound like the Stone Age? Any rate, therecould easily be seven or more days between updates, so I hope youkind folks won't give up on me when there's a long gap like that. There will be a digital camera along to record a visual record for myown benefit in order to revisit the hike in the years ahead. Old menenjoy reminiscing, after all.On Sunday, May 7 I meet up with mybrother Kevin in Ann Arbor, MI to take Amtrak to Harpers Ferry WV. Kevin is coming along just because he loves riding trains. Uponarrival in Harpers Ferry May 8 (the train station is a few hundredyards from the AT) I'll head north into Maryland. If the scheduleholds, around August 1 I'll make my way by bus/plane/train from thenorth end of the AT at Katahdin in Maine back to Harpers Ferry topick up the hike once again and head south. This kind of hike iscalled a 'flip-flop' thru-hike.Ten resupply boxes are prepared: twomailed by me prior to starting; two mailed by my favoritebetter-half, Lyn; and six by daughter Laura. Thanks Lyn and Laura! The rest of the supplies will be purchased along the way.Lots of hikers prefer to avoid sleepingovernight in shelters due to mice, snoring, and/or noroviruses, sothey pack a hammock or tent for use most nights. I'm okay with themice and snoring (probably contribute more than my share of thelatter), and hope to escape norovirus issues, so most nights will bespent in shelters. But I do have a plastic home-made tarp to sleepunder for the occasions when a shelter is not available to me.I'm starting out with my summer-weightsleeping bag, a key reason for starting when I am in May. HopefullyI can endure any late-Spring cold-snaps and then also the WhiteMountains in New Hampshire with it. Upon reaching southern Virginiaearly September, Lyn will be mailing a heavier bag to me inpreparation for the Roan Highlands and then Great Smoky MountainsNational Park.
Date: 2017-05-04
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

A number of friends and family membershave chosen to be in prayer for me and with me during this six monthsof hiking. Thanks all of you! I am in awe that such an adventurelike this is even possible, and that would be due to God's grace. How blessed I am to be able to accumulate enough wealth and time tobe able to venture in the woods for half a year. Few people in thehistory of mankind have been able to do such a thing. So thisadventure has a good bit of the sacred in it: Visits to the tops ofbeautiful mountains with phenomenal views while mixed with days ofmisery from mosquitoes, heat, cold and rain. Engaging thefascinating community of my fellow hikers with all their qualitiesand foibles. Testing my limits physically, emotionally andspiritually.If you care to, join me in praying formy safety from trips and falls, from the ever-present danger of Lymedisease, and a norovirus-free hike. Please pray for Lyn in myabsence. And lastly, pray that I will be able to honor my Lord andSavior Jesus Christ throughout the journey. Thanks in advance!Next anticipated blog update: May 16in Harrisburg PA
Date: 2017-05-04
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Living in Sarnia, Ontario which is flatas a pancake, it is difficult to train well for a hike like this. The month between my retirement early in April and the beginning ofthe hike has involved alternating days working out at the gym (threehours per day) and walking along a nature trail (up to 18 milesdaily). This will definitely be a help, but the true conditioningwill only happen as the hike unfolds. The younger hikers who beganat the south end in Georgia in March will be blowing past me thatfirst month.A note on my trail name of TrafficDirector. Using trail names is a typical part of long-distancehiking. Most of them come from one of two places: some hikers givethemselves a name; but for purists, they allow other hikers to assignthem a name. Such a name could be given due to some quirk incharacter or behavior, some incident along the way, or the like. Forexample, a hiker who frequently and conspicuously passes gas mightget called ¢Back Fire¢, or someone who starts the hike with 90pounds in the backpack might get named ¢U-Haul¢. My trail nameis one given me by fellow hikers during my 2005 section hike. Aboutthree weeks into the hike, four thru-hikers and I were on the publicbus in Hanover NH headed from a motel on the edge of town where wehad spent the night back to where the trail would resume. The driverof the bus made the mistake of turning directly into the path of anoncoming car, causing an accident which blocked both lanes of theroad. Being a good citizen, I hopped off the bus and starteddirecting traffic around the accident site until police could arriveand handle it. Seeing this, one of the other hikers said, ¢Clearlyyou are Traffic Director.¢
Date: 2017-05-08
From: Harpers Ferry WV Amtrak station

