morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-08-30
From: New York City

To: New York City
Miles today: 0.0

The long wait for college football has finally come. I had no choice but to go to the Penn State bar in the city with Pubs to watch the game. We met up with our friend Steve Fatica and even ran into an old comrad of mine Jim Herman who I haven't seen in years. As expected, Penn State looked great and won in easy fashion. The evening brought The Baby and I to a local bar in the city to enjoy more football watching. It seems that fate brought us to our new friend and bartender Natalie. Natalie is one of the most adventurous and ambitious people I have ever met. We spent the night trading stories and bonding. She must have liked us because we were invited to her house for a barbecue tomorrow!
Date: 2008-08-31
From: New York City

To: New York City
Miles today: 0.0

The Baby and I spent the day in Central Park relaxing. My friend Steve Fatica joined us in the afternoon and showed us a marvelous thing. There is a Roller Dance Club that meets in the park every weekend which consists of a bunch of wackos dressing up in costumes and they skate around and dance to the electronic jams of a DJ. It is quite a spectacle but probably common in NYC. THis is quite a contrast to the usual dirt and trees I see every day. In the evening, The Baby and I took a train to Natalie's place in Hoboken for a barbecue. Great food (the stuffed mushrooms were incredible), great friends, great weather! We didn't leave Hoboken until after midnight. Since I was taking a train back to the trail first thing in the morning I went to Grand Central Station and was just going to wait it out there. Unfortunately they close the station at 2am. From there I did the only sensible thing and walked to Central Park with all the other homeless bodies and slept in the grass. It's not as dangerous as people say. The Baby is going to spend another week in NYC working for one of his friends. I won't see him for a couple weeks.
Date: 2008-09-01
From: New York City

To: Stormville, NY
Miles today: 21.4

I didn't get much sleep but made it back to the trail early the next morning. When I got off the train Swing was waiting for me at the station!!! He had spent the last week working on a farm for food. He has some good stories of his own. For the first time in weeks, my legs felt loose and well rested. The highlight of the day was walking past the biggest tree on the entire AT. Pretty exciting, right? We walked to a general store to get some subs for dinner and ended up sleeping in their back yard.
Date: 2008-09-02
From: Stormville, NY

To: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: clear sky

Mmmmm. Breakfast sandwiches from the general store!   I haven't been to a real grocery store in about 200 miles so the only food I'm carrying is a couple candy bars. It's not very healthy so I'm taking advantage of all the side sandwich shops I can. We are staying in a shelter in a monastary tonight. Swing and I were able to order pizza for dinner.
Date: 2008-09-03
From: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center

To: Ft. Montgomery, NY
Miles today: 6.3

It is Hot Hot Hot. Over 90 degrees today. Water is very hard to find in New York and often times the only way to get some is to walk a mile or two off the trail to a town. This afternoon we came into the town of Ft. Montgomery for that reason. The heat drained me of most of my energy so Swing and I stuck around the town waiting for the local restaurant to open for dinner. They were advertising a 35 cent wing special which was too good to pass up. Swing and I slept in the Fort Montgomery Historical Park overlooking the remains of an old army barrack from the Revolutionary War.
Date: 2008-09-04
From: Ft. Montgomery, NY

To: West Mombasha Rd
Miles today: 23.5

Swing and I walked through Bear Mountain Zoo first thing in the morning hoping to see our first bear. Unfortunately it was too early and the bears were still sleeping in their cages. Swing didn't feel like trail walking today so he left on another one of his adventures walking down roads. It was another 90 degree day and water was still hard to find. What was worse, I ran out of juice today. Since I haven't seen a grocery store in a long time, my large supply of Kool-Aid, Tang, Propel, Crystal Lite, and Slim Fast mix was extinguished. How am I supposed to have the name JuiceBox when I don't have any juice? I feel like an idiot.
Date: 2008-09-05
From: West Mombasha Rd

