morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-07-13
From: MD - PA State Line

To: Rocky mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

"There are many paths to the top of a mountain, but only one view."                        Harry MillnerA long day- 15 miles. Started hiking at 9 and almost immediately went up 500 feet. Feels good to be hiking in my home state. Met a ton of people today including a family from Landenberg, Chester County, PA. very neat! Lots and lots of other folks including a large group of mennonites. Stopped at all three shelters today, (Deer Lick, Antietam and Tumbling Run) and actually took a dip in the stream at Antietam Shelter. Chloe did too - very refreshing. Not as hot today but still sunny and very warm. The sweat pours out of me in buckets so I drink gallons of water to stay hydrated. There is a big controversy out here among thru hikers. Lone Wolf in paricular is very vocal about his dislike of hikers who day hike, section hike or hike like I do now - which is basically skipping sections. He went as far as saying in shelter registers that he thinks we should get off the trail. My retort to his ranting is "What business is it of his how I and others hike their hike." I know I will not be able to hike all 2172 miles this year and I do not plan to apply for a thru hikers certificate from the ATC. I am here for many reasons, most importantly fun! Is an official certificate the reason he is hiking? Someting to hang on his wall to show his friends? If so he should probably rethink why he is out here? Many other thru hikers think the same - they just aren't as vocal as he. I say mind your own business and let me hike my hike and have fun! Tomorrow we go through Caledonia State Park. The promise of ice cream lurks ever present in the back of my mind. Actualy its pretty close to the front! Chloe is doing very well. She hasn't had a sit down break yet. She does get a little excited and runs off to the side of the trail on occasion but she is generally a very good hiker - even at our 2.5 mph pace! She is wiped out now, but seems to be having fun - just like me. Tonight we are tenting just below the shelter which is .3 off the trail and down a steep hill. Excellent tent site, I'm on a pile of pine needles - my favorite! peace and positivity,Molasses
Date: 2003-07-14
From: Rocky Mountain Shelter

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: few clouds

" The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it."                        EpicurusA beautiful morning.Hiking with Flatlander and Pushing Up Daisies. We left camp by 8:45 and made it to Caledonia State Park by 10:30. Waited til the concesion opened and ordered a cheeseburger, fries, soda and a hot dog for Chloe. Lingered and hiked up to Quarry Gap Shelter. It was gorgeous. The caretaker ,Jim Stauch, really loves the place and it shows. Very clean and very nice! He even had hanging flower pots full of petunias. He also installed solar powered lights along the stream that runs along in front of the shelter and on the trail up to the privy. Very very nice! We were tempted to stay, but alas, we moved on 7.4 to Birch Run. It's nice here, but not as nice as Quarry Gap. There is a dead bat in the privy here, yick. Tomorrow Pine Grove Furnace and the AT traditional half gallon challenge. All day I have been debating what flavor. If it's something I like, I may never eat it again - something I dislike, I may never finish...After a long thought, and Daisies input I have settled on neoplolitan - a little vanilla, a little chocolate and some strawberry. Now lets hope they have it. Later my cousins Kathy, Kris and Kait will meet us and they're bringing barbeque. I hope I have room after a half gallon of ice cream! My feet feel like hamburger. They don't look bad, just feel bad. I developed a nice big blister on my right heel. New boots. Compede makes it feel better, but last check, the compede melted off and the blister is bigger. The rocks in PA here are tough and there are a hell of a lot of them - big, small, pointy and some move whnen uou step on them. 10 miles tomorrow and swimming in Fuller Lake will hopefully help. Chloe did well again today. She sleeps during our breaks, which can get long, but today she had the energy to play when we got into camp. She's crashed out now. I'm soon to follow!peace and positivity,Molasses
Date: 2003-07-15
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Pine Grove Furnace
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: broken clouds

"Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for God now accepth thy works.         Ecclesiastes 9-7 I woke up with dreams of ice cream and sugar. Well, actually just ice cream. Today I will face the half gallon challenge. After a slow start, thanks to a new shiny blister the size of a quarter on my right heel, I hiked to Toms Run Shelter and met up with Flatlander and Daisies. We decided to hike together past the half way point. We were maybe a quarter mile out of the shelter and all of a sudden Chloe, who usually is 2 steps in front of me is now behind me and Daisies is nearly in my lap. Flatlander was nearly knocked down by the 3 of us as we all jumped backwards. A huge cranky rattle snake was on the trail and warned us with a loud rattle that he was not happy we were there. After a moment of intense shock it sunk in that we neded to tread very carefully. Those rattlers can strike something at a distance of twice their length. Chloe had to be dragged past the demon viper kicking and barking. We all passed by single file very quickly and talked about it the whole 3 miles into Pine Grove Furnace. When we arrived Circus and Bucky were nearly done with their half gallons of ice cream. The flavors were very limited and much to my dismay, no neopolitan. So I chose peanut butter swirl- vanilla with a twist of peanut butter. Not the best choice. After a speedy start, queasy middle, and a very slow nauseating finish with a little help from Chloe, I received my wooden spoon award. I ate it all in 1 hour ten minutes. However I felt sick for another hour and had to lay down on a bench. Challenge faced, challenge conquered, challenge regretted - especialy since my cousins were meeting us with a barbeque. Thankfully Kathy was a little late. She brought a ton of food. I managed to consume some margheritas, carrots, celery and dip, {dip is key}hot dog, steak, salad, garlic bread, corn on the cob, cupcake and a soda. Thorougly and nearly fatally stuffed. Lil cuz's Kris and Kait came too and they were a great help. We even have a box of Krispy Kreme donuts and Whoopie Pies for breakfast. Plus we are hiking 19 miles to Boiling Springs tomorrow and Kathy is picking us up to have us stay at her house tomorrow night. My family is the best! Thank you so much. you have no idea what a great help you have been. We packed up and hiked to the campground with Kris and when we arrived Kathy and Kait had our tent site all picked out and paid for. They even helped set it up. Thanks Kris and Kait for setting up my sleeping bag. You are a great help. Now, onto a peaceful slumber. I hope I dont dream about food!peace and positivity,Molasses
Date: 2003-07-17
From: Harrisburg, PA

To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

" One of these days those boots are gonna walk all over you."                           Nancy SinatraNew boots = blisters - multiple bliters. The big one on my heel is bigger. I poked holes in it to drain but developed a second one underneath it. Ouch! So today I took Flatlander, Daisies and Double A to Boiling Springs. Double A hiked 25 to Duncannon where we were to meet. Daisies and Flatlander hiked 14 to Darlington Shelter. They'll hike in to Duncannon friday. Double A will hike out today and the 3 of us leave this neat old town saturday. Kathy and the girls dropped me off at the infamous Doyle Hotel. Fifteen bucks and a non stop party. Kathy and the girls are flying to Minnesota friday for a vacation at the Mall of America. They weren't the slightest bit impressed by my deluxe accomodations, but Kathy would have hung out in the bar if she didn't have to pack. I checked in, hung out in the bar for several beers with Prairie Chicken and Crow Dog, Viking, Pipes,Foxie, Circus, Bucky, Blue Stool, Halfway and many others. Drank too much beer and at 10:30 crawled up to the 4th floor and into my sagging bed. peace and positivity,Molasses------------------------------
Date: 2003-07-19
From: Duncannon, PA

To: Peters Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: few clouds

"Snakes, why does it always have to be snakes?"            Harrison Ford - "Raiders of the Lost Ark"Left the Doyle Hotel, rather reluctantly. The place is a shambles but it grows on you. The all girl gang, now numbering 5 headed out after post office chores and a quick mini mart stop for burgers and sodas. I managed to eat an ice cream sandwich. I think I can handle ice cream again. Flatlander, Daisies and I are joined by Foxie and Double A. Double A is 30 and talks in her sleep. We shared a room and last night she said "put the 3 lights on top of the tree". The night before it was "yum, yum, yum, yum, yum". It's hysterical! When I told her each morning she cracked up! In the past she's said " I'll get a haircut, you get the car". I can't wait to hear what she says tonight. Foxie is right next to her in the shelter so she's bound to hear something. Todays hike was 11.7 miles, 2 shelters up from from Duncannon. We hiked across the Shenandoah and straight up about 800 feet. Then the boulderng began. Very large boulders on top of the ridge made for slow going but it was kind of fun. At 1 point I had to carry Chloe over a rock, it was that steep. We saw a black snake with a rattle on the end of its tail, so I guess it was rattler. Then late this afternoon Daisies was in the lead and announced that there was a peacock walking down the trail. Sure enough there was a peacock. Daisies and Chloe were very interested in folowing it. Chloe for sport, Daisies for photos. It was pretty funny watching her run down the trail with her camera out stretched. At 1 point Flatlander and I were laughing so hard we had to stop walking. Daisies insists she wasn't running. Believe me, it looked like running to me. Tonight a large group here at Peters Mtn Shelter. Sidewinder and some friends - Blue Stool, the girls, me and some others. We should all be together for a few days. Next shelter is 17.5. A long day indeed> peace and positivity,Molasses
Date: 2003-08-02
From: High Point State Park, NJ