To: Ed Garvey Shelter
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: clear sky

Rick and Bridget Venne (thanks a million, friends!) drove me to Ann Arbor MI train station where I met up with my brother Kevin.  We bused to Toledo OH to catch the overnight Chicago to Washington Capital Limited train.  It was a pleasant trip and I got maybe 4 hours of sleep.It was sunny and 60 degrees when we debarked in HF.  I grabbed a deli sandwich for dinner, and we set off across the Potomac River into Maryland around 12:30.  The river was high and there is a lot of water from a month of rain.  Just beyond the bridge the AT heads east on the former C&O Canal towpath for 3 miles.  Easiest walking in the world and a lot of walkers and bikers despite an early May Monday.Just after starting up the long slog to the top of South Mountain, Kevin had a word of prayer with me and headed back.  Then it felt like my life-dream adventure had truly begun. After the first lengthy up of the hike I reached this shelter.  So far the only one here at 3:30 pm.It will be a serious test of my gear tonight to see if I brought enough layers of clothes to off-balance the light-weight summer sleeping bag.  Will I get good sleep or be miserable?Days since last shower: 1
Date: 2017-05-09
From: Ed Garvey Shelter

To: Rocky Run Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: clear sky

With all layers of clothes on, I stayed warm last night except for the feet (which had 5 pairs of socks on!)  What with a short-mileage day planned, I stayed in the bag until the sun could warm things up.  Thru-hikers Bear Spray and Million Bucks who stayed in the second level of the shelter last night (and doing far more miles than me) were gone well before me.This was a beautiful stretch of trail following the ridge line of South Mountain.  It was all a tunnel of trees with no decent views.  At Crampton's Gap were the various monuments and signs commemorating the battle fought there in 1862 as a part of the Antietam campaign.Yesterday while getting water from the spring at the shelter I saw two white-tailed deer up close.  Today I got within 50 feet of a coyote who then saw me and skedaddled.It was bright sunny and cool all day: I barely got to sweating at any point.  Tonight promises to be chilly again just like last night.This is a beautiful shelter once again also with two levels in it.  A fully-flowing spring is about 100 yards away.  So far it just me, but then I'm here early. Days since last shower: 2
Date: 2017-05-10
From: Rocky Run Shelter

To: Pogo Tentsite
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

Once again wearing all my layers last night, but at least my feet didn't get cold.  Another beautiful sunny day dawned with pleasant temperatures... at least once you get into cold hiking clothes and getting hiking a ways.Today was very nostalgic: I walked over the South Mountain footbridge that spans I-70.  How many times since my teen years have I ridden under that bridge and then daydreamed that someday I would hike over it.  Is it possible that day has arrived?There were a ton of people out walking the trail today, most of them day hikers.  There are a couple of scenic cliffs with fantastic views of the valley below, and I suspect those are the draw.  I also walked through Fox Gap where another battle in the Antietam campaign was fought with the usual collection of signs and memorials located there.Tonight I'm at a campsite that has a dozen separate areas for tenters.  The place is probably hopping in summer, but today just one other tenter (with dog) is here.  Time to once again try out my trusty tarp system in lieu of an actual tent.  This hopefully will need to happen few times this hike.Days since last shower: 3
Date: 2017-05-11
From: Pogo Tentsite

