morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-05-14
From: -----

To: Damascus VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We had breakfast and got on the road again. We went right in to Damascus to Trail Days to see if we could locate Jack. He told us he would be right behind the Church near the Hiker Inn. We searched that area and couldn't locate him so we went to the vendor area. We each took an aisle and looked for him. I walked a far as the stage, Fahmah & Klip headed up the aisle with all the equipment vendors. We all stopped by the Hard Core area and Fahmah & Klip signed up for it. Sure enough, Jack had already registered! We just needed to find him. I was looking at the boards to see if Jack's name was there just as a young hiker was signing in, as I watched him sign, David Green, trail name Green Lite!!!! I grabbed his shoulder and turned him around!! Green Lite was the hiker we followed last year and gave trail magic on Mt Greylock in Mass. I brought him over to Fahmah and we had a nice reunion. I only feel bad that I didn't take his picture while we had him. We didn't see him the rest of the weekend, but I thought we would. While Fahmah & Klip walked the rest of the way, I sat in the common area waiting & watching for Jack. A few hikers that needed a seat sat at the same table and we chatted. Sweet Tea & her husband and their sweet doggies were there with a couple of other hikers, one from Worcester Ma. Later some others came by, Little Buddah, Gadget (I think), Lucky, Cowboy and some others. Some were already in Palmerton and had rented a car to come down, Little Buddah was in Harper's Ferry. It was interesting hearing them talk of their travels. Gadget and Little Buddah had both done the PCT in the past. Well, finally, Fahmah & Klip came back and we ate and headed down to Tent City which would be the last place we could think to look for Jack. We drove by and turned around and sure enough, we all saw him at once....he was standing jawing with a few other hikers. We stopped and had our first reunion hugs and found out where he was staying. We all met at his campsite for a little catchup conversation before we headed out to find a motel. We met his cute little Pretty Girl, a white, rough coat Jack Russell terrier. She is the nicest little thing with people, but she is not tolerant of other dogs in her territory, no matter their size. What a sweet thing!! We left there relatively early and headed to Abingdon to find a motel. There was a Days Inn right off the highway with rooms available. They were running a spring special for $49.95 per night....we signed in for 2 rooms for 2 nights to start. Once we settled in, we were in the mood for some dessert, so we celebrated Klip's birthday one day early. I had made the pie on Wednesday morning before leaving, so we needed to have it while it was relatively fresh.We celebrated in our room with the pie & candles and a glass of wine. We didn't sing because it wasn't his birthday yet!! Off to bed for another day at Trail Days tomorrow. And Klip's real birthday!!!"FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-15
From: Damascus VA

To: Damascus VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Back to Trail Days. We met Jack at his campsite and visited for a while. It was on the back lawn of a home in town, behind the church and The Place, hikers hostel. There were only 2 tents on that lawn. Lisa, the other tenter on the lawn, helped Jack prepare for the Hiker Parade. He had come equipped with his costume special for the parade.Each year at Trail Days, they have a hikers parade where all the towns people and friends and family of the hikers, the vendors all line the street, the town participates with their fire engines, emergency vehicles, horses & riders and they make a really neat parade. The people on the streets have water balloons and water guns to soak the hikers as they walk by. The hikers also have water guns and some carry balloons, so the spectators are bound to get soaked while watching the parade. Some of the hikers get dressed up in some outrageous garb. Some get all painted up. Anyway, it's a hoot. We found Paul & Jamie from the Appalachian Lodge & Restaurant of Millenocket Maine and we visited for a while. I found Honey & Bear from The Cabin of East Andover Maine and showed Fahmah & Klip where they were. In fact, I located my chair right next to their location to watch the parade. Jack was hysterical in his pink tutu and makeup. Fahmah escorted him down the road, as the Belle of the Parade!!!After the parade we headed over to the Common area for something to eat and to listen to some really good blue grass music. Then we were treated to the Hiker talent show. Klip & I had our funnel cakes! We all had lemonade & Fahmah & Jack had ice cream. We walked back over to Jack's camping spot and said our good nights. Tomorrow up real early to meet for Hard Core at 8 a.m."FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-16
From: Damascus VA

