morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2022-04-29
From: Raven Rock Shelter

To: Tumbling Run Shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: clear sky

The day started at 6 with a coffee to warm up. Then to the privy for my constitutional.  The privy had no front door so I got to poop with a view.  I had two visits in quick succession. I may not buy the backpackers pantry pad Thai again!!Despite being up first, it was Gazelle who packed and left first, followed by me and then Dave/Rootfinder, another flip flopper hiking similar miles a day. The first few hours out of camp were stunning - bright and cold, and I kept a good few layers on and zipped along to warm up. I saw a Giant Woodpecker and heard quite a few more, so loud like cartoon woodpeckers, or err woodpeckers. Five miles in marked the end of Maryland and the beginning of Pennsylvania.  After a fruitless search for water at Pen Mar Park, I crossed a train track and arrived at the Mason-Dixie Line. Got a passing hiker to take my photo and headed on another 2.5 miles to find a creek where I finally got some water. After another rocky  up and down, I reached 8 miles for the day and a bench by a creek (and a busy road) where I had lunch with Solo another flip flopper who was there before me, and Rootfinder who arrived just after. The next 5 miles were the nicest on the trail so far, easy rolling hiking, few rocks and lush forest. I stopped for a nap in Forge Park at the 12.2 mile mark. And then cantered up the hill to Tumbling Run shelter. I decided to sleep in the shelter as it uses minimum effort (no tent to pitch and take down).  I am finally up to date with these journals. Planning a short 10 mile day and trip into Fayetteville to a Hostel with showers and laundry.  I stink..
Date: 2022-04-30
From: Tumbling Run Shelter

To: Fayetteville
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke on floor of shelter about 6 as usual - same routine: unhook bear bag from wire, make coffee, visit privy, eat breakfast bar and pack up. As usual that took about 2 hours. So I was out of camp just before 8. My plan was to hike the 10 miles to town as quickly as possible without stopping because the promise of late breakfast or early lunch at a Rutters gas station with a diner was huge motivation. The only real test of the day was the first 1.2 miles or so up Chimney Rock which was steep and rocky in places, but nothing to dampen my early morning enthusiasm with hot food on the horizon  On another cold bright morning, perfect for walking, I zipped along passing a few locals and a couple of hikers who¢d left camp before me  The first person I saw on trail was a hunter in full camouflage with a big gun. I would have been alarmed if a trail volunteer hadn¢t visited the shelter to warn us that Turkey Hunting season opened this week. I was excessively polite and asking whether he¢d had any luck when I realised that my shouting ¢good morning and any luck so far¢ was unlikely to improve his chances as any turkey in earshot would be long gone. Though whether wild turkeys break into a jog or attempt flight or just look surprised when faced with a hunter I¢m not sure. I had just realised what wild sticking up hair I had after 3 days without a shower and wearing a beanie and sun hat when I caught up with another thru hiker, Bubbles. With the sun behind me, the silhouette of my head looked like Ernie from Sesame Street. And after some discussion with Bubbles and Early Riser later in the day that is now my trail name.  Ernie. After a scrambling rock section that I had a little trouble navigating, I met a woman with two young boys out for a hike and all wearing bright orange reflective ¢I am not a turkey¢ vests.  On one hand sensible, but would you take your kids for a walk somewhere they could get shot by someone shooting turkeys??The hostel in Fayetteville was 0.8 miles off the trail along the shoulder of a busy highway and I was gutted that the promised gas station with diner was another mile up the road from the hostel. Showered at the Thru It All hostel run by lovely kind people at a small local church (in a hamlet with almost as many churches as people, and certainly more churches than diners.)  Then walked the mile to the diner in my crocs - black bean burger double cheese melt, fries, coke and an ice cream sandwich for the walk back. Joy!Now have two small blisters on the ends of my second toes where they jam on my trail shoes on rocky descents. Hoping to do two long days of about 20 miles each to get to the trail town of Boiling Springs for Monday night.  But who knows? One day at a time¢¦
Date: 2022-05-01
From: Fayetteville