To: Unionville, NY
Miles today: 22.3

The day started again in the heat. I made a side trip to an ice cream shop for a break. After waiting an hour for it to open I found out that they do not accept credit cards and didn't have an ATM machine. No ice cream for me. A couple hours later I ran out of water. A little bit after that I was attacked by hornets and got stung a bunch of times on my neck. This was the second time on the trail when I got a little irritated. But a couple minutes later the song "Banana Phone" by Raffi came on my IPOD. It couldn't have made me happier. "It's a phone with appeal!" "Now you can have your phone and eat it too!" When the sun was setting I called the Mayor of Unionville and he picked me up and brought me to his home. The Mayor is one of the most famous and hospitable people on the trail. He welcomes hikers to his house and evens feed them. Swing was already at the Mayor's house and we were reunited.
Date: 2008-09-06
From: Unionville, NY

To: Unionville, NY
Miles today: 0.0

There were five hikers staying with The Mayor and since Hurrican Hanna was coming, we all took the day off of hiking. We spent the day helping The Mayor with a community service project in Unionville. We cleaned out and gutted an old building in the village that he is turning into a community recreation center. We worked with a group of locals on the project and made a lot of progress. The Mayor was incredibly impressed and grateful for all our work. He refered to us as heros and may have shed a few tears. He is going to make a plaque with our names and pictures so we will always be revered in the town of Unionville. It reminded me of my days as a Habitat for Humanity volunteer. I also got to watch the Penn State football team put on another dominating and flawless performance.
Date: 2008-09-07
From: Unionville, NY

To: Unionville, NY
Miles today: 11.8

This morning I went on a short slack pack with Windy the Wanderer. We think that Windy is the absolute last NOBO to come from Georgia this year. Windy is a Cleveland Browns fan so we chatted non-stop about the dominance of the Browns for this upcoming year. Unfortunately they were pathetic in their season opener today and got crushed. The past three days I have seen my weight rise from a sickly 133 lbs to 149 lbs. The Mayor has been feeding us well.
Date: 2008-09-09
From: Unionville, NY

To: Brink Road Shelter
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: light rain

We finally left Unionville! And immediately got caught in thunderstorms. Swing and I stopped in the first shelter we came to dry off. We both laid down to take naps and before we knew it, it was 4pm. It was definitely the best napping session on the trip pushing five hours of hard sleep. A family of dancing bears wearing funny hats and tutus walked past our shelter. We were both sleeping so unfortunately we didn't see them.
Date: 2008-09-10
From: Brink Road Shelter

To: Kirkridge Shelter
Miles today: 31.2
Weather: broken clouds

Perfect day out! Beautiful walk along the Kittatinny Range and finally entered the great state of Pennsylvania. My socks and shoes were soaked all day and they are both falling apart. My feet are covered in blisters for the first time. I walked into Deleware Water Gap and bought new socks and a new head lamp finally. Now I can hike in the dark again!
Date: 2008-09-11
From: Kirkridge Shelter

To: Erie, PA
Miles today: 24.6

I randomly received a phone call from one of my good friends Anne Schloss today. She is driving from Philadelphia to our home town of Erie for the weekend and asked if I wanted a ride. Since I was only a couple minutes out of the way for her and I like being at home, I accepted the offer. I hiked like an animal to get to our meeting spot and then relaxed in shotgun for our six hour car ride home. Erie- it's not just a Great Lake! During my hike today I passed a group of 10 or 12 young men who had to be inbred. They talked and looked extremely weird, even to me. I wish I had a picture.
Date: 2008-09-15
From: Erie, PA

To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: few clouds

Had a lovely six hour drive back to the trail. Thanks again for the ride Anne! I am now sporting brand new shoes and socks. The rocks in Pennsylvania are not as bad as everyone says they are. In fact I love the PA trails, more than a friend. My beard is feeling very good these days. Everyone knows the thicker the mustache, the more of a man you are. Lately I've been finding mustache hairs in my food and the cheeks have great itching power when sleeping. It's tough to look this good.
Date: 2008-09-17
From: Pinnacle

To: PA 183
Miles today: 24.3

Swing and I had a great lunch at 3 C's restaurant in Port Clinton. Swing used his charm to have a special order root beer float made for him free of charge. In the evening we had another special treat as Keith and Suzanne Hillkirk, Swing's reletives, picked us up and gave us a home to sleep in for the night. The Hillkirk's basically live in a palace and we were speechless as they prepared an incredible steak dinner for us. Thank you so much Hillkirks! We really appreciated it.
Date: 2008-09-18
From: PA 183

