morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2023-04-28
From: Tent site, PA (1091.1)

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park, PA (1105)
Miles today: 13.9

I was up before dawn and had my tent packed up before the rain was scheduled to start at 6 (there is a big premium to packing up a dry tent instead of a wet tent). Right on cue, the rain started at 6:10 and continued through the rest of the day.  It was a cold rain - perfect hypothermia weather if you are not properly equipped.  Instead of the gentle early light filtering through the trees, it was foggy and a bit foreboding. I kept expecting Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf to come tripping through at any moment. Today¢s objective was Pine Grove Furnace State park, 14 miles away and home to a hostel (in an old mansion), the AT museum, and the General Store.  A steady stream of hikers sloshed through the trail to get to the hostel for the evening, dressed in multicolored rain gear, rain pants, rain skirts, and umbrellas. It is hopping tonight with hikers eating, swapping trail intelligence, eating, taking hot showers, eating, and drying their clothing. It is alternately steaming hot due to the cranked thermostat and chilly as the door opens to admit another bedraggled member of this fellowship. One tradition of this fellowship is the Half-gallon challenge, celebrating the halfway point for thruhikers. If a hiker can consume 12 gallon of ice cream in 30 minutes or less, the General Store celebrates the achievement by awarding a small wooden spoon. Seriously - have you ever tried to eat 12 gallon of ice cream? Would you do it to earn a small wooden spoon? You would be surprised by how many thruhikers both make the attempt and succeed. (Not me, by the way. I settled for a pint of cookies and cream). While here, I got a chance to peek into the AT Museum, which houses many of the early artifacts from the founding and development of the trail, as well as profiles of many of the trail¢s legends.It also has some great souvenirs, which I will need to come back for another time - no way I am going to carry additional weight now!Rain is forecast on and off for the next 3 days, but I plan to keep walking. If I were to sit out all the rainy days, I might never get to Maine.
Date: 2023-04-29
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park, PA (1105)

To: Boiling Springs, PA (1124.3)
Miles today: 19.3

Although it was forecast to rain today, we were treated instead to a heavily overcast day - delightful, given that we had just finished drying all of our belongings. However, the fact that a large group had been gathered at the hostel last night, and it is guaranteed to rain tonight and tomorrow, meant that there was likely to be a crowded situation at the Alec Kennedy shelter tonight (capacity 8). Misty webAfter 5-6 miles into the hike, it became apparent that it would not be a strenuous day - mostly gentle, graded trail - so I decided to stretch from the planned 15 miles to the shelter to 19 miles to the town of Boiling Springs, and a hostel. So much for my plans to stick to 12mpd day this first week¢¦°The hike itself played out easily, with the exception of a boulder scramble I had not expected at Whiskey Springs. First time I have had to take off my pack and throw it up to be able to scramble over a boulder. A nice challenge, and a foretaste of things to come further north. I was able to successfully make it the full distance, and celebrated by splitting a pizza with Water Boy at Anile¢s, an excellent establishment in Boiling Springs. Boiling Springs has all the potential to be a charming town - but was not on this particular day. The old ATC regional office (the first building the trail passes, no longer owned by the ATC) has a large ¢condemned¢ sign on it; the beautiful town pond (fed by the eponymous springs) is drained for construction; and today a tree¢s roots had given way and managed to land on top of a car in the town parking lot. Oh well, we all have bad days. The hostel I am staying at tonight is someone¢s shed, which holds 4 rough bunk beds and a small seating area. This is the 2nd time I have done this - and since the group you are with is small and the hostel is effectively an extension of someone¢s home, the experience is highly dependent on the personalities that show up on that particular day. The hosts are very kind, and we joined them and their dogs around their fire pit for several hours. 2 of the other hikers were section hikers but highly experienced, and had great stories. The 3rd was a disappointed thruhiker that needed to get off due to injury, and he received a lot of support. While the hostel is rough, it looks water tight for tonight. Thankfully. (PS - miles left in the hike now 3 digits!)
Date: 2023-04-30
From: Boiling Springs, PA (1124.3)