To: Ironmasters Mansion Hostel
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: clear sky

I was up and out of the Thru It All hostel in Fayetteville at 6.50. And back again just after 7 to retrieve my lunch from the fridge.  The .8 mile road walk back to the trail took about 15 minutes.  Today¢s trail was undulating but had no serious climbs and no big rocky sections.  With nothing to slow me down apart from the 12 kilos on my back I am hoping to make it 20 miles to a hostel, with a shelter at 16/17 miles as a back up option. The half day off the trail and the chance to ice my knee and sort some minor blisters had done wonders. I felt strong and had romped an easy 10 miles by 11am, when I stopped at a shelter with a nearby spring to collect and filter some water. I am slowly learning to gauge how much water I need for each 5/10 mile section between water sources so I have just enough and not too much extra weight of water I won¢t drink.  I also drink a lot early in the sections to reduce the time I carry the full weight of water.In the next 7 miles I passed two official half way on the AT markers, and I hear I¢ll pass another tomorrow.  As the AT changes in length with reroutes so the half way mark moves, hence the trio of half way markers. I still have more than a 1000 miles to go on my first flip north and then another 1000 or so when I flop south. Halfway a dream for me at present.  After 17 miles I feel I have earned lunch and can enjoy it knowing I will make the hostel at 20 miles in good time. I make tea and a sandwich and munch crisps and chocolate. It has started to rain and I share a covered lunch bench with 3 hikers: a southbounder; a new flip flopper; and a section hiker thinking about thru hiking next year.  Gazelle passes thru and promises to save me a bunk at the hostel. It¢s less than 4 miles to the hostel, and I still felt great but it was raining hard. At 3.30pm I stood soggy in the hostel lounge with a big grin on my face. I¢m starting to feel like a thru hiker. Tomorrow is another 20 miler but as a bonus there¢s a grill restaurant and supplies shop about 9 miles in.  Simple pleasures mean happy days.
Date: 2022-05-02
From: Ironmasters mansion hostel 

To: Boiling Springs
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I set out at 7.30 with a deadline of 4.30pm to hike 19.2 miles for a hostel pick up. The first few hours were easy going. I had hoped to have breakfast at a diner just off trail about 9 miles in. But I walked past the turn off - saw no sign - and was half a mile up the trail before I realised.  No slap up breakfast. Another bar - yippee!Before missing the diner I got lost in the mist for a while - the first time on this trail.  On a more positive note,  I had a close encounter with an elegant wide winged Heron taking off a just a few feet in front of me.  Middle section of the day was hard.  Steep incline for a good few miles that had me soaked with sweat and puffing hard.  Worse at the tree enveloped summit - with no view as usual - the trail went up, over and through huge boulder piles for a mile or more.  Torture! Exhausted by 2pm, I had a late lunch after 15 miles.  Beautiful spot for a shelter that I had to myself. And there was 5G reception to follow the last 15 minutes of Fulham¢s championship title winning game.  Filtered some spring water and got going again. Refreshed I bounced up and down a few sharp hills and across a few miles of meadows into the pretty town of Boiling Springs at 4pm. Had time to enjoy the afternoon sun by the lake and eat my first Honey Bun!
Date: 2022-05-03
From: Boiling Springs