To: Swatera Gap
Miles today: 21.5

First thing this morning after being dropped back off on the trail we saw a motorcycle police chase on rt. 183 over the mountain. Out of nowhere a scruffy looking nerferder flew by us not wearing a helmet and going close to 200 mph. Behind him two cop cars burning rubber were trying to keep up with him. It was one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. I have a feeling the bike rider is dead. We had some time to do hawk watching today which was awesome and we finally broke the 1000 mile mark. In the evening another pair of Swing's reletives gave us a home to sleep in. Rob and Lisa Good are amazing people. They fed us well and we had a great evening exchanging hiking and hunting stories. Thank you so much Rob and Lisa, we had a great time!
Date: 2008-09-19
From: Swatera Gap

To: State College, PA
Miles today: 0.0

Swing and I spent the day with Lisa Good who gave us a great tour of Hershey, PA. I had never been to Hershey before and have to say it is a great town. Swing liked it so much he made Hershey in his pants! In the afternoon we got a ride to State College with Suzanne who was headed that way for the weekend. I know we're supposed to be hiking, but it's hard to say no to a football weekend in Penn State when we're so close.
Date: 2008-09-20
From: State College, PA

To: State College, PA
Miles today: 0.0

Today is JoePa's day! Perfect weather for a blowout victory. I had the pleasure of spending my tailgating time with the Cernuto family. The Cernutos are legendary around Pennsylvania for hosting the best tailgates and presenting extreme hospitality to everyone around them. The Cernutos also had an extra ticket which they generously offered me. Great seat next to Emily and in front of Abraham Lincoln. Also a thank you to the gang at 808 Pugh Street for giving me a floor to sleep on. Bones, TJ, Billy, and Ike may not be the best looking guys on campus but they sure are a lot of fun.
Date: 2008-09-21
From: State College, PA

To: Annapolis, MD
Miles today: 0.0

As fate would have it, the AT is on hold another day. I was offered another ticket for the Cleveland Browns football game by my hero Lord Baltimore. The game was in Baltimore. My good friend Zach happened to be driving that way. Once there I had a phenominal afternoon with the Lord and Lady Baltimore even though the Browns lost. Club level seating and beer is a great combination. We found Swing and Water Baby after the game and drove back to Annapolis where the Lord and Lady live. This was the first time I saw The Baby in a month. Thank you Zach, Kevin, and Kate!
Date: 2008-09-22
From: Annapolis, MD

To: PA 325
Miles today: 19.0

After an amazing football weekend it was back to the trail with the reuniting of The Swinging Juice Babies. My aunt KeeKee was able to give us a ride back to the trail in Harrisburg which we very much appreciated. I left my camera battery in Annapolis so I may be missing several pictures for the next month.Since we had a late start (as usual) we hiked into the darkness after dusk. Every time the sun sets and we're still hiking we like seeing how long we can walk in the dark without turning our headlamps on. Since we are all competitive and don't like losing, the game lasts longer then it should. On this particular night Water Baby was leading in front in the dark and was startled by a black bear. The bear took one look at Robbie, sized him up, and ran into the woods when he realized he couldn't win the fight. Robbie saw the bear but Swing and I refused to turn our lights on for fear of losing the game and remain bearless through 1100 miles of the hike. I hope that changes soon.
Date: 2008-09-23
From: PA 325

To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: clear sky

For the first time in weeks the Swinging Juice Babies finally ran into other SOBOS on the trail. Godzilla and Mr. Nice Guy are our new favorite friends. The Baby and I pushed on hard to the famous Doyle Hotel in Duncannon. We arrived in the early afternoon so we could take the afternoon off. We expected Swing to be right behind us but as the hours progressed and the Jolly Dance machine didn't show up we began asking questions. Sure enough Swing showed up around dinner time with another great story. When walking the bridge into Duncannon over the mighty Susquehanna River Swing couldn't resist the attractive ford approach. The Susquehanna in south central PA is wide but shallow. A police patrol car witnessed the heoric deed of Swing and he now goes into the books as the widest river crosser of 2008.
Date: 2008-09-26
From: Tom's Run Shelter