To: Raven Rock Shelter
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I was all packed up and gone by 8 AM.  A group of six tents full of higher schoolers arrived last night and it was a circus.  They chose to tent within 50 feet of me, so my hopes for a quiet evening evaporated.  (Do you know how squirrelly they can be when they are trying to impress others of the opposite gender?)And it was a good thing I was gone by 8 because it began raining 30 minutes later.  After a couple hours the wind picked up and turned things into a cold, miserable day of getting soaked.At the halfway point I met a veteran (Hilton) with his service dog (Forest) and friend (Northern Light) who is doing the entire trail as an exercise in healing from PTSD.  He offered me a sip of whiskey, so he's apparently counting on more than a dog and the girlfriend to make this happen.  Many thanks to guys and gals like Hilton who have served their country and paid a significant price for having done so.I pulled into this beautiful two-deck shelter just as four section hikers were leaving into the rain.  It was a race for me to get out of wet clothes, into dry camp clothes, and into my sleeping bag to warm up and avoid hypothermia.  A while later I was joined by Pancho and Idgie who are my age and from Kentucky, thru hikers who began in Georgia in February.It rained steadily until 4-5 PM, and the wind blew well into the night.  Needed all my clothes again to keep warm, and I could have used more than I had.Thanks to the Maryland AT volunteers!  Your trail and shelters are fabulous.Days since last shower: 4
Date: 2017-05-12
From: Raven Rock Shelter

To: Tumbling Run Shelter
Miles today: 13.6

The wind was completely quiet and only occasional drip came from the trees at daylight.  The hardest part of a hike seems to be getting out of a warm sleeping bag and putting on the wet hiking clothes from the day before, all the way down to skivvies and socks.  BRRRR!  Lyn would say that's one more reason not to go hiking.Poncho and Idgie left before me with plans for a longer day.  It was cloudy all day with a high of maybe 50 degrees, and that is about ideal for hiking.  Minimum sweat!  My body heat largely dried out the clothes by the time I got here.I crossed into Pennsylvania about 5 miles in.  This shelter is a dandy, with two 4-person lean-tos side-by-side.  One is labelled "snoring" and the other "non-snoring".  Two other section hikers are here so far.Along the way I passed No Rush.  You can tell  his hiking philosophy from his trail name.  He was sitting alongside the trail having a smoke break, being about half a mile into his day's hike.  I'm not sure he's going to make it to Maine this year.It's my son Mark's 40th birthday today.  Wow!  I'm much to young for this.  Mark and I have enjoyed a pair of hikes with a ton of adventures included.  Have a great day, Billy!Days since last shower: 5
Date: 2017-05-13
From: Tumbling Run Shelter

To: Quarry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

A couple of Penn State grad students out on an overnight hike joined me in the shelter last night.  We enjoyed talking about Big Ten sports.It started raining at 5 PM yesterday and continued to about 7 AM today.  All day it threatened rain with occasional drizzle, and remained cold.  It's cloudy and 52 degrees now at 3 PM.  Another chilly night ahead.This shelter is a legend on the trail, many calling it the best.  It is lovingly cared for by caretaker Jim.  The shelter has flowers in pots, a flowing stream cutting in front, a 2-person swing, and a deep spring just steps away.  A 5-star experience.Today I crossed highway U.S. 30.  Just imagine that were you to head west far enough on it, you'd go within 10 miles of the town where I spent my high school years (and met Lyn): Dysart, Iowa.Tomorrow I cross the trail's mid-point.  Thru-hikers often celebrate it by eating a half-gallon of ice cream at one go.Days since last shower: 6
Date: 2017-05-14
From: Quarry Gap Shelter

To: Toms Run Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: overcast clouds

It was hard to keep warm last night what with the sky clearing and temperature dropping.  But morning broke sunny, and what with an immediate long up from the shelter, I got quickly warmed up.Today's hike was as good as it gets: easy trail path, minimal rocks, no humidity, a dry and gentle north wind, sunning, and NO BUGS!  I was able to do the 13.8 miles with only one stop which was for lunch.  Pennsylvania has yet to show its teeth.  That will come, be assured.This is the first day of being able to sit and write in this journal without being cold while doing it.  Maybe warm weather (with its sweat and bugs) is almost upon us.Today I met Curly Q and Tenacity, two women doing the same flip-flop thru-hike beginning in HF that I am.  But they have taken two weeks to get to this point, having endured both flu and a twisted ankle.  You ladies can do it!Days since last shower: 7
Date: 2017-05-15
From: Toms Run Shelter

