morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-05-09
From: James Fry Shelter

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 26.3
Weather: clear sky

I woke up at 0100 and couldn't go back to sleep. I swear I'm developing insomnia here. I tried to go back to sleep but only dozed fitfully. I woke up for real again at 0500 and up when an alarm went off at 0600. I stepped by about 0730.The Trail today was nice. The first section was quite flat, then an extensive boulder hopping portion that was super fun to jump around on. I got to the signage directing people around, and took the blue blaze trail out to White Rock - great views. I returned to the trail and hiked up to the old AT midpoint (cool sign), then down and into the Cumberland Valley. That valley is huge, replete with lots of corn fields. I was kind of annoyed by all of the seemingly unnecessary detours through farmland - I was starting to hurt. I got into Boiling Springs and met up with the crew, who had stopped for lunch. I ended up picking up some HEET and some Tylenol PM from the convenience store, then went to the ATC building and charged my phone. I left for Darlington shelter - a 13 mile walk - around 1315. I listened to Hamilton the whole time - it's my power music. Walking rapidly became just painful halfway through this stretch. I guess I took the first 20 miles way too aggressively. The last 6 were hell. So many aches and pains - Achilles Tendon, tendon atop the foot, IT band, knees... so much pain. And then the last mile was up a mountain. I pushed through in significant pain and got to the shelter in time to grab floor space - I daresay that climb was a trail of tears. I shook it off, settled in and took my sweet time going through the motions. A guy showed up with trail magic while I was cooking- cookies, a few sodas, and Dixie cups. He had lots of local trail knowledge too. He was a super friendly guy and he offered to drive us around tomorrow too. At his advice, I booked a room at a the Red Roof Inn in New Buffalo to recover... I'm taking my time sweet time tomorrow too, and chilling in Duncannon against Slider's advice - supposedly, it's a hiker vortex. I'm in too much pain, and I want to write, plus the hotel has free wifi and I can charge all my shit. Oh, and shower and sleep well. So uh... James Fry to Darlington Shelter, 26.3 miles. First trail marathon. Last for a good while.
Date: 2016-05-10
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Duncannon
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up to a stunningly beautiful sunrise at Darlington Shelter - compensation for that climb. I got up, pulled the plug on my air mattress, pissed, came back to the shelter, blew my air mattress back up, and got back into my bag. I really walked against my better judgment; I should have taken a zero right there. Alas, peer pressure has a say. Instead, I walked down off the mountain, then through a beautiful valley, then back up into and over a mountain (very rocky - hurt myself here), before I reached Hawk Rock overlooking Duncannon. I kinda flip flopped with White Rabbit for a bit, though she ultimately passed me. At Hawk Rock, I met a couple hiking south, as well as a local writer. I talked writing with the writer for a bit, then we split ways. One of my aspirations is to publish, so I enjoyed that conversation a good bit. Getting down to Duncannon was a bitch. The trail consisted of lots of stone steps - my vision of hell at the moment - leading down to flat stony pathways, then more stone steps. Worst of all was the routing of the AT up the side of the mountain when there was a perfectly good trail continuing down... but I took it because I'm a stubborn purist. I eventually got to the Doyle, saw Doc Trails, Rain Man, etc, and explained what happened. I stuck around for a meal, picked up my resupply package from the post office, then called my hotel to pick me up ($10 pick up and drop off). The Red Carpet Inn is probably 300 meters from a Burger King; I walked 900 meters along the highway in my compromised state to go to Lumberjack Kitchen (and not eat at Burger King). I ordered a steak with green beans and sweet potato fries and promptly ate it all. I walked back, watched a few videos, poured the morning's grains into my newly liberated peanut butter jar with some water, then went to bed. Though I'm sensitive to irregular noise at night, I didn't even care about the highway noise - a real bed!
Date: 2016-05-11
From: Duncannon