To: Hard Core
Miles today: 0.0

We all got up early and went to the hotel lobby for breakfast (it wasn't much but it was free). Fahmah & Klip went off to work at Hard Core and to meet at Damascus with the other 150 hikers and past-hikers and members of the Tennessee Appalachian Club that work with Bob Peoples. It is phenominal the work the Trail Maintenance people do every year. This particular project will be to complete nearly a mile of brand new trail in an area where it is needed. Sunday turned out to be pretty good weather for the work. I stayed at the hotel for the day and rested and read a great book that Klip let me borrow, The Afgan by Frederick Forsyth. Lots of detail but excellent read. Also walked a mile or so to the nearest CVS and back. When the guys got back we went to dinner. They worked and were going to have dinner at the park provided by the Trail Club, but it was late & they chose not to stay. Tomorrow they would stay for Baltimore Jack's spagetti feed....that will be awesome."FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-17
From: Hard Core

To: Kincora Hostel, Hampton, TN
Miles today: 0.0

We had made the decision that we would be staying at the Day's Inn where we were rather than at the hostel. We will save the room at the hostel for the hikers and stay at the hotel where there would be much more comfortable sleeping & bathing. Extra expense, but well worth it for all.We all headed over to Kincora where all the Hard Core crew were meeting at 8:30. Fahmah headed off with the others while Jack, Klip & I stayed at the hostel to prepare it for the dinner and help as best we could with the preparation of the meal. Klip was hurting from the prior day of using the grub ax and preferred the inside work to the rainy, trail work for today. We all kept busy and watched in awe as Baltimore Jack did his magic with the spagetti sauces (meat & vegetarian). Chef Paul prepared an awesome vegetable gumbo soup, Gaya and others worked on the salad and garlic bread. Once Bob came back he got to work on the awesome key lime pies for all! They had it organized and timed perfectly as they served the fantastic meal to the 150 trail crew in a perfectly orderly fashion. It was great.Bob made arrangements for all the hikers that needed rides to get names of drivers that would give them the rides. We signed up to take 4 hikers back to the trail. Ichabod, Crusher, Powa-nap and Red Lobster would be riding with us. We just needed to figure the logistics of how to pick them up and give them a ride and have Fahmah and Klip have time to get their packs ready to get back on the trail themselves. Once all were fed and it was cleaned up Jack decided it was time to get on the road back home. He said he would be joining Fahmah and Klip in a couple of weeks. We sure hope he does. I had brought a pie for Jack too. I sent him home with a couple of pieces and shared the remainder with the hikers at the hostel. We said our good nights and headed back to the motel. We figured out our logistics to the next day before we went to bed."FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-18
From: Kincora Hostel, Hampton, TN

To: Abingdon, VA
Miles today: 0.0

We had decided to stay at the hotel for one more night because of the ride back to the trail for the other hikers. Fahmah would drive to Kincora and pick up the 4 hikers and drive them back to the motel. I would then drive them to Bland and Pearisburg respectively and then back to Abingdon. That way the guys would get their packs ready and we would get a good night's sleep and then head out early the next day for Culvers Gap, NJ.I drove the 4 to Bland, where Red Lobster was to be dropped off. She was from Walpole Mass and had just spent 2 years in Ireland in school. Very interesting. She had been hiking with the other 3 hikers but they were separated for some reason. She was trying to get caught up to them. Ichabod, Crusher, & Powa-nap were being dropped in Pearisburg. I headed back to Rt. 81 and Abingdon, arriving back there around 2 p.m.Ichabod was going into graduate school for a Masters in library science. Crusher was from Montreal Canada and had worked as a camp councilor at a camp in Lewiston Maine. I think Powa-nap was taking a Powa-nap and I didn't get any scoop on him. It was fun talking with the hikers. We wish them the best on the remainder of their hike and their futures!! Good Luck.A good night's sleep and packing and we will be back on the road again!!"FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-20
From: US 206, Culvers Gap, NJ

To: Gren Anderson Shelter
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: clear sky

