morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-06-04
From: Old South Mountain Inn/ Turners Gap

To: Ensign Cowall Shelter/Free State Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: light rain

Wed June 4By the way, I am in Maryland now! Melissa dropped me off about 530AM at the trail so she could get back to Baltimore to catch her flight back home to Austin. I waited around the Inn for awhile for it to lighten up, but apparently not long enough. After less than a hundred yards it was so dark I thought I was going to have to get my headlamp out.Got to the Washington Monument and it started to rain. Luckily I was able to duck inside the monument until the rain blew over. By the time I made it to Annapolis Rocks it had cleared up some, so I went the .2 miles to see the view and have lunch. An hour later it started clouding back up and I was walking over rocks instead of a trail. Crossed MD Rte 17 and saw sign for Free State Hiker Hostel, but since I had only been out one day, I went to Ensign Cowall Shelter. I noticed 2 men already at the shelter. One I had already met. I knew that he was one of the homeless men hiking (mostly hitching) the trail. I soon found out that the other man was also homeless. Red flag went up. I noticed a paper bag with a fifth of vodka in it. Red Flag. At that pointSnake showed up...I never thought I was so happy to see a guy named Snake, but I was. I now have a whole new appreciation for Snake and his hiking partner Whitefish. It began to thunder and soon pouring rain with lighting to boot. As soon as it's over Snake asks me if I'm going to the next shelter, or back to the road and up to the hostel. I say, "To the Hostel". THANKS SNAKE. I meet Peak Axe and his dad at the road and tell them about what's going on at the shelter, so they decide to go to the hostel also. I ask them if they've seen Lady and Tramp and they told me they were about 15 minutes or so behind. I waited at the road to let them know I was going to the hostel, and why. They decide to go as well. Met a section hiker, Mattie, who is working on her master's thesis on hiking the AT. If anyone is interested in helping her out with experiences, thoughts, readjustments back into what everyone else considers the real world after your thru hike, or any AT related stories email her at jmatt16@lsu.edu
Date: 2008-06-05
From: Ensign Cowall Shelter/Free State Hiker Hostel

To: Deer Lick Shelters
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: broken clouds

Thurs June 4At one time there was a marker for the Mason-Dixon survey line. It's not there anymore, so we missed the cut off line from the south to the north. Also there was no marker letting us know when we left Maryland and entered Pennsylvania. From what I hear now we really hit the rocks, although I've seen and stumbled over quite a few the last couple of days already. Made it to the shelters and was a little disappointed. Let's just say that drainage issues were not considered in the placement. There was mud everywhere which usualy means mosquitoes, and it did definitely mean mosquitoes. I used the 100% deet that I had been avoiding out of fear of growing an extra appendage or something else equally unsightly and unpleasant. I already am concerned that I might have poison ivy, which has never bothered me before, but I am rather itchy and ruby red in areas. Oh,the joys of the trail.
Date: 2008-06-06
From: Deer Lick Shelters

To: Quarry Gap Shelters
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Fri June 6Went through Caledonia State Park and stopped and drank a Sprite, a Tea, and a bottle of water. I think I might have been a little parched. Quarry Gap Shelters were the cleanest best maintained shelters on the trail. The maintainer whose name I sadly have forgotten, has done a tremendous job in the design, building, and upkeep of these shelters. He even planted flowers. As of yet, there hasn't even been any graffiti, hopefully there wont be.
Date: 2008-06-07
From: Quarry Gap Shelters

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Sat June 7thGot to the Ironmasters Mansion and couldn't check in until 5PM. Went to the general store, but did not attempt the half gallon challenge. Walked back up the hill with 2 Gatorade's, and bottled water, and saw that Lady and Tramp had arrived at the Mansion. We sat around and after awhile Mangy Mo, Peak Axe, Peak Axe's dad, and Mattie squished in from the lake. Eventually we all got checked in and then I went back to the General Store for a cheeseburger and a pint of ice cream (chocolate of course) although after the cheeseburger, couldn't even finish the pint. After Peak Axe mentioned going to Gettysburg the next day, I started considering a zero day to visit the museum, and possibly go to a pharmacy to get something for my rash/poison ivy/whatever the hell it was that was really getting out of control and entirely aggravating.
Date: 2008-06-08
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Ironmasters Mansion
Miles today: 0.0