To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: clear sky

Thunder and Lightning (very very frightening)The day started with a loss. I left my green t-shirt - one that I¢ve worn on every long hike for the last few years - at the hostel which was a 10 minute drive outside the beautiful little town of Boiling Springs.  I tried in vain to get the owner to drop it into town for me, or give it to a hiker to bring up the trail for me, or even acknowledge in any way that she could help me, perhaps post it if I paid the postage?  But no, she was like tough shit the deal was you have your stuff together at 7.35 and we drop you into town. You left something?  Boohoo¢¦ I decided just to go with the flow and not worry about it. Outfitters in town had the exact same type of t-shirt and I bought a replacement. I ate a huge breakfast with 3 coffees at a great little diner. And a lovely man in the US Postal Service was super helpful getting the gear I¢ve decided I don¢t need sent home to the UK.  An enjoyably slow start to the day, which made a nice change. Plus a lighter pack.Even better the first 10-12 miles walking was across fields and on flat paths.  I knocked out 12 miles in less than 4 hours, even whilst chatting to Fi on the phone for nearly an hour. There was a shelter at 14 miles but I knew it would be crowded as there were quite a few thru hikers at breakfast, so I pushed for another 3 miles or so to a stream where I decided to wild/stealth camp.  I found a perfect flat spot not to far from the stream. I knew there was a risk of rain and even a thunderstorm. But I was not expecting the super scary lightning and thunder that woke me at midnight and the torrential rain that fell for 2 hours. The lightning was illuminating my tent and my surroundings like a cartoon where you see skeletons of people and animals when they get electrocuted.  Though this was not a funny cartoon!   The rain was so hard it felt like the fire service had a high pressure hose directed at my tent.  And I lie wishing that I¢d asked the Eastbourne fire service to test my tent with their hoses as part of my preparations. The noise of the rain on my tent and the thunder was so loud that I couldn¢t hear music or podcast in my headphones. So I laid wide awake anxiously checking my tent for leaks and reading the Guardian, which is always good for reading about people in far worse positions than oneself. That did help calm my nerves a bit. Though I did put on my rain jacket in case an emergency evacuation became necessary (eg the tent collapsed).Finally, about 2am the rain slowed and the thunder stopped and I fell asleep. In the morning, my tent looked like it¢s been 10 rounds with Joe Frazier, beaten up and badly bloodied but still on its feet!  Strangely, the experience makes me feel more confident in camping as it is reassuring to know that my tent can survive such an immense deluge.  I¢m proud of the little fella! 17 or so miles. Another exciting day on the AT. What next?
Date: 2022-05-04
From: Stealth Camp

To: Duncannon
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: moderate rain

I was packed and out of my stealth camp by 7, pleased to be heading for town as I had a wet tent on top of my pack. It was 7.3 misty drizzly miles into Duncannon - first up a rocky climb, then along an undulating ridge and finally down a precipitous rocky path into Duncannon. With an evil little uphill slog over a lump of rock just outside town. I got to town about 10.30 and headed to the laundry.  I must have looked desperate as I looked around wild eyed for a change machine , soap and any spare clothes I could wear whilst I washed mine.  A fellow hiker donated his leftover quarters to me and a local woman went out to her car to fetch me some clothes intended for the charity shop.  I put everything I owned in a machine and wandered into Doyle¢s Hotel.  ¢Aha it¢s the Englishman , we¢ve been waiting for you¢ said the barman.  He promptly brought me coffee and breakfast, introducing me to an older local with an interest in history and all things English. She was excited to tell me that Charles Dickens once stayed at the hotel.  The hotel had another name at that time and Dickens only stayed because his travel plans went awry.  I got the impression. that not much happens in Duncannon, apart from thousands of hikers coming through town every year. Went to The Pub (great name and good pub) with Burgerfeet for a long lunch.  Had dinner with Gazelle and EarlyBird in a pizza place with spectacularly rude staff.  7.3 miles today and a half day milling around in a town that Dickens once visited by mistake.  Days off with no miles walked are called zeros.  A day with only a few miles in or out of town is called a ¢Nero¢.
Date: 2022-05-06
From: Duncannon