To: Duncannon
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I woke up around six - awesome sleep. My ody was still sore, and I lounged a good bit. I even turned on the heat. I wasn't doing much until the owner came by to ask when I wanted a ride into town, then I noticed my beanie cap was missing. I called Lumberjack to confirm my cap was there, walked to Lumberjack to pick it up, picked up my hat, then walked back. That bum knee is still painful. I got a lift to the CVS at 1030. While there, I picked up Tylenol, Tylenol PM, ibuprofen, and ear plugs - I'm moving into the Doyle today. I walked across the plaza to the grocery store in search of my favored chocolate (Germany has spoiled me). I searched high and low for Ritter Sport but came up empty handed. I did pick up some CIBs, some jerky, chocolate milk, an apple, Fritos, Ghiaradelli chocolate - sea salt and almond: SEA SALT in big bold letters. Walked outside to start walking to the Doyle, got offered a ride as soon as I'd hit the pavement, took it. The guy, Dosu Kinuta, hiked the AT last year and was heading down to Damascus for Trail Days. He took me to the Doyle, and we both drank a beer before he continued on. We're now Facebook friends so he can track my movement and hook me up in Maine - sweet. I checked into the Doyle then went to the post office to pick up my shirt - I'd ordered a long sleeve thing as part of my sun survival plan (no sunscreen!). Nothing. I'll go tomorrow. On the way back, I stopped by the pizza place and ordered a medium ham and pineapple. It was huge, and I ate it all. I walked back to the Doyle and took a nap. Tried the SEA SALT chocolate. Not even a hint of sea salt. Suppose I'll try another square. FaceTime with my boo - he got his Apple Watch today. Love my hubby, such a kind soul. Trying to find things to keep me sane while I heal. Reading The Lord of the Rings. Went down to the bar around 7 for dinner, met up with Chip and Backbone - a bunch of veteran hikers there en route to Damascus for Trail Days too. Caught up with Amy, Elliott, Ben, and Mike over the course of the evening, also watched a trail documentary of the CDT that Jester, a Triple Crowner, had made - pretty awesome. They had homemade cookies and everything, and these guys went out of their way to make me feel welcome. It was so refreshing, bum knee and all.
Date: 2016-05-12
From: Duncannon

To: Duncannon
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up with no knee pain and showered and carried my pack downstairs in anticipation of resuming my hike today. I ate breakfast at Goodie's, during which time my knee acted up again. I took an ibuprofen 800 with breakfast (yay army), then walked to the post office with my pack on. Pain. I picked up the shirt that I'd ordered two days hence and walked back to the Doyle to wait for the doors to open so I could check in for another night. I was doing some stretches for my knee when Backbone came down and said hello. Shortly thereafter, Sooner or Later, a wild child minister from New Hampshire showed up, and he and I talked all of this prepper stuff until the bar opened at 1100. He's got a homestead up in northern New Hampshire that I'd just love to see. I lounged around until 1600 waiting for a ride up to Rite Aid for a brace for my knee - the road up the store does not accommodate but the most daring pedestrians. I started reading The Fellowship of the Ring with my leg up on a chair. Precious One, a flip-flop hiker wearing an I Love Jesus hat (triggered my heeby-jeebies, it did), helped assess my knee and treat it by massaging rubbing alcohol into the inflamed area - that worked wonders. She recommended that I pick up and intermittently wear a knee brace. Meanwhile, a bunch of clowns at the bar tried to give me a trail name - Lego (because of Little Loc), Flame (because I'm a gay ginger), FedEx (because I'm a professional logistician). None stuck. Chip bought me a beer and also suggested that I take the blue blaze route out of town, as it is smoother than the AT - I really appreciated that, though I'm a purist at heart and disinclined to detours of convenience. I downloaded three episodes of Band of Brothers on Amazon and watched the first at bedtime. I fell asleep around 2200 - I will be pressing forward tomorrow, this vortex be damned.
Date: 2016-05-13
From: Duncannon