I will condense the posting for the 19th & 20th. First, the photo on this page is of Klip and his son. This photo is on the wall at Kincora, along with hundreds of others that hikers that stayed there have sent. I believe this was taken in 1997 when Klip first made his trek up Mama K with his son. I am sorry I don't have the details. I will get them from Klip & correct today if I am wrong. When Fahmah & Klip finish at Katahdin, Klip will have completed the AT 4 times in total.Anyway, after a good breakfast at Cracker Barrell, we packed up and left on our way, hoping to get to NJ by day's end. As Fahmah was backing in to the parking space, Klip noticed on the right front tire a wide split the whole circumference of the tire. Dry rot! We headed to a Walmart to have it changed to the spare. After 2 1/2 to 3 hours of fighting to get the spare off the truck (Fahmah & Klip had to do it themselves....what a nightmare) we found that the spare was the wrong size. We ended up buying a new tire anyway. We would not make it to NJ tonight, but we did get to Carlisle, PA. Next a.m. we had a great breakfast and headed back to NJ. This should have been about 3-3 1/2 hour's drive. However, Fahmah didn't believe the GPS directions and insisted on taking his own way. I didn't listen to Fahmah's suggestion, so we were both at fault. Instead we meandered our way, on back roads, all the way over to Culver's Gap, arriving there around 5 o'clock. It took way too long but was through some interesting countryside. Lots of coal mining country. Fahmah & I were having one of our many "discussions" when Klip said "if you two don't stop arguing, I am going to get my pack and hike back"!!! We do "discuss" alot. We're used to it, but it is annoying to others when riding with us. Sorry, Klip!We had a quick dinner at Kevin's Steakhouse, we ate there the night I arrived too, and it was great both times. The guys got their packs from the back of the truck and prepared to walk across the street to the Trail. I was leaving to head home, about a 5-hour drive from there, after I dropped off their next food drop in Vernon on Rt 94 at the Appalachian Motel.The guys were hiking in to the first shelter, about 3 miles. I made it home by around 11:30 p.m. Very tired, but happy to have my feet on the ground. I heard from Fahmah when he arrived at the shelter and again the first thing in the a.m. to make sure I had made it home. It was a wonderful week. More expensive than we had hoped, but comfortable and rewarding to know we had done a little "giving back" on the Trail."FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-22
From: Rutherford Shelter

To: Jim Murray Property
Miles today: 8.6

Heard from Fahmah tonight. They took the side trail to the Jim Murray property. This is a privately owned area that the owner opens up to hikers, with a lovely well, outdoor hot shower, and a privy. There are heated cabins for winter use, but tenting is allowed in the warmer weather. The cabins were locked up when the hikers got there.The trail was very rocky today. Saw lovely lady slippers along the way. While we were talking, in a field below the hill, a huge deer was walking, ignoring the hikers, comfortable where he was. He must have known that it wasn't hunting season!!They set up their tents on the porch of the cabins. Fahmah loves his tent with an all-mesh top. It is great to keep the bugs out and let the air in. The well had a hand-pump, making refilling their water very convenient.It was a lovely, grassy hillside, overlooking the trail where they had walked. A very pleasant area, indeed."FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-23
From: Jim Murray Property

To: Appalachian Motel, NJ 94, Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 13.6

Combining 5/23 and 5/24. It was a long day of hiking and they got in late, but they made it to Vernon. Fahmah says they are stopping to smell the roses. At the Appalachian Motel, they offer pickups at the trail and dropoffs. It is approx 1 mile to walk in to town. It was expensive, $90 per night, split. They planned to stay tonight and take a zero tomorrow to do their hiking chores.The view from the Motel is beautiful, the room was comfortable. They walked in to town in the morning. Fahmah planned to get a haircut but the barbershop was closed. They hit the ATM & had breakfast. Klip saw the Dunkin Donut and figured I must have stopped there on my way through. I actually didn't, though. Don't know why. My car usually turns in automatically when I go by....must be because I had the truck!!The extra day, a much needed respite."FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-25
From: Appalachian Motel, NJ 94, Vernon, NJ