Sun June 8thZero Day! So...Peak Axe's dad arranges for a shuttle (costly that is) to Gettysburg. We (me, Peak Axe, Peak Axe's dad, and Mattie) get dropped off at the museum. After about an hour and a half reading about men from the same families pitted against each other for the question over why we thought the right to enslave a race and treat them worse than animals is beyond me. All the death caused from a ridiculous rich white men's notion that they were entitled to own another human being and decide their role and fate in life. What bizarre and utter bullshit. After the depression passed anger set in, so I had to leave. I guess Mattie was ready to be somewhere else, so we took a trolley into town. Found Rite Aid and then got something to eat. We were in the wrong place to catch the trolley, so we had to walk a mile or more back to the museum, hence we were a little late getting back and had to pay extra on top of the overpriced shuttle. Oh well, live and learn. Later back at the mansion, said goodbye to Peak Axe, and his dad who finished their section hike.
Date: 2008-06-09
From: Ironmasters Mansion

To: Alec Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: clear sky

Mon June 9Things change quite a bit from one or two days to the next. For instance, in Virginia before Catawba I wondered aloud to Lady if the trees were ever going to leaf out. A couple of days later, the trees were bursting forth with the greenness of spring. This time there was a change of the forest being rather quiet and healthy to noisy and infested by untiring eating machines. The gypsy moth caterpillers had emerged and were eating their way through almost every leaf on every tree in the forest. It was so bad that it sounded like a steady rainshower falling down, but was actually the sound of caterpillars poop falling down. Pretty disgusting, I know, I'm thinkful that I wear a cap.After all day of listening to the rain of caterpillar droppings, I am glad to get under the roof of the shelter to escape falling crap pellets. I'm thinking that they have to stop sometime, but I've been way wrong in my assumptions before, and this was one of them. We walked through falling poop and partially eaten leaf bits littering the trail day after day and night after night. Ceaseless munching and pooping. As with everything it eventually did stop. Only to see caterpillar carcasses everywhere. Maybe good fertilizer to offset some of the damage they have done to the trees?
Date: 2008-06-10
From: Alec Kennedy Shelter

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: few clouds

Tues June 10Started out fairly early but not as early as Mattie who had arrived at Alec Kennedy shelter yesterday evening. She packed up and started hiking before it was even light enough to see. I think she was concerned about a knee issue.The trail took us through quite a few open fields and the sun was beating down on me, so I had to keep reapplying sunscreen since I'm still on antibiotics and ultra sensitive to the rays. Went through Boiling Springs, but didn't stop since 18 miles for me is an extremely long day. I caught up to Mattie a couple of miles after Boiling Springs and we both got to the Scott Farm at the same time. It was probably a little after noon and we only had 4 more miles to go so we stopped at the Scott farm, which houses the ATC caretaker and Mid-Atlantic Trail crews. We found a shade tree and had lunch and not long afterwards were taking naps. My first midday nap on the trail....hmmm, I think. Lady and Tramp arrive and rest awhile. We all head out at the same time and arrive at Wolf Trail where the guidebooks say we should get water since the water source at the shelter is unreliable. I carried about 6 lbs of water for a mile to the shelter... that kind of sucked.
Date: 2008-06-11
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Duncannon, PA The Doyle
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: broken clouds

Wed June 11Wow, what can I say about The Doyle. It would definately not appeal to a lot of people, but it has the air of sleazy charm...kind of like ugly sexy. Plus it has a bar with food and great bear on tap. Needless to say we all zeroed there. I was hung over and Tramp really liked it there. The owner was right, you kind of get sucked into the vortex there.
Date: 2008-06-13
From: Duncannon, PA The Doyle