To: Culvers Lake
Miles today: 0.0

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy,"                        Benjamin Franklin A very wet morning turned into a beautiful day. Packed up and left the disco campground by 9:45 am. Destination Worthingtons Bakery. Story says, Grandma Gatewood herself spent a good amount of time at Worthingtons. When my dad was young his family had a summer house on nearby Culvers Lake and they used to frequent Wortingtons' for fresh bread and hot sticky cinnamon buns. I had a cup of coffee and chatted with Bluebird and Puff Daddy. They said that Daisies and Flatlander were right behind them and should show up soon. 1 hour later Woods Dragon rolls in and in another hour the all girl gang was reunited. We had sandwiches and got a hotel room. I offered to slack them, but they prefered to just hang out - so we did. Split a pizza, drank a few rum and cokes then hit Dairy Queen for ice cream, and watched Twister on tv. Tomorrow I will take Daisies and Flatlanders' packs to High Mountain State Park and they'll slack to them. I'll hike up to the monument then go north into New York state.It's good to see the girls. We caught up on our past 2 weeks and wel'l plan to meet up again after I'm finished.peace and positivity,Molasses
Date: 2003-08-03
From: Culvers Lake, NJ

To: Bear Mountain, NY
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: mist

"I must hurry to catch the others for I am their leader."                           Unknown Woke up at the Cobman Ridge Motel and loaded the car. Shuttled the gals to Worthington Bakery at Rte 94 and they were off sansacks. Daisies and Flatlander slacked the 14 miles to High Point as I left their packs at the park office. I got an email from Daisies so I guess she made it there before 4 pm when the park office closed. I hiked from the office to High Point Monument. A short hike but a good one. Hung out on a rock for a bit and then hung out at the monument which is the highest point in New Jersey. Chloe was fascinated by a large turtle. She was actually afraid of it. The turtle was black and orange - very cool. As I headed back to the car it started to rain. Headed back into PA to buy some smokes. Have to save money when they're 6 bucks a pack. Headed to Veron NJ, just because, then to Bear Mtn NY where I found Strider. I had emailed him telling him I thought he'd be there and sure enough he was. I met him at his hotel and we had dinner. Good mexican where we ran into Blip. Strider is hiting the post office at 8 AM then heading 6 miles up the trail to Graymoor Monastery. I'm picking Blip up at 10 and hiking out from Bear Mtn. I'll head to the monastery too. Blip maybe as well. It's a 6 mile hike and it'll be great to spend more time with Strider. He has been doing well, getting a little beat up, but his spirits are high as he heads into New England. I'll hike back to Bear Mtn. tuesday then drive north to Connecticut. Last night Chloe picked up a new and rather odd habit - she licks baseboard heaters. She did it last night and did again tonight. Shes a weird little dog. She also took great pleasure in licking choice sections of carpet and bed rails. Maybe I'm not feeding her enough. But then again, maybe she's just weird. I think the latter. : Looking forward to the monastery tomorow!   peace and positivity,Molasses
Date: 2003-08-05
From: Graymoor Monastery, NY