To: Alec Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: clear sky

One last chilly night before a big warm-up arrives.  With a big day planned, I was out of the shelter and gone by 7:30 into a beautiful, sun-lit day.Some three miles down the trail I came to Pine Grove Furnace State Park.  Most important feature there is the camp store where thru-hikers who have reached this midway point eat a half-gallon of ice cream to celebrate. Unfortunately the store is only open on weekends until later in May, so my chance to get something to eat did not materialize.  But, what is this?  A Coke machine!  I put in my dollar and out came a frosty Cherry Coke.  Wahoo!  Two of a hiker's best friends: sugar and caffeine.  It charged me up for the five miles.It was a delightful day again, and the first 16 miles flew by.  The last three were a much stronger challenge with scrambling on hands and knees over rock formations and what seemed like a maze.Talking to NOBO hiker Farley here at the shelter, I have committed to breakfast in Boiling Springs tomorrow, four miles from here.  Here's the proof of commitment: Tonight I ate tomorrow's breakfast along with my dinner.  :-)Days since last shower: 8
Date: 2017-05-16
From: Alec Kennedy Shelter

To: Carlisle Days Inn
Miles today: 11.8

What a great day!  It was time to ease off and do some personal care.  Only fly in the ointment is a large blister on the back of the left heel.  If you hear nothing more about it, then my care of it has been a success.It turned out cooler than I expected last night, again requiring all my clothes to keep warm.  Sunrise came with the sound of a tom turkey nearby giving his frequent gobbles.Being in no rush, it was 8:30 before getting away into a sunny and eventually 78 degree day.  The first goal was Boiling Springs, 4 miles away.  What a nice town with a large pond loaded with ducks and geese alongside the trail.  First stop was 101 Cafe for breakfast.  Farley had left the shelter before me, and I expected to see him there.  But no Farley.  Turns out he missed a trail marker and ended up taking an hour to get back on track.  Oh the hazards of thru hiking!  So he came in a while after.  My large stack of pancakes, large orange juice, and 2 cups of coffee were a delight.  Next stop was the outfitter for a replacement pack cover.  Last  stop was the post office to pick up a re-supply box with 7 days of food.  Around 11:30 the hike north continued for the final 8 miles.This brought me to the second goal: the Days Inn at Carlisle PA.  First things first: I quickly stripped and got  a bath.  The color of the water when done was disgusting: I'll spare you the details.  Then next it was to do laundry, and 16 quarter dollars and an hour later, it was done.  Still on the agenda: updating this trail journal, calling Lyn, a dinner at Denny's, and one more shower to finish cleaning up.  All of these things except the Denny's can be done at this hotel.  And what with it being just .2 miles from the trail, you can see how sweet this place is.  Hiker's discount to boot!Today's hike was mostly crossing the flat Cumberland Valley, walking through cornfields (with no corn sprouting yet) and stretches of trees. Tomorrow will be the last four miles of the valley, then back up on top of the next mountain ridge over.Next journal update will likely be in 8 days or so.Days since last shower:  0 !!
Date: 2017-05-17
From: Carlisle Days Inn

To: Cove Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: clear sky

The day began by taking advantage of the hotel's complimentary breakfast.  There were two busloads of tourists (one group of Chinese and one group of South Asians) who had spent the night in the hotel, and with both buses leaving at 7:30 AM the breakfast room was packed with people.  It was necessary to keep the elbows going in order to self-serve the breakfast items.  It was hysterical to see one of the tour conductors trying to get three women to finish their breakfast and get on the bus:  they were having nothing of it, and it took 30 minutes after the first call to get on.Off at 8 AM to walk the .2m along Highway 11 back to the pedestrian overpass which is the trail and continue north.  The forecast was for a record high 90 degrees and we weren't disappointed.  The first four miles were the remainder of the level Cumberland Valley stretch including walking alongside a couple fields of alfalfa.  Glad I don't have allergies.Then back up on the mountain ridge and our first stretch of the notorious Pennsylvania rocks.  A fellow hiker who was following minutes behind me later asked me:  "How did you miss it??"  Miss what?  Apparently I walked right past a coiled rattlesnake which he subsequently saw and persuaded to move from the trail.  My guess is that he was lounging just off the trail when I went past, and my activity caused him to go into defensive mode.  Reminds me to thank those of you who are praying for me.Tonight I have a newly married couple (Cheese and Coyote) who are hiking the entire trail as their honeymoon.  What do you think, Lyn?  They have to finish by July 24 so that Coyote can get to medical school in Minnesota for the beginning of her training.  Also have a 5-man church group join us who are doing a weekend 2-nighter.Days since last shower: 1
Date: 2017-05-18
From: Cove Mountain Shelter