To: Yellow Springs Campsite
Miles today: 25.0
Weather: few clouds

I woke up around 0630 and was out by 0730. I hiked to the first shelter out of town and up a hill, Clark's Ferry, where I met Toast and Dill, two thru-hikers. I talked with them while I ate a snack and stretched, then pushed on. I reached the parking lot for Peter's Mountain around 1100 and started in on the miles to that shelter. It began to rain. It began to rain hard. I booked the miles to the viewpoint, which is a mile from the shelter. The rain stopped, dissipating as quickly as it arrived. Thoroughly saturated, I was having flashbacks to last week - I thought about pitching my tarp over the face of the shelter and huddling for the night. The thought of descending three hundred stone steps to reach the spring dissuaded me from any further consideration. It urns out that the shelter had been recently torched, and an AT volunteer was there with a camera to document the damages when I showed up. We got to talking, and I had lunch. He, Jeff, had built the shelter and its beautiful stone steps to water (that I never saw). He was visibly distraught by the wanton arson that had damaged the shelter and asked if I knew anything about the hiker who had put out the flames; I did not. Toast and Dill showed up. We all talked, piecing together bits of the story on the sooty floor. I left around 1315, aiming to make it to the next shelter, 17 miles away (I had already done 11 - knee be fine). I ended up doing 25 miles today, pulling just short of the next shelter. Joy of joys, the sun came out and dried all of my clothes as I walked. Hiking with the brace felt fine too. As the afternoon progressed, I began to suspect dehydration, as I was a bit sluggish around 1700. I ate a Clif bar and drank some water then, rejuvenated, pushed on. I arrived at my campsite, an old mining settlement, around 1900, and set up my tarp for the first time. I threw my bear bag up using the jumble of hemp cord in the trail register box and prepared dinner. As I was beginning to eat dinner in the failing light, a military vet showed up with his poncho over his pack, secured with an orange PT belt. It was ODB! I'd been looking for him for a few days. I caught up with him over dinner - good dude. Water was an issue today - sparse - so I carried an extra 2L for the last 4 miles of my hike. It was worth it. I think I'm still dehydrated. I've got a liter and a half for tomorrow morning, which is adequate to carry me to the next source. Tomorrow, I'm doing 22 miles to make it to the 501 shelter. Solar shower. Mmm.
Date: 2016-02-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

In 1976 my brother and I hiked through Mahoosuc Notch, up over Mahoosuc Arm ending the day at Speck Pond where we met two NOBO thru hikers. They talked to us about the Appalachian Trail and about the hike that they started in Georgia at Springer Mountain. They showed a passion for the Appalachian Trail, the beauty of the Appalachian Mountain chain, the states that the trail winds through and the difficulty of a 2181 mile hike. From that moment on, I was hooked and have had a yearning to hike the AT that has only grown stronger with each passing year. Somewhere in my 50's, I realized that if I didn't make plans to hike the trail soon, I never would, and would look back on my life with the emptiness of a dream unfulfilled. For a number of years, my target has been 2017 at which time I would retire from a career in computer technology. This past year the company that I work for announced that it was going to be acquired by Dell. Shortly after the announcement they offered me a voluntary separation, which I prefer to think of as an Appalachian Trail support agreement. My last day at work will be March 31st.While it's going to take me a few months to prepare for a SOBO thru hike, I look forward to taking the first step of a life long dream. On June 28, 2016 I will climb Mt Katahdin, and begin to focus my attention on the 100 mile wilderness and what lies beyond.
Date: 2016-06-27
To: Mt Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Following my last day at work on March 31st, I had great expectations on two fronts - prepare for my AT thru hike with the hope that I would be close to being in great hiking shape, and wrap up a big section of the siding project that I have been working on for a number of years. I started a training regiment earlier in the year running 4-6 miles 4-5 times a week, but got shin splints for the first time in my life (I think it was a result of the statins I was taking). That stopped my running, but I was still able to hike and walk, so I started to take Wilson and Harley on 5-6 mile walks with my fully loaded backpack. Also went on a few hikes along the way including the Lahaina-Pali Trail and a hike thru the Haleakala Crater on Maui, along with a hike up Mt St Helens. I usually gauge my hiking shape by how much jiggle I have in my butt and belly - was hoping to have close to none, but I'm still packing a whole lot of jelly butt. Tomorrow, June 28th I start my AT hike with 8 days of food to get thru the 100 mile wilderness. Will post an update after that stretch from Monson.
Date: 2016-07-01
From: white house landing