To: Carlisle, PA (1135.8)
Miles today: 11.5

(Earworm for the day: ¢Raindrops keep fallin¢ on my head¢)Sometimes you get lucky. Okay, perhaps the rain (1.5 in with 100% probability) and forecast thunderstorms didn¢t indicate a particularly auspicious start. Most of the hikers in the area elected to take a zero (except for this little guy).  But today¢s trek was a flat 11.5 mile hike through pastures and woodland, one of the flattest and easiest sections of the entire trail. Having done some of my training on canal paths at home, I knew I should be able to clock 3mph, and that there was a bed and breakfast booked at the other end where I could dry my gear and resupply. I also had zero interest in spending a zero day in someone¢s backyard shed. So I headed out at 7am for a rainy speed walk, sloshing through puddles and mud, barely registering the bucolic beauty of the Cumberland valley farmlands I crossed through, as my head was down to keep the slanting rain off my face. When the rain comes down hard, the trail can turn into a river quickly. The only real choice is to walk through it. Although wearing waterproof coat and pants, I was soaked to the skin within 90 minutes. Outside temps were 52 degrees, but I was walking fast enough that I was just able to keep warm. And then I got lucky. I burst out of the forest onto the trailhead at 11 to find my shuttle driver had arrived early, so I didn¢t need to spend time stamping my feet to stay warm while stationary. He had the temperature cranked up and was sanguine about the water dripped on his floor. The bed and breakfast had just finished cleaning my room and let me check in early (also providing hot chocolate and a chocolate chip cookie). Of course it is possible they checked me in early to get the bedraggled hiker out of their lobby. The room had a bathtub, which I immediately hopped into and soaked in until warm again. I am now lounging in my room with a relaxing afternoon ahead of me: warm, dry, and 11 miles more up the trail. I won¢t always be lucky - sometimes the trail and the weather will throw curveballs at me that I will swing at and miss - but most times, I will take the swing. A final thought about forecasting weather, from The Foxfire book, by Eliot Wigginton, which explored the culture of Appalachia. IT WILL RAIN:within three days if the horns of the moon point down.if leaves show their backs.if cows are lying down in the pasture.if there is a ring around the moon. Count the stars in the ring and it will rain within that many days.if the sun sets with clouds.within three days, if you see a black snake in a tree.if an ant covers the hole to his ant hill.if smoke goes to the ground.the same time the next day, if the sun shines while it rains.if earthworms come to the surface of the ground.if birds fly low.
Date: 2023-05-02
From: Duncannon, PA (1149.5)

To: Peters Mountain Shelter, PA (1160.9)
Miles today: 11.4

It appears that Duncannon never wants you to leave. Most hikers will start the day at Goodies restaurant with an amazing breakfast, enticing you to stay. The standard pancake order is for 3 - I saw one order go by and swiftly changed my order to one. It covered the entire plate (the ¢hiker challenge¢ is for 8).  Then, on your way out of town, you will need to play chicken on the railroad tracks. It is not uncommon for the trail crossing to be entirely blocked by a long, extended line of rail cars. Those buying for a Darwin Award climb over or under these; the more sober minded hike the long way around. Thankfully, I was not blocked today. On your way up the 1000 ft climb out of Duncannon, you are greeted by lush meadows of poison ivy. And at the top of the climb, there is a half mile boulder crawl to navigate. Oh, Duncannon, I will miss you!Other notes from today¢s hike - the climb out of Duncannon took me back up to the Kittatinny Ridge, and wandered back and forth over the ridge for the rest of the day. We passed by the site of a recent forest fire (earlier in April) that had temporarily closed the trail. When it hasn¢t been pouring rain, the fire danger has been posted as high due to the very dry winter and spring in this area. The weather was brooding for most of the day, but there were a number of great views. Temps are forecast to be in the 30¢s tonight, and as I tap this out in the shelter tonight I am wrapped up in a fleece, my down jacket, and my sleeping bag. There are a number of new faces at the shelter, section/flip flop/NOBO. Everyone is gathering around the picnic table for dinner. Kale and quinoa for me tonight!
Date: 2023-05-03
From: Peters Mountain Shelter, PA (1160.9)