To: Wawayanda Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: clear sky

Fahmah called me late tonight. It was, again, very buggy and a warm day for hiking. We talked about the confusing, funny name of the shelter. I asked how far the water source was from them, he said it was 1/4 mile or so. I suggested that was the meaning of the name.....the "Wawa is yanda!" Further research shows that is a real popular name in the area. It is a town, a State Park, a mountain, etc, etc. Fahmah had been happy with the lighter shoes I brought him when we went to VA. But since they have been hiking, he decided the shoes are not holding up to the weight in the pack. We discussed getting his other shoes to him. We didn't talk long, they were tired after the long day. More tomorrow."FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-26
From: Wawayanda Shelter

To: Wildcat Shelter, NY
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: few clouds

Fahmah called around noon today. He was crossing the NJ/NY border!!! Finally in to NY. He was very happy for that and was waiting for Klip to catch up for lunch. He called around 5 p.m. and was not so happy. He said they seem to have been hiking for miles, going over rocks, rocks, and more rocks and they hadn't even crossed 17A, where they needed to get water and were planning on buying an ice cream. If yesterday seemed hot, today was much worse. Fahmah had filled up before he left last night's shelter, but was out of water and had been for a couple of miles. He said "come bring me home" and he said that Klip agreed!!!! That worried me. It is much too soon for them to think about quitting!! I reminded him, not late in the day when your tired and hot and discouraged!!!!We discussed my going out there. I will plan a trip out there to bring his shoes and to see the two over the weekend. It will be questionable whether they could get to the post office in time on Saturday a.m. to pick up his next drop, so I will plan to go on Friday, pick them up where ever they are and take them to the PO at Fort Mongomery. I will plan to stay overnight and head back home Saturday or Sunday.He said he would call me when he got in to camp tonight, and he hung up. They finally made it in to the shelter, after dark. There was another hiker there sleeping so he had to be quiet and keep it brief. They were tired and worn out. Fahmah was reminded again, one more time, why he "hates New York". It's more than just the Yankees and the Giants!!! It carries over to hiking!"FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-27
From: Wildcat Shelter, NY

To: Old Orange Turnpike
Miles today: 8.4

Wow, I have a whole lot of catching up to do. I am going to skip a lot of story telling just to get through. Yesterday had been such a miserable day for the hikers, I had no idea what to expect today. I received a call from Fahmah around noon. He said "We can really use you, immediately if not sooner. Can you come?" I didn't know what I was going to find, but I said I would be there as soon as possible. I would call him when I got close and he would tell me where to meet them. I put my stuff together, including my tabletop gas grill and stuff I would need for a picnic and my clothes, etc and headed out. I was out of the driveway shortly after 2pm. It would be about a 4 1/2 hour drive. As I got near, he called me and said I was running a little ahead of schedule. So I stopped at a grocery store for the food we would need for our picnic! When I got out, he called again. "Where are you?" They were in the parking lot on the Old Orange Turnpike in Southfields, NY and a thunderstorm was imminent. I was about a 1/2 hour away. But, my gps sent me the wrong direction and it took me 45 minutes to get there and the thunder & lightening got there before me. They sat and waited, but I finally arrived. Just down the road was the Tuxedo Motel where we got rooms for just one night. They were booked for the Holiday weekend so that was all we could stay there. That was okay. The hotel was old & stinky but cheap. No coffee pot, but I had mine!!! It was nearly 9pm by the time they showered and we went to eat somewhere. A local pub was open where we found dinner and a nice cold beer for the hikers. They were rescued for the moment. Plans made for the next day for a quick 3-mile hike across Rt 17 to entrance of Harriman State Park. To bed, to rest, and to regroup."FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-28
From: Old Orange Turnpike