To: Cooper Brook Falls
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: scattered clouds

With a great breakfast to get me started I was ready to get started. I had hung my tent on a line to dry the previous evening, washed my hiking clothes and hung them too. Tent dry but not clothes so I moved them down to the dock in the sun while I ate breakfast. With everything dry, I was packed up and ready to go at 8:30. Bill shuttled me back to the dock on a calm flat lake. Had a chance to talk to Bill for a while and learn a little about the landing. Hiked the 2 tenths snack to the AT to a sunny morning. Bill let me know that a storm was moving in, so I wanted to stay in a lean-to if possible tonight. The trail to Cooper Brook Fallls is nice, some roots and rocks, but mostly loamy and piney trail - just what I needed. My feet and shoulders were still sore but not too bad. It was a glorious day to be hiking in the wilderness. There was some rolling up and down with one small mountain to go over and a slight up hill climb to Cooper Brook. Met a young couple about 10 miles into the day and told them about the landing. He asked how far - about 10 miles from here, weather for the business card pinned to the tree under the MATC landing sign. He replied "we are going farther than that". She gave him a cold look and replied " no we are not". Something going on there, started walking again and said have a nice day. Later met two young gals that were section hikers who started in Vermont, Fiddle Head and Fainting Goat. They were cute with a really nice smile. The were hiking in skirts and used over size cat socks with the bottoms cut off as gators to keep the trail crud from getting in your shoes - will have to remember that one. Ate lunch at a dirt road with a bridge crossing a stream. Sat on a large rock over looking the water, nice. Before Cooper Brook Falls I crossed a number of streams and saw a number of dragon flys with electric green and turquoise bodies and deep black wings that were more like butterfly wings vs the traditional dragon fly wing. They were beautiful. The last 4 miles to the lean-to were good, but my feet and shoulders were starting to ache more and was glad to get to the falls and find a spot open for me in the shelter. Got there around 4, got settled in with my pad and sleeping bag, and went for a swim in the pool at the base of the falls along with a bunch of Nobo's and a few others staying at the camp site. Got dinner ready, ate and was in my sleeping bag by 8. Hung my food on the mouse lines in the lean-to, but no mice. Almost a perfect day on the AT.
Date: 2016-07-02
From: Cooper Brook Falls

To: Sidney Tappan Campsite
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It rained hard during the night so I was glad to have been in a lean-to instead of my tent. Forgot to take Advil before hitting the sack and didn't sleep all that well. Hips are sore and rolled around on in my sleeping bag all night. Up at about 5:30, oatmeal and coffee for breakfast and out on the trail by 6:45. The day was looking to be nice, but showers was in the forecast. The trail was nice up to East Branch lean-to which is where I stopped for lunch. Met a father and son hiking the wilderness along the way. Dad was parched with 84 degrees and sunny at this point. I gave him a two day supply of Nuun tablets and said the he needed to replenish his electrolytes. I learned that lesson hiking the Wonderland trail a few years ago. At East Branch I met Paladin, a Nobo and talked to him for a while. Had sardines for lunch, some chapotle lime beef jerky, dried mango slices and almonds, washing it down with Nuun. I found that sardines and the chapotle jerky isn't a good combo, keep repeating spicy sardine for a few hours. Thinking about that I slipped on a root and went down. I've been falling from slippery rocks and roots about two to three times a day. It did power me up the 2500' over White Cap Mtn though. Weather started to change on my way up White Cap. This is a pretty big mountain with krumholtz at the top. Climbing White Cap was a chore with endless stone stairs for a good portion of the way. You would climb up a section and the trail would divert left or right to more stairs. This happened a gazillion times. Eventually the trees grew shorter and disappeared after a while, but as the trees transitioned away, the wind grew stronger and it was getting cold. Clouds were moving in starting to obstruct the view. It was getting late in the afternoon so I hurried down the other side of White Cap to Hagas Gulf and the Sidney Tappan camp. Two gals in there 20's were there - the swimming girls. Started to set up my tent and yes, it started to rain again. My timing hasn't been great so far for this activity. This time it remained a light rain and I was able the keep most of my stuff somewhat dry. Swapped stories with the swimming girls while I made dinner. Called it a night with the sun going down at 8:30 and slept moderately well.
Date: 2016-07-04
From: Cloud Pond Lean-to