To: Rausch Gap shelter, PA (1178.9)
Miles today: 18.0

Now on our 6th day of cold and overcast/rainy weather, it mizzled (misty light rain on and off) for most of the day, with lows at night in the high 30¢s. Clearly, April showers have not yet brought May flowers! However, it was pretty good weather for putting my head down and grinding out a long day.   I was really struck on this trail section by the level of craft displayed by the trail builders and maintainers in this area. Using the abundance of rocks, they have created stone bridges, stone chairs at campsites, stone steps to assist with elevation changes, and stone channels for springs and water flooding to prevent trail erosion. Some of these rocks are massive in weight¢¦the stone bridge piece would have weighed close to 4000 lbs based on its dimensions. I can not imagine how they were put in place. But the artisanship really showed. I bumped into a hiker (Spot) today as he works on his 8th thruhike. His plan this year is to start in PA, hike south to Georgia, then hike from Georgia to Maine. He said he didn¢t want to pay the bus ticket to ride to GA to start so he was going to hike there (!)Tonight at the shelter we had our first fire, having transited out of the fire ban area. The magician who made this happen with wet wood, Logan, is completing the 3rd leg of his triple crown, having already completed the PCT and CDT. From Luxembourg, he is sponsored by multiple organizations as he works to raise money to fight children¢s cancer. The fire was a tremendous morale booster, adding a bit of warmth and light to an otherwise dreary evening. Daytime temperatures are forecast to start rising tomorrow, and we are crossing our fingers for sun by the end of the week.
Date: 2023-05-04
From: Rausch Gap shelter, PA (1178.9)

To: 501 Shelter, PA (1196.4)
Miles today: 17.5

It was wonderful to see the sun rise up over our tenting area this morning. Amazing how much more chatty people were on the trail today. Today was another long haul, but one that sets me up well for the next couple of days. Plus, it brought me to the 501 shelter, unique in that it is enclosed on 4 sides, has a charging station, and wait for it - pizza delivery. The first obstacle today was a beaver dam that has flooded a section of trail.Crossing is possible but tricky, requiring carefully picking your way over semi-submerged, slippery logs for approximately 25 yards. With the temperature at 40 degrees, the consequences of falling into the water were obvious. There will be a lot of this in Maine, so I decided to give it a go, ignoring the dry bypass option. I am happy to report I made it! I basked in the glow of this success for several miles, and got serious cred points from the other hikers this evening. Then, of course, there were lots of rocks, plus 2 boulder fields to pick through. I did wonder, when I saw this tree, just how hungry the woodpecker was. Do woodpeckers get hangry?At the end of the day, though, there was a beautiful view of the surrounding valley. Glad to have successfully hiked another day.
Date: 2023-05-05
From: 501 Shelter, PA (1196.4)

To: Eagles Nest shelter, PA (1211.3)
Miles today: 14.9

It was a festive pizza party last night at the shelter, and several hikers packed out the excess cold pizza for lunch and snacks. But by the time it got to hiker midnight (9pm), everyone was in their sleeping bags and on their way to sleep. It¢s not exactly a wild swinging existence - it is not uncommon for people to crash at 7. The sleep and extra carbs were helpful today. While not especially long (15 miles), today¢s hike was very rocky and slow, and hikers are staggering in with a slightly stunned expression on their faces. The rocks are tearing up shoes and feet - I am now sporting some duct tape on one of my shoes to hold the tread together until Mr. Right meets me tomorrow with my resupply. I managed to execute my first full face plant today, after several weeks of pretty good performance. And, of course, it was not one of the hairy boulder traverses but a stupid little tripping rock. Odds of missing rocks on the way down were low, but fortunately I only ate dirt. A good reminder to stay focused. We will all be hitting Port Clinton tomorrow- me, to catch a ride over the miles I hiked this winter to the Delaware Water Gap, section hikers to finish their sections, and my fellow thruhikers to restock and take showers. Lots of logistics conversations that I can hear through my tent (¢Walmart¢, ¢shuttle to ¢Cabela¢s¢, ¢hostel¢, etc.). I will be seeing some of them up the trail, and look forward to reconnecting. There were some pretty spots today, and lots of water availability. But on this, my penultimate day hiking in PA, I am looking forward to finishing my miles here and entering New Jersey.
Date: 2023-05-06
From: Eagles Nest shelter, PA (1211.3)