To: Peter's Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Fri June 13Had a almost pleasant hike today with several places where you were not encapsulated in the forest where you had nice views. Arrived at the shelter and was pleasantly surprised. You never really know from one shelter to the next. Some are grand mansions compared to the tiny, dirty shanty structure. The guidebook said the shelter held 12, but you could have easily stuffed 24+ people on the three different levels. It didn't even bother me that I had to walk down a multitude of stone steps. I don't know exactly how many steps, I think the shelter register said that there were 300. I don't think there were that many, but there were plenty. Coming back up was probably the most exerting part of the day. At least the water source was nice and I don't think I even had to treat it. I seem to remember it being a piped spring.
Date: 2008-06-14
From: Peter's Mountain Shelter

To: Swatara Gap, PA Rte 72
Miles today: 23.5

Sat June 14Had to get water from a less that aesthetically pleasing water source today. It was rather rusty looking. I don't know if it was from high iron concentration, or not...but apparently this area had at one time been mined for coal. Whatever it was I would have rather walked down and back up all those steps at Peter's Mountain Shelter repeatedly for a better source. Maybe the aqua mira will bleach some of the color out. As we were coming around a bend in the trail we noticed Downstairs looking at something, when we got closer he pointed out a rather large rattlesnake. It was a lot darker than I expected, and fatter. I'm not particularly fond of snakes, expecially venemous ones, so I was glad it was several feet away. I had originally planned to stop at Rausch Gap Shelter at 17.5 miles, but the guidebook was way off, saying that the shelter held 12, and had no tent sights. When we got there the shelter probably would hold a maximum of 6, maybe 7 if they were all tiny. There were tent sights, but there were weekenders at them. Daddy-O and his crew (the Train) had already mostly filled the shelter. After getting water, I decided to continue on. I found a spot to camp by a stream about 6 miles up the trail. I had just set up my tent, and was building a fire (probably illegal) to keep the mosquitoes away when Lady, Tramp, and Mattie showed up. I hadn't expected any of them, especially Mattie, with her troublesome knee, but I was pretty happy to see them since I was so close to a road, and it was Saturday night. Company was looking very good in this situation!
Date: 2008-06-15
From: Swatara Gap, PA Rte 72

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: few clouds

Sunday June 15Fully enclosed shelter with solar shower. Although the trees pretty much keep the tank in the shade, so it's basically a cold shower, but at least it gets you momentarily thinking that you're clean. Tenderfoot, who I hadn't seen in forever was already there along with his hiking partner Caveman. They have been there a few days so Tenderfoot to recouperate from getting dehydrated after they ran out of water on the trail. Lady, Tramp, Mattie, and I ordered pizza and hot wings from a place that delivered. Later Daddy-O, Peacock, Shadow, Tangent, Pappy, Pippi, Hamburger, and several other hikers that I hadn't met before showed up. That evening Lady found a shuttle service that would take most of the load from our packs up to the outfitters in Port Clinton.
Date: 2008-06-16
From: 501 Shelter

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: clear sky

Mon June 16So, another 23+ mile day, but at least I'm carrying a lighter load over those rocks. The downhill into Port Clinton was incredibly steep and eroded, I was happy not to have 30+ pounds pushing me down the hill. Made it to the outfitter, bought some ice cream and grabbed my pack liner that had some of Lady's stuff in it and carried it up to the pavilion, then went back up to the outfitters to wait for Lady and Tramp. After a while I started getting a little worried because it was getting a little late, and there was a thunderstorm moving in. I decided to walk back up to the trail to find them. As I got up to the river before town I saw them coming in. Luckily they had made it down the damn steep hill before it started pouring. I did get wet on the way back to the pavilion, so we had a pretty cold, wet night, but at least we had a roof to be under. There were probably 15 hikers there that night.
Date: 2008-06-17
From: Port Clinton

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Tues June 17Zero day in Port Clinton to get resupply since my maildrop hadn't come yet...then to Cabela's to get pants and a long sleeve shirt for the chilly nights. Did laundry and then had dinner at the Port Clinton Hotel. Tonight there are even more hikers at the pavilion, but at least it was quieter than last night.
Date: 2008-06-18
From: Port Clinton