To: State College, PA
Miles today: 16.2

From the first day of hiking the trail I have been looking forward to this weekend more than anything. This is the weekend that my three best friends pick up the Swinging Juice Babies from the trail and we attend the PSU vs. Illinois fooseball game in State College. Johnny Mac, Squintz, and Slimey flew/drove from a combined 4311 miles to make this weekend happen. When you throw in the infamous Wes, Chow, and Chris Cave in a first class RV I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Date: 2008-09-30
From: Devil's Racecourse Shelter

To: Washington DC
Miles today: 18.6

I had an early start but made a good decision to cut the day a little early and make my way into Washington DC for my good friends birthday. Shawn Colligan, former PSU athlete legend and future business partner of mine was kind enough to pick me up. We celebrated Jacob Digel's birthday in great fashion and I even got a late night private tour of the Capitol.
Date: 2008-10-05
From: Washington DC

To: C&O Canal
Miles today: 8.2

As expected, I got a late start back to the trail after my four day hiatus in DC. Dance and be Jolly with Swing McCauley and Water Babies did not come with me. Today marks the day that they leave the trail and get on with their lives. From here on, I'll be on my own. I made it as far as the C&O Canal right outside the historic town of Harper's Ferry.
Date: 2008-10-06
From: C&O Canal

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 23.4
Weather: broken clouds

I finally got sick for the first time since the Bigelows in Maine. It was a pleasant morning walking along the C&O Canal throwing up my breakfast as I walked. I had a short stop at Harpers Ferry. Harpers Ferry is a historic town and headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. I registered as the 68th SOBO to make it to Harpers Ferry this year. The number 68 is also an important number for me going back to my senior year in high school. 68 is the record breaking number of T-shirts I wore during an entire day of school at McDowell High School. I broke the previous number of 63 that was once held by my older brother Paul AKA General Zod.I am staying at the Bear's Den Hostel which offers an attractive deal of shower, laundry, bunk, Ben and Jerry's, soda, and an entire frozen pizza for $25. Very clean and comfortable hostel.
Date: 2008-10-07
From: Bear's Den Hostel

To: Manassas Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: few clouds

I hiked a good portion of the day with my new SOBO friend Superman. Since Swing and The Baby have quit the trail, things are becoming lonely. It was nice to have someone to chat with.I had a late start leaving the hostel and right away found myself in the middle of the "roller coaster" of Virginia. Ten 500 foot hills in a 13 mile stretch. Non-stop ups and downs for a few hours. The "rollar coaster" reminded me of track practice in high school when we would run 400s. The workout consisted of sprinting 400 meters and then walking/jogging for 400 meters as a rest. The "roller coaster" was similiar with the uphill representing the 400 meter sprint and the downhill representing the 400 meter rest. It was a great morning workout but I was whipped by the end of the day.
Date: 2008-10-08
From: Manassas Gap Shelter

To: Hogback Mtn. 
Miles today: 26.5

Finally feeling better today and able to enter the Shenandoahs with a chip on my shoulder. Wow these mountains are something special. I can imagine how Nicklaus Shenandoah felt when he first discovered this area of America. The year was 1236. Our country was still young. Daniel Boone had just issued a declaration for southern expansion and Nicklaus stepped forward to take the leading role. Mr. Shenandoah was the world's leading cartographer at the time. If it wasn't for him we may have never found this great mountain range. I saw my first bear today times three.
Date: 2008-10-09
From: Hogback Mtn. 

To: Rock Spring Hut
Miles today: 26.0
Weather: broken clouds

In the fall of 2006 I was at a Washington Nationals baseball game with my buddy Kyle Oliver. After sipping a couple beers during the game we randomly started talking about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Knowing absolutely nothing about the trail except that it was really really long, we both agreed to quit our jobs the summer of 2008 and hike it together. The time for me to quit couldn't come soon enough. Unfortunately for him, Kyle did the opposite and got promoted. He didn't quit. That is the story of how and why I am hiking the AT.Today is special because Kyle took a long weekend off and is joining the lifestyle of a thru-hiker for a few days. We met around noon, I ate his lunch, and we walked South. We were hiking a little past dark when something really cool happened. The two of us heard loud rustling noises in the tree above us. We shined our lights up the tree to see a huge black bear sliding down the trunk. It jumped to the ground about ten feet in front of us. Instinctively the two of us took a step back and got in our karate fighting stances. Knowing our amazing ninja skills and that we were both hungry for bear steaks, the animal did the smart thing and ran away in the other direction. We had mac and cheese for dinner instead.
Date: 2008-10-10
From: Rock Spring Hut