To: Port Clinton, PA (1220.6)
Miles today: 9.3

Just as we all settled down in our tents last night for a well-earned rest, the quiet was shattered by the loud ¢hoot-hoot¢ of a barred owl that must have been perched on a branch right above us. I would like to affirm that this owl could hoot, and did so for another 15 minutes before either finding a mate or a mouse to satisfy it. Credit:Kirklandii.comBright and early this morning, I got on my way to hike into Port Clinton to meet Mr. Right, who was going to shuttle me up to Delaware Water Gap (along with his trusty sidekick, our 6 year old dog). It was a short day of hiking, only 9 miles, and I hiked much of it with Ultra who was also looking to meet a ride in Port Clinton. The weather was beautiful - such a nice change from last week - and the conversation made the miles fly by quickly. We also bumped into Just Ron, who was getting picked up by Mrs. Ron (did I mention all the logistical conversations yesterday?).Rocks, of course, today, but no worse than previous days. There were two hurdles to overcome: a very steep drop off into Port Clinton (thank heavens it was dry and I had good trekking poles) and crossing another active railway (4 tracks total). A short stroll into town and then - Pennsylvania was done!Sadly, we got some updates on other hikers we had been hiking with, all off trail for relatively minor issues that had turned big: one hiker who, after making it 18 miles through rocks tripped on a root 25 yds from the shelter and ended up in the ER with a concussion and skull/facial lacerations; one hiker whose blisters had become infected, growing into cellulitis that has required foot surgery; and a final hiker whose plantar fasciitis grew to the point that she could no longer continue. All of these hikers were warriors who would have conquered the mountains, but had to leave the trail before they got the chance. It is a very humbling reminder just how much luck has to do with succeeding.  As I had a couple of extra minutes before my pickup, I wandered down to Frank¢s barbershop, an iconic stop on the trail in this area. A combination of old town barber (2 barbers, 4 customers milling around), antique and numismatic shop, and town square, this little slice of heaven also offers a generous welcome to AT hikers (snacks, coffee, tips, shuttles, charging, and a place to take a load off). I was totally charmed by the entire experience, and would have loved to spend an afternoon there as a fly on the wall. My husband arrived with lunch (to match a hungry hiker), my resupply, and gave me a lift to DWG. Tonight I am looking forward to a night of jazz at the Deerfield Inn before heading into NJ.
Date: 2023-05-07
From: Delaware Water Gap (1296.9)

To: Millbrook-Blairstown Rd, NJ (1310.9)
Miles today: 14.0

Today¢s hike was a joy. I awoke refreshed after a night in a real bed, having delighted in the jazz performance the evening before. Deer Head Inn is the oldest continuously running jazz club in the country, and last night¢s ensemble was excellent and the crowd enthusiastic. Note to other hikers in the DWG area - the cover is only $20, call for reservations. If you are in town Thursday-Sunday, it is totally worth it. The weather was perfect for hiking: sunny, slightly breezy, and in the high 60¢s - low 70¢s. The hike started by crossing the Delaware, then climbed back up to the ridge line, passing by Dunnfield Creek on the way. As I had a relatively short (14 mile) hike planned for the day, I was able to pause and actually read some of the interpretive signage along the way. Bet you didn¢t know the state fish for New Jersey is the trout. I grew up in NJ, and I sure didn¢t. Sunfish Pond sits at the beginning of the ridge line, the first glacial lake on the AT as it heads north. As a youngster, Scouting and school groups would come up here, and it was interesting to see it with adult eyes. I perched at an outlook above the lake for a snack, and heard bird calls from a blue jay, downy woodpecker, eastern towhee, scarlet tanager, and the oven bird who seems to have been following me for 2 weeks (it is the most common bird call I encounter). The ridge line was beautiful, opening up in a number of places to 180 degree views and at Raccoon Ridge, to a 360 degree view, certainly the finest of the last 2 weeks. Many day hikers were out today, and I was stopped a number of times with questions about thru hiking. I dawdled along the way, taking photos of critters, stopping for lunch at the AMC Mohican Center, and checking out a fire tower (it had a no trespassing sign on it so of course I didn¢t climb it¢¦). All in all - one of the best days hiking in a while. I was able to get lost in the outdoors and make progress along the AT at the same time. Magic.
Date: 2023-05-08
From: Millbrook-Blairstown Rd, NJ (1310.9)