To: Stealth Campsite
Miles today: 21.4
Weather: overcast clouds

EarlyBird and Gazelle were already up the trail when I left the Doyle Hotel at 7am, laundered, well fed and fresh legged. The trail went through town for about a mile. Fun to see a bit of small town America. Big yellow school buses and signs in front yards, such as ¢If Orioles are near, love is close¢. Or the other way around!?Tramped over two long river road bridges and then a slow steep climb back to the Appalachian ridge. Half way up to the ridge I met Larry, a turkey hunter, who was so quiet and stealthy in his camouflage I nearly walked into him. He told me a bit about turkey hunting - they lure them out with a whistle, they leave yearlings and the meat is ¢not like a butterball¢.  Not my thing but Larry was a lovely man. Long trek along the undulating rocky ridge with some fine views over the meandering river. First real views of the trip as the trail is purposely kept wooded either side to promote a sense of continuous wilderness. I met Crossword, who has a long streak of completing the New York Times crossword that he has kept up on the trail.  And then I spend a good hour walking and talking to some ¢Trail technicians¢  who maintain the wilderness and the boundaries of the trail corridor, to stop private landowners encroaching on park lands. Had lunch at a shelter at 12 mile mark, with Burgerfeet, Crossword, EarlyBird (who I had caught up) and the technicians.  All very jolly and good fun. There followed a long 6 miles, 3 hours, along the trail and down to river with low water reserves. Caught Gazelle just before the river and agreed to push for a campsite at the 21 mile mark.Good plan that led to my first 20 plus mile day but it involved a long slog uphill for almost 2 hours. I¢m feeling strong now but the steep uphills never get easy. Got to the campsite and Gazelle wasn¢t there so assumed he¢d pushed on further. Once I had my tent pitched on a stony little gap in the trees, I realised the lovely flat campsite was 0.1 mile further up the trail and Gazelle was there.  Too late to move  Ate dinner and hung my bear bag.  Tent and sleep.  Rain forecast tomorrow.
Date: 2022-05-07
From: William Penn Shelter

To: Pine Grove
Miles today: 2.1
Weather: light rain

Gazelle and I had a lie in at the shelter, leaving at 8.45 to walk the 2.1 miles to the 645 Highway where we had a shuttle to town booked at 10. It was raining even harder now and set to rain all day again so we were very happy with our plan to dry ourselves and our stuff at a hotel. Fast Eddie arrived in a 450HP Mustang, a strange car for a hiker shuttle service. But he was a lovely guy and we were in Pine Grove in 10 minutes or so. We agreed that he¢d take us back to the trail the next morning. I ate two McDonald¢s breakfasts whilst we waited for our noon check in at the hotel. I had the American biscuits instead of buns as they add about 100 calories to each breakfast burger!   In excess of 1500 calories for breakfast means that my hiker hunger has finally arrived!Gazelle and I trashed the room, covering it in wet tents and clothes.  We jacked the heating unit up to the max and rigged clothes lines above it. I had a long video chat to Fi and it was fantastic to see her and doggo. I then went to the Dollar General (think Poundsaver) for food supplies. Ate dinner in a brilliant 50¢s themed local diner with Gazelle and also EarlyBird, who¢d walked 15 miles in the rain whilst we¢d be lazing about. A much needed break from big miles and a chance to warm up and dry out.  Back on trail tomorrow.
Date: 2022-05-08
To: Eagles Nest Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: light rain

Fast Eddie was outside and waiting in his mustang at 8.30 to take Gazelle and I back to the trail.   This trip was hair raising as he was keen show us what the wild horse could muster. I was less keen. A hundred yards up the trail and Gazelle had a sharp pain in his Achilles. I offered to take it slow but he said to hike on and he¢d take it easy.I have a habit of hiking 4 hours straight each morning to try knock a good few miles off the day¢s total out of the blocks. I snack at the 2 and 3 hour mark but don¢t stop.  At 4 hours I check how I am doing and generally keep going until I have more than half and often two thirds of the day¢s miles underfoot.  This allows me to plod in the afternoon and - rocks permitting - enjoy looking for wildlife. I was a bit low through the morning.  The 21 miles in heavy rain and the sameness of the Pennsylvania scenery were getting to me. Plus the rocks for which PA is renown make it hard to ever look up, so I¢ve spent a lot of time looking at my feet!In checking at four hours, I¢d made rapid progress and only had 5 miles to go to the night¢s shelter. This lifted my spirits and I found a great spot by a stream for a longish lunch. The afternoon was a relative stroll, despite more rocks which are murderous and require a lot of concentration. Thankfully, my falls have been the result of slipping in mud.  A fall on the jagged rocks here would not be pleasant. So I take great care on every boulder field, of which there are many to cross. If you see rocks ahead, the AT will go straight over them!The shelter was 0.3 miles down a side trail beyond a gushing stream. The Eagles Nest was empty when I arrived but soon filled up. I shared the shelter with two people, and 4/5 people camped including Gazelle.Gazelle got into camp a long time after me and his Achilles issue seems bad enough to send him off the trail. Sad for him and me as we have been a happy odd couple the last 10 days or so.  I will miss his company.
Date: 2022-05-09
From: Eagles nest shelter