To: Red Pine Plantation, CT
Miles today: 6.0

" I took the Road Less Traveled and now I have no idea where I am."                     Funny Tee Shirt Woke up at Graymoor Monastery pavillion covered in dew, sweat and bugs. Sorta like being tarred and feathered. Sleeping on a picnic table is a little less comfortable than a shelter floor. It was a very hot muggy night and I didn't sleep well. It was before 6 am and I didn't have to be to the ballfield where Gene was picking me up until 9. I slowly got up, hit the bathroom and cooked my mountain house eggs and bacon breakfast. Ate leisurely and slowly packed up. Green Turtle met me at the ballfield and Gene showed up. Payphone and Red Dirt went along with us to get groceries. I got in my car and slowly made my way into Connecticut. I e-mailed my aunt Zel and uncle Ed to let them know I was in the area and then headed north to Kent. Got into kent and ran into Moose Munch. Seems he left his shoes in a bar for the second time and needed a ride to Milford to get a new pair - so I took him and he got his shoes. I hit the post office and back to Kent we went. I needed a good nights sleep and a shower so I got a room at the Hitching Post in Cornwall Bridge. Expensive but comfortable. Nice king size bed and cable tv. Bumped into Dirty Frank, Alpha and Trench at the hotel and chatted a bit. Then at 8:30 headed back into Kent and picked up Greenman. When I checked pocketmail, I had a message from my cousin Linda. Called her and plan to visit with them wednesday night. Excellent! Passed out in my king size bed after a bologna and cheese sandwich. Woke up wednesday and took Alpha and Trench with their dog Cadbury to the trailhead and then slacked Dirty Frank, Dirtnap, Carrot Slayer, Greenman and Mountain Dew to Sharon. As I was picking up their packs in Kent, ran into Skids and Baloo. They are jumping up to Vermont then finishing. I havent seen them since trail days in Damascus, it was great to catch up. I'll try to find them in Vermont next week and hike with them. Around 1:30 I started my day hike - an easy hike to Red Pine Plantation. In the 1930s, hundreds of red pines were planted as an experiment. It failed as the trees couldn't withstand the harsh winters. Most of the trees are gone now. Theh hike was super easy and flat. Hit the road at 4:30 and made it to Stratford around 6. I was greeted by my cousins Linda and Laurie. I havent seen them in easily 10 years. Great to see them and meet their kids. Linda cooked crab stuffed salmon, green beans and risoto - awesome. Then we had ice cream. I had moose tracks and bear claw {how very AT of me!}. We then hung out and chatted til midnight. Once again, my family is incredible! I am so thankful for their hospitality. It is so great to see them. I may visit again on my way south. Tomorrow I'll start back north! peace and positivity,Molasses
Date: 2003-08-08
From: Red Pine Plantation, CT

To: October Mountain, Mass.
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: moderate rain

" It is more blessed to give than to receive."                     Acts, XX 35 What started out to be a blah, blah, rainy caca day turned into a day of sunshine and reuniting of old friends. Woke up to light rain so I stayed huddled in my tent until 9 or so. Had the ritual coffee and Captain Crunch, read 2 chapters of my book while finishing my coffee and leisurely made my way up Parks Mountain to where the AT crosses county road. It's so nice not to have to hurry. The county road is a lumber road, unpaved and in some places pretty rough. I come across the road where the trail crosses and I bump into Sketch. I haven't seen him since Damascus. He's called Sketch becaue he is always drawing. He tells me Gazelle is 15 minutes behind him. When she arrives we all plop down in the mddle of the road and catch up. We eat lunch and I offer to slack them the 14 miles to Dalton. They head out and I hike to the next shelter. A nice 200 foot up, lots of bumps and a few little downs. I crossed an ATV trail but thankfully no ATVers are in the woods. I saw a few earlier on the county road. I make my way back to the car and head to Dalton. I'm meeting Gazelle and Sketch in town at Duff and Dels Variety. They arrive at 530, we find them a place to stay at Jims House. He's a Dalton resident who opens up his house and yard to hikers. A very nice man. We eat at Angelinas, they pay for my dinner, they insisted and we get ice cream...seems theres always room for ice cream. we head back to Jims, chat some more and around 8 I head back to the campground. I'm not sure what I'll do tomorrow, maybe head north to Mt. Greylock, maybe stay here another night. My thinking is its the weekend and anything I can do to save money will help. 12 bucks here is much better than 60 plus in a motel. We'll see where the wind takes me.      peace and positivity,Molasses
Date: 2003-08-09
From: October Mountain, Mass.