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Wed June 18Took a break from hiking at Pulqit Rock and The Pinnacle to climb around on the rocks. Played leap frog with Pippi and Hamburger a couple of times, then they passed me up as we neared the shelter. There was another thunderstorm moving in with several cracks of lightning striking fairly close by the way the hair stood up on the back of my neck. It was close, but I just made it to the shelter before the skies opened up. It was nice to be in a fully enclosed shelter for the night.
Date: 2008-06-19
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Thurs June 19Today we went over The Cliffs, Bear Rocks, and Bake Oven Knob. So THESE are the rocks of PA. Luckily the rocks had mostly dried already from the previous nights rain. It would have sucked royally if we had to climb over slippery boulders. The footing was already on the precarious side. When we got to the Bake Oven Knob shelter there was an Ethiopian man inside. I think it scared him to be in a shelter with 3 women, because he decided to tent after we put our sleeping pads and bags in the shelter.
Date: 2008-06-20
From: Bake Oven Knob Shelter

To: Palmerton, PA
Miles today: 7.7

Fri June 20Had a short hike into Palmerton even with the added mile from the trail head to town. Found the Borough Hall Hostel, unloaded our gear and grabbed all the dirty towels the previous hikers had left and our dirty laundry. Started our laundry at the laundromat right across the street and then walked down a few yards and had lunch at Bert's Steakhouse and Restaurant. This is one of the friendliest hiker towns on the trail. We were all amazed that traffic stopped for us at the crosswalks. Finished laundry and resupplied at the grocery store. Everything you need is within walking distance, except they don't have an outfitter. Everything else is great. While Tramp was getting coffee he met a trail angel that offered to take us to the trailhead the next morning. We were all grateful that we didn't have to walk that mile bakc along the railroad tracks.
Date: 2008-06-21
From: Palmerton, PA, Burrough Hall Hostel

To: Leroy A. Smith Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

Sat June 21I wasn't really looking forward to this hike today. We would be going through teh Palmerton Superfund site where byproducts of the zinc smelting process had dessimated the area. I hung back from everyone else, because sometimes I get upset when I see what destruction greed and ignorance can cause. How are you supposed to feel when you see man's willingness to make a buck by destroying the land that we have to live on. It didn't hit me that hard at first, but with each step I became a little more sorrowful. The barren landscape looked like a bomb had gone off and blown all life to hell. I began to feel sick inside, it was breaking my heart to see the barreness. To me destroying nature takes a little from each of our souls. Maybe that's why we have become so indifferent to everything that exists outside of the borders that surround us...to keep the unknown and uncomfortable at bay. I kept visualizing that old public awareness ad on TV with the crying Native American. I cried along with him every time, just like I was doing now. For awhile in Virginia when it hadn't rained in several days I could smell the parched pine needles. There is a different scent given off by the thirst quenched pine. It smells alive. With the parched pines for that period it was almost as if you could hear the pines saying "send my roots rain". Today maybe the remnants of trees could be saying send my roots hope. In another 100 years maybe the landscape will be seen as it once was. Maybe if humankind will give it that chance. Maybe the trees should be saying, send humankind a clue. When I caught back up to everyone and Mattie and I were discussing the "Dead Zone" she mentioned Tracy Chapman's song "The Rape of the World"Mother of us allPlace of our birthHow we stand asideAnd watch the rape of the worldThis is the beginning of the endThis is the most heinous of crimesThis is the deadliest of sinsThe greatest violation of all timeYou've seen her stripped and mined You've heard the bombs exploded undergroundYou know the sun shines hotter than ever beforeSome claimed to have crowned her a queenwith cities of concrete and steelBut there is no glory no honorIn what results from the rape of the worldShe has been clear-cutShe has been dumped onShe has been poisoned and beaten upAnd we have been witnessTo the rape of the worldIf you look you'll see it with your own eyesIf you listen you will hear her criesIf you care you will stand up and testifyAnd stop the rape of the world
Date: 2008-06-22
From: Leroy A. Smith Shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: light rain