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

Earliest start yet at 5.30, just light enough to see the trail. Early morning in the woods was atmospheric and it reminded me to take time to savour my surroundings and not just chase  miles.  Watching the sun rise through the trees, I saw two white tailed deer springing about, as they do. My goal was to walk 9 miles into Port Clinton, an old coal town with a river and a railway, to pick up a free shuttle to a outdoor outfitters in the nearby town of Hamburg.  The first five miles were easy enough, then I hit rocks that slowed me down and finally a vertiginous descent into town.  At the town¢s hiker pavilion I made myself a coffee before the shuttle pick up to cabellas outdoor store. I¢ve been losing and breaking stuff. I bought new hiking poles, a new rain jacket, a spork, and a penknife plus some dehydrated food for the days ahead. Cabellas was something else. The gear wasn¢t great quality but this was the outdoors at superstore size with a bit of Disney thrown in.  For a second, I thought there really was a waterfall and a bunch of deer at the back of the store!I crossed the business park - not easy on foot in the US - to get to a Starbucks: flat white, a breakfast burger and yoghurt granola. Got the 1pm shuttle back to the hiker pavilion in Port Clinton. I took the steep rocky climb out of town in ¢full burro¢ mode up to ridge. Burro is neither happy nor unhappy, he is simply a beast of burden who plods up hills. He knows and wishes for nothing else. After a rocky ridge walk the trail became a bit kinder and I made the William Furnace Shelter by 6.30. After a long day it was fun to meet a bunch of kids from a Philly school out hiking for a week with their teachers. But after a brief chat to Jedi, another flip flopper, I was ready for the floor of the shelter and bed.  14.7 miles brings me tantalising close but not yet at the 200 mile mark.
Date: 2022-05-10
From: William furnace shelter 

To: Thunderhead Lodge
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: clear sky

Up at 5, out of camp at 6. I had organised a hostel stay for tonight but I had to make a 5pm pick up 20 miles or so up the trail. And I had been told it would be a rocky and testing section. Brutal the word used by other hikers. There was a shortcut ¢blue blaze¢ trail that would have saved me 4 miles but it¢s not the AT and I have set out to walk the AT, so for me the short cut was not an option. Much as the little devil on my shoulder kept suggesting it would make for an easier day. The first section up to the Pulpit and the Pinnacle were easier than advertised by other hikers.  Not too much of a climb for either and only a rocky scramble up the last few metres.  I got some youngsters up at the Pulpit to take a few photos that turned out great with the sunrise behind me. Despite the early start, the easy going and warm sun with a cool breeze had me in elated mood. By the time I stopped for lunch at Dan¢s pulpit after 5 hours of walking, I¢d covered over 11 miles - not bad over rocky terrain.The middle 5 miles down Dan¢s pulpit to the Allentown shelter were perhaps the toughest 5 miles I¢ve done so far. The trail was scattered boulders pretty much the whole way. Ankle bruisers, ankle breakers and heart breakers, every kind of rocky moraine it would be possible to dump and laugh as hikers cry and lick their wounds.I saw my first snakes on the AT, both what locals call Rat Snakes, which are non venomous. The first one was sunning itself right across the trail In front of me, eyeing me up on its right flank and then on its left as I made a wide circle around it.  I ran out of water before I finally reached the Allentown shelter, where sprite and smugness kindly gave me some of theirs before I headed off downhill to the water spring and slogged back up again with it before collapsing in the shelter shade. After Allentown, the rocks ended and it was a gentle two hour walk to the pick up point. Lovely hostel tonight with laundry, shower and breakfast included.