To: Arden Valley Rd
Miles today: 2.2
Weather: few clouds

We all got a good night's sleep and had better attitudes about the hike. We packed up & I brought the two back up to where I had picked them up and headed over to the pkg lot off Arden Valley Rd on the other side of US 87. It was near a bird sactuary & was a popular hiking area and I sat and waited till they got there. It was a short hike, but Fahmah went through the Lemon Squeezer this time instead of around it! Then we headed toward Ft. Montgomery where Fahmah had a package waiting at the P.O. We decided to stay at the Bear Mtn Bridge Motel (I think this is the one). It was very cozy, clean and the owners were so nice. We ended up staying a second night and then the guys ended up back there again (but that is for another entry). We had lunch at the BBQ place across the street and went in to West Point for laundry and Klip's resupply. They didn't have much there, but we found what we needed at the RiteAid. We headed back to the motel and asked the owners for a table to put the grill on and we had burgers & salad in front of our rooms. We also borrowed a corkscrew from them so we could toast to Jimmy and to completing the hike!! Things were looking up."FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-29
From: Arden Valley Rd

To: Arden Valley Rd (2nd crossing)
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: light rain

We had a quick breakfast at the Bagel/Deli across the street and I brought the guys back to where I had picked them up the morning before, at the Bird Sanctuary pkg lot. I then located a Dunkin Donuts for an iced coffee (was having withdrawal) and found a Walmart...the biggest one I have ever been in. We needed a new hat for Fahmah!!! He took his John Deere hat off somewhere and left it. If you run across it on the trail, let me know & I'll tell you where to send it!!! It was an expensive one, reversible, camo on one side, black w/green on the other!! Darn!I headed back to Harriman State Pk. There was a beautiful picnic area at Tiorati Circle, right on a pretty lake, with bathrooms! It was $8 to picnic there but it would have been free at Silver Lake picnic area, but no bathroom. It was worth the $8. This is open to walk-in hikers with showers available too from Memorial Day to Labor Day and has vending machines and a beach. It is beautiful there. I went to the crossing of the AT both at Arden Valley Rd & Seven Lakes Rd and left a message for Fahmah & Klip to tell them where I was. We were supposed to meet at Seven Lakes Rd, but when they found my first note, they called me & I went & picked them up. The choice of the available bathroom was very convenient indeed!!! I had the grill all set up and dinner ready to put on. Our steaks were just as good as the Steakhouse, according to Klip, and the potatoes and green beans and salad were delicious too! We had jello cups for dessert. "There's always room for jello!"We packed everything up and headed back to the motel for the night. Tomorrow I would head back to Massachusetts. But for tonight, all was good!"FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-30
From: Arden Valley Rd (2nd crossing)

To: West Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.3

We had a great night's sleep and packed up to leave. We asked the owners of the motel for a good place to have breakfast. They suggested Andy's in West Point Village, right next to the laundramat we had used. We went there and were very happy!! Breakfast was great. I brought the guys up Harriman State Pk again and dropped them off. I parked and waited while they walked the 2.2 miles from Arden Valley Rd to Seven Lakes Drive without their packs. They got to the car, put on their packs (with much better attitudes than when I first saw them this weekend) got my hugs & kisses and off they went!! I set my gps to "home" and off I went, arriving home around 7:30 or 8pm that evening. It had been a wonderful time and a great way to spend my Memorial Day Weekend!!"FOR YOU JIM"
Date: 2010-05-31
From: West Mtn Shelter

To: Bear Mtn, NY
Miles today: 5.0

I received a call from Fahmah around noon. After I had left them they walked and crossed the Palisades Interstate. When they got across, they couldn't locate the white blazes of the AT. They found yellow blazes and white circles with red dots in them, but no blaze. Klip read in his book that the yellow blazes would lead to the shelter, so they split and Fahmah followed the white circles that had been on the trail thus far along with the white blazes, and Klip followed the yellow blazes. Klip got to the shelter last night, but Fahmah didn't. He set up his tent and slept on the trail. They were in contact by phone, they could both hear the mocking bird, but were not together. In the morning, Fahmah did locate the shelter, where Klip was waiting and they headed off to Bear Mtn on the AT, they had located the white blazes! It was getting late and they hadn't walked as far as they had planned and it was too far to the next stopping spot, so when they reached Bear Mtn, they called the owners of the motel where we had been staying and he came, picked them up and they went back to the cozy little rooms we had just left a couple days ago. Klip said he didn't think he'd ever see that cute little cubbyhole again. His room was around the back of the motel, in the shade and away from the street noise. Very cozy. They called me from there as they rested for the next day in the dreaded New York section. "FOR YOU JIM"