To: Monson
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Sorry for not staying up to date on blog. My aunt is turning 95 and my cousin is throwing her a party on July 24th. Got the invite one week before I flew out to Bangor. I've been rushing and passing my days off to get to a place in New Hampshire where I can get a shuttle to Manchester to rent a car to drive to the party. Haven't seen my aunt for 20 years or so and want to make it. Got up around 5:15 at cloud pond lean-to with the kids in the shelter still cutting logs. Cooked breakfast, oatmeal and coffee, and was out by 6:30. Day starts with a climb up and over Barren Mt, which gives you a nice view looking south. The climb down Barren was steep and long and puts you into Wilson Valley where there are a number of shale ridges and a series of magnificent waterfalls. I met happy feet, a forty-fifty year old woman who is also a Sobo. We hiked on and off together and took a break in the afternoon at the last shelter before Monson. Pulled water, ate something and was ready to go. Happy Feet was talking to a Nobo at the shelter and asked me to wait for her at the road for the shuttle into Monson. I didn't say yes or no. It was getting on in the afternoon and i didn't want to get into mondo too late. This was another long 18 miles for me and I was tired. Got to the road before 7 pm and waited 15 minutes before I called Shaw's boarding hours fora shuttled ride - no Happy Feet yet. Shuttle arrived at 7:30 and when I was putting my pack in the SUV happy feet waked up - good timing. Shaw's is run but two past thru hikers - The Poet and Hippy Chick, both very nice. Showered, ate a dinner of trail food and headed for bed. Bunk room had me, Hsppy Feet, and Swiss Miss. Swiss Miss is a section Nobo and very nice gal. She talks with an Irish accent and learned English in Ireland. Swapped stories for a while and called it a night. Tomorrow would be another long day with a few chores before the trail. Throughout the wilderness, I past a lot o ponds and lakes, they were beautiful, but what made them really special was the chorus of loons and frogs every night. It was magical. There were toads everywhere and a lot of garter snakes. Every once in a while a snow hare and grouse with chicks, but no moose yet.
Date: 2016-07-05
From: Monson

To: Moxie Bald Lean-to
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

Got up around 6 am and got ready for a hugh breakfast of coffee, eggs, home fries, bacon, and an endless supply of blueberry pancakes. It was great and a lot of fun chowing down with a bunch of thru hikers. Out to the post office to pick up my mail drop after doing the laundry packed up and was ready to shuttle back to the trail before 10:30. Shaw's is a thruhikers staple coming into and leaving the 100 mile wilderness. Weather was good and trail looke somewhat level with moderate climbs to Moxie Bald, so I was intent on the 18 miles. Powered by the breakfast I was moving pretty well until I hit a few sections with endless round boulders. They were ankle busters and really had on my feet. Picked up my first blister here, a big painfull one on my left heel. Had a river ford along the way where I pulled water and met Mr Potato Head, a 61 year old Sobo with the same birthday as mine. He is a tall thin man and decided that he does' like hiking alone. He also fishes along the way and has been eating fresh caught trout. Got to the shelter at 6:30 so it ended being a fast 18. Set up my gear in the lean-to, cooked dinner and carried it down to the lake, which was absolutely gorgeous. Powder Puff and Hunger Pains were there soaking there feet. I did the same looking out over the Lilly pads on the lake edge. There were a number of flat rocks right there perfect for sitting and enjoying the view. While eating dinner a beaver swam by munching on the Lilly pads, another special moment on the AT. Saw a frog eat a moth as the sun set and called it a night. At this shelter, the mice were active and acrobatic. Watched them try to navigate the mouse sheild contraptions in the shelter during the night. My food bag was ok, but one mouse got to Hunger Pains bag. I sent him 20 feet by smacking him with my headlamp. Not a great night sleep, but a great day. On to Caratunk tomorrow.