To: Mt. Greylock, MA - Bennington VT.
Miles today: 8.0

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may."                        Robert Herrick So today I made my way into Vermont - peaceful, tranquil, Vermont. I am very much at peace. Very mellow. Seems the first part of this adventure was a social expedition. Seems now it is the real me time. Lots of time to think and ponder. Lots of room to be free in. Got up and had another leisurely morning. This mornng was different with a cast of other more lively campers - noisier too. Made my way north to Mount Greylock. at 3491'. It's the first big one I've had in quite a while. The summit was cloudy and rainy - kind of austere with hints of an alpine climate. Sketch left his hat in the car yesterday so I left it with the cashier in Bascom Lodge. I also left a note in the register. Hung around a bit, ate lunch and headed north. I was in Vermont in what seemed minutes. Got to Bennington, a neat college town and found a campsite. Couldn't get in the state campground {no proof of Chloes' lack of rabies on hand.} and the Green Mtn. Nt'l Forest campground was very wet. Ended up at the base of Mt. Prospect Ski Lodge. Nice, quiet private place with very nice sites. I have a view of a pond and lots of trees. Realy starting to see more conifers now. Kind of alpine like with their tight,close needles. Chloe was cooped up in the car all day so I let her exercise on the 16 foot leash. She went crazy running in circles and through the creeks and ponds. She had a blast. She's crashed out now as I sit in my tent and listen to the gentle pitter pat of rain on the fly of my tent. I heard some coyotes earlier and something "bigger than a squirrel" in the woods not far away. Porcupine or raccoon maybe. I should sleep well. peace and positivity,Molasses
Date: 2003-08-10
From: Mt. Greylock, MA - Bennington VT.

To: Lincoln, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

A note from Molasses Dad: I have read a few emotional journal entries from hikers who have reluctantly gotten off the AT for various reasons. They apparently are strugglng with the disappointment with themselves from not completing their dream of hiking the complete trail for which they had planned and prepared for for quite some time. One of these hikers even called herself a loser. Not so kiddo. You are a hero for even thinking of hiking the monster AT and should get a medal for every mile, mountain, rainy day, cold night and snowstorm you encountered. Here is a quote from Theodore Roosebelt that I think is appropriate for a hiker to remember who has left the trail due to some kind of hardship and particularly for anyone who is critical of that hiker.    "It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strongman stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows the triumph of high achievement and who at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly so that his place will never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.                          Theodore Roosevelt
Date: 2003-08-18
From: Mahousic Notch

To: Monson and The100 Mile Wilderness
Miles today: 0.0

"Put your trust in God my boys and keep your powder dry."                     Oliver CromwellNote from Molasses Dad: Yesterday, tuesday August 16th, she and Chloe started to hike the "100 Mile Wilderness" which is the last stretch of the AT before one reachs Baxter State Park and Mt. Katahdin. The "wilderness is reportedly one of the more difficult stretchs of the trail and is truly "remote." There is basically no civilization nearby once you are in it. A sign at the beginning warns hikers to be "truly prepared" and to carry at least (10) days food. She will therefore be "incommunicado" for at least (8) days until she reachs White House Landing Wilderness Camp which is (70) miles into the wilderness and where there should be a phone. Her plan is to get to White House Landing on tuesday Aug 26th. As a result we will be on the edge of our seats until we hear from her. After White House Landing there is another 40 miles or so of wilderness untill she reachs Katahdin. Since Anne and I were with her when she started this adventure in Georgia in March and have supported her during her "on and offs" we will be going up to Maine to hopefully catch her just before she starts the final climb up Katahdin. Here is her last entry before she started into the "wilderness." How appropriate - I have just finished packing my pack. It is awful heavy! (8) days full of food , for me and Chloe - ugh. I flip on the TV and there is a PBS special about Mt. Katahdin. Left Bethel around noon and got to Monson around 4:30. Got stuck in traffic for 30 minutes and missed a turn. I'm staying at The Pie Lady. I am the only hiker here. Met Hiking Viking on his way to Shaws boarding house. He's hiking north tomorrow too. Got a burger at C&Gs market, picked up some peanut butter and rolls at the general store and now I'm getting ready to turn in. The Pie Lady is cooking me breakfast in the morning, then taking me to the trailhead. Wish me luck!!   peace and positivity,Molasses