To: Werewolf Mtn
Miles today: 15.1

Having a visitor on the trail is always awesome. Especially when it's someone as immature and entertaining as Kyle. We named Kyle "BlueBonnet" here on the trail because of his obvious ties with The BlueBonnet Inn (10/3) and because it makes him sound girly. The Shenandoahs are said to be one of the easiest sections of the AT. It was an extremely relaxing day taking our time, enjoying the views, and having perfect weather. After our bear encounter last night, I decided not to pitch my tent tonight and sleep cowboy style in hope of a good story.
Date: 2008-10-11
From: Werewolf Mtn

To: Elkton
Miles today: 9.8

No bear encounter last night, just a lot of acorns on my head.The good thing about hiking with BlueBonnet is that he enjoys college football as much as I do so my weekly Saturday ritual wasn't tainted. Our highlighted football matchup for today was the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma, an instant classic. We got a motel room in Elkton, VA and fueled our bodies pizza and Chinese food. The Texas Longhorns and PSU Nittany Lions won their contests making the two of us happier than a kitten with a Q-tip.
Date: 2008-10-13
From: Marty McFly Cliffs

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: broken clouds

Thru-hikers often are annoyed hiking through National Parks because of the large number of day hikers and tourists who get in the way. Especially on holiday weekends such as Columbus day. Personally I enjoy walking past people because they smell so darn good. When I see a clean person approaching I make sure my nostrils are clear and I take an extended whiff to pleasure my olfactory senses as best as possible. Sometimes it's obvious what I'm doing. Oh well.We made it to Waynesboro by dinner time and enjoyed pancakes and country fried chicken. I ran into Superman and split a hotel room with him for the night while BlueBonnet drove back to DC. Goodbye BlueBonnet. May your dreams stay big and your worries stay small.
Date: 2008-10-14
From: Waynesboro

To: Reeds Gap
Miles today: 19.1

Didn't get back on the trail until the afternoon and took a nap shortly after. That's okay because tonight is a full moon and I'm in the mood for a night hike. I stopped about midnight although I was very tempted to make it to sunrise and fight terrorism. The weather has been so perfect lately that I'm able to stop hiking whenever I feel and just roll out my sleeping sac on the ground. No tent or shelter needed. It's very convenient and increases trail credit.
Date: 2008-10-15
From: Reeds Gap

To: Lexington
Miles today: 19.9

For the first time in months the trail is starting to get serious. I climbed Three Ridges Mountain and the Priest. I was picked up in the afternoon by Swing and his Mustang who was on his way to South Carolina. We drove a few miles to Lexington and stayed with our friend Squintz. And I finally got my camera back today!!!
Date: 2008-10-16
From: Lexington

To: Lexington
Miles today: 21.8

Did a slackpack today with Squintz. I've known my friend Jesse "Squintz" Rappole for most of my life. He is one of the greatest athletes I have ever known. His distinguished credentials are highlighted with a fantastic cross country and track career with the University of North Carolina. For as long as I've known him, I have never seen him tire or wear out and I have never beat him. Today, the tables turned. Me, being in probably the best shape of my life, and him being out of competitive running for a couple years gave me the edge today. Sorry to rub it in Squintz, but I'm a better hiker than you are. We didn't finish our slackpack until well after dark and of course we didn't bring flashlights so the last two miles were a lot of fun and perhaps a little dangerous in the blackness.
Date: 2008-10-19
From: Lexington

To: Lexington
Miles today: 0.0

I planned to leave Lexington today but changed my mind. No surprise. Squintz' living room consists of stadium seating, four televisions, and lots of NFL cheerleaders. It's better then a sports bar. It's quite an experience. Halfway through the football season I still have not missed a Penn State or Cleveland Browns football game.