Sun June 22Had originally only planned to go to Kirkridge Shelter which was 13.8 miles, but it started raining early this morning and a dry place and a hot shower was sounding extremely enticing. By the time Mattie and I had climbed down to Wind Gap we were soaked. She called a shuttle to pick her up and take her to Delaware Water Gap. If I was only doing this for research for my masters thesis...I would have done the same thing. The rocks in PA at times have sucked, wet rocks in PA can be slightly dangerous. She waited for her shuttle and I headed back up the trail wondering how bad Wolf Rocks was going to be. The answer to this query was THEY SUCKED. Normal wet rocks are bad enough, but when there's a 45 degree or more angled massive domes of slippery when wet rock, sometimes you have questions pop into your head. Questions like WTF?!! Or, what exactly am I doing here? Or, what sadist laid out this trail and a cornucopia of questions followed by many explitives. Since I had gone the originally planned 13.8 miles to Kirkridge Shelter by a little after noon,I only had 6.4 miles left ...and continued on my way. I got to the Church of the Mountain Hostel at a little before 4PM. Mattie was there along with a multitude of other hikers. It was a little crowded for me, so I decided to try the Deer Head Inn. I had passed it on the way in and thought that it would be nice, but expensive. Since the only other hotel, the Pocono Inn had closed down, it was either pay out the wazoo...or feel crowded. I chose to pay out the wazoo. Actually it wasn't that bad and the room was nice and there was a tub! Well worth the $100+ price tag.Later went back to the church hostel to see if Lady and Tramp had made it in. They hadn't, so I figured they were staying at Kirkridge shelter and would hike in tomorrow. Both Mattie and I were getting hungry so we had a burger and beers at Sycamore Grill...definately one of the better burgers on the trail!
Date: 2008-06-23
From: Delaware Water Gap, PA

To: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Mon June 23rdSince I was a day ahead of schedule I decided to zero. Had breakfast at the Water Gap Diner with Mangy Mo and Mattie. Bought a pair of shorts and another T-shirt at Edge of the Woods outfitter, and tried to get replacement tips for my hiking poles. One had lost the carbide time and the plastic kept getting stubbier and stubbier until all that was left was a nub. Neither one of the outfitters carried replacement parts. Went to the post office for my bounce box and maildrop, went through those, charged my electric doo dads, then went to the Village Farmer for lunch. They had pies upon pies! I thought I had died and gone to heaven, especially now that I'm burning all those calories. I can eat pie! Met Vagabond and Pigeon while there. Visit Vagabond's site The Earth Expedition.com. He is hiking around the world to help raise money to drill water wells in Africa.
Date: 2008-06-24
From: Delaware Water Gap, PA

To: Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: few clouds

Tues June 24Mattie and I got a late start. Went to breakfast and then Mattie had to go to the Post Office. We figured since we had to wait for the PO we might as well wait for the Village Farmer to open and get a pie to have for lunch at Sunfish Pond. We bought a small Dutch apple pie and cookies. It was fun while we were eating all that sugar, but after awhile I felt not so hot. Too much sugar. OK, so I learned by lesson. Note to self: Do not eat apple pie and cookies for lunch!! I guess Mattie was feeling the same, because we seemed to be hiking in slow motion. Lady and Tramp had talked about hiking to some camp that had 2 screened in shelters for thru hikers, but that would have been 17.8 miles, plus it was .6 miles off the trail. By the time Mattie and I got to the road to Mohican Outdoor Center we knew we didn't have a 17.8 mile day in us. We were glad to see Lady and Tramp were at the center when we arrived. Apparently they weren't feeling a 17.8 mile day either. The best news was that there was a shower! Three whole days of having a shower. It really is heaven.
Date: 2008-02-17
To: Signed up for Trail Journals
Miles today: 0.0

I just signed up for Trail Journals because I plan to keep a journal on my hike that everyone can read. I been planing my hike for over a year. Picking up equipment and reading "How To's" along the way. I done many 10-15 mile hike on a nearby trail but haven't camped out. It's getting closer to the start date and I'm feel nervous and anxious, but I'm sure it will wear off after a week on the trail. I plan on going to see family before I start on Feb. 29th so my next entry won't be until the 29th.Please come back and check on my progress from time to time. If you want to contact me you can email me a stovie78@yahoo.com. I get back to you as soon as I'm able to check my email. Wish me luck!