To: Peters Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Since I was anticipating eating breakfast in Duncannon PA, it was an early and quick start.  The morning was way too warm at 6:30 and did not bode well for what would be another record hot day in the 90's.  The trail down from Hawk Rock into town was very tough and rocky: hard on the knees.As much as I like coffee with my pancakes, today was no day for a diuretic.  Large glasses of milk, orange juice and water gave me the chance to camel-up on the fluids.  I then loaded 3 quarts of water and had just enough to get to the shelter.  If this is Pennsylvania in May, what will it be like in Virginia in August?Coming out of Duncannon the trail crosses first the Juniata and then the Susquehanna... a pair of wide and shallow rivers both close to flood level with all the rain the past month-plus.  Then came a 1000' rise to get back on the mountain ridge.  Apart from some boulder scrambling, the trail was straight-forward.The big challenge was at the shelter: getting down to the spring requires negotiating 300 stone steps on the way.  Even worse is hauling the water back up.  I had managed to quit sweating by resting at the shelter at the end of the day's hike, but I was completely drenched again by the time I got back up from the spring carrying my 5 quarts of water.  That was at the end of a day where my body was more than ready to call it quits.I'm here tonight with Negotiator, a 69-year old man who started in Georgia and can now hike circles around me, and with Okay who is a young man who began in Harpers Ferry same day as me and with the same flip-flop thru hike planned.Days since last shower: 2
Date: 2017-05-19
From: Peters Mountain Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: clear sky

In an effort to beat the heat, everyone got up at 5:30 and packed to go.  I had my daily cup of granola cereal with powdered milk first, so it was 6:30 by the time I was headed down the trail.It was a grind throughout the day with no rewards of nice vistas.  Everything to see was woods (the AT is often called The Long Green Tunnel).  One interesting spot was an abandoned coal mining community on top of the Sharp Mountain ridge.  Seems an odd spot for a village: what a chore to haul those supplies up there.Today was a first for me: a rattlesnake.  It was just off the path leading from this shelter to the privy.  Maybe 3' long and mostly black in color.  Good thing nature has yet to issue a call to me as getting to the privy sounds like an adventure in the making.For the second night in a row I'm sharing the shelter with Negotiator (Alabama) and Okay (Chicago).  Negotiator is 4 years older than me, and his wife questions his sanity, too.Days since last shower: 3
Date: 2017-05-20
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Around 6 AM I awoke to the sound of rain.  How can this be?  The forecast was 0% chance of rain overnight.  It quit around 8 AM and left us with a cloudy, drizzly, chilly day.  The weather can't make up its mind.  But at least the heat spell is broken which is awesome.  Chilly over torrid any day.I delayed departure until the end of the rain, and it became my 3rd consecutive 17-mile day.  That's a bit much at this stage, but necessary because of the distances between shelters.  It'll be good to scale back the next few days.The trail came off Sharp Mountain into the Swatara Gap, a nice level 2 miles of walking.  Immediately after passing under I-81 it was straight up 1000' to the top of Blue Mountain.  There were some rough stretches of rock on the trail including a rock field 400' in length that seemed to take forever to get through.This shelter is a legend on the trail, named after the highway passing nearby.  It is fully enclosed with a huge skylight over a picnic table at the center.  There are six double bunk beds allowing 12 to sleep, and it looks like 8 of us will be here tonight: 7 men and 1 woman.  Most popular is that you can call to a nearby town for pizza and have it delivered to the parking lot at the highway .2m away.  Very popular call!With me tonight are Negotiator, Okay, Shivers, and Shivers' Dad.  Shivers and her dad are doing the same flip-flop thru hike starting from Harpers as I am.  They started 4 days earlier.Days since last shower: 4