To: Gren Anderson shelter, NJ (1328.5)
Miles today: 17.6

Today was my second full day in New Jersey and, while not as spectacular as yesterday, was a pretty hike. NJ has only 72 miles of trail, hugging the northern border of the state, so I should be done with it this week. The southern half continues along the Kittatinny Ridge that I walked in PA and also continues with the rocks - although there were a couple of stretches today that were blessedly free.  NJ also has the highest density of black bears on the trail, and I saw one today (an adolescent), scampering across the road before I could get a picture. It was a good day for wildlife (and inferred wildlife), as I passed by evidence of beaver activity and watched soaring hawks again on my break on a cliff. On the other hand, it was a bad day for wildlife, as insect populations (primarily gnats) exploded, hovering in a cloud around my face. There have been tick reports, so the nightly tick checks have started. Temperatures have warmed, a real blessing in the evening but not during the day. I underestimated how much fluid I would need and ended up pretty thirsty before finding a stream to refill. Warming temps also mean the May wildflowers are starting to sprout. I saw cypress sturge and carpet bugle today. I woke tired today, so had to buckle down to get the 18 miles done I had planned  I am sharing the shelter site tonight with No Steps, who is a German section hiker that I think hikes the same pace that I do - and she also looked beat. I am sure I will see her again. Dinner tonight was mushroom risotto with salmon and Parmesan cheese. Not too bad!
Date: 2023-05-09
From: Gren Anderson shelter, NJ (1328.5)

To: Secret Shelter, NJ (1364.8)
Miles today: 18.3

Today¢s hike, again an 18 miler, provided a bit more variability than yesterday, and included ¢High Point¢, the highest spot in NJ, which had 360 views of the countryside. Once past High Point, the PA rocks finally stopped (note that this was ¢ of the way into NJ!).  The trail included green tunnel, pastures, and beaver bogs. I was amused to see that the beavers had chewed ¢ of the way through each of these trees, which looked like they might come crashing down if their own accord in a gentle breeze. It was quiet again on the trail - very few day hikers, and the NOBO and Flip Flop bubbles are a couple of days behind. There are only 3 of us at the shelter tonight. To pass the time, I listened to an audiobook recording of Neil degrasse Tyson¢s ¢Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. ¢. Which, honestly, I understand about 1 word in 3. But it is a wonderful juxtaposition to be thinking about the cosmos and the speed of light while traveling the earth one step at a time. I am staying at the ¢Secret Shelter¢, an unofficial stopover on the private property of a former thruhiker. It has a small cabin as well as abundant tenting space in a pasture (which is where I am now). Stuff like this happens all the time; yesterday, I received a free shuttle ride from a section hiker. The connection to the trail remains very strong for its alumni, many of whom try to pay it forward to help others to succeed. Tomorrow the trail character changes significantly as we enter the Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge, which is supposed to be beautiful. I am looking forward to it.
Date: 2023-05-10
From: Secret Shelter, NJ (1346.8)

To: Vernon, NJ (1360.4)
Miles today: 13.6

Surprisingly, temps dropped to the high 30¢s again last night, making the sleeping slightly chilly. The only good news was that the ticks, climbing the side of the tent, apparently don¢t like cold weather either and gave up the effort by morning. On this, the last full day in New Jersey, the trail kept me entertained most of the day. The sun was shining, the trail was smooth, the overlooks were pleasant, and the signage was amusing.This section of NJ is lower-lying, and traverses a lot of boggy/swampy ground. Boardwalks or planks were the order of the day in many places. The trail itself wove through the Wallkill National Wildlife refuge, a swampy ecosystem that was swarming with bird life (particularly blackbirds) - and I think I also spotted some otters. Shortly afterwards, there was a mile long boardwalk section through the Pochuck wetlands. Kudos to the trail designers (and maintainers) for creating such an innovative trail experience. I ended the day at Mitch¢s Hot Dog stand and Heaven Hill Farm (for ice cream) a couple of short steps off the trail on Route 94. I bumped into several hikers with the same idea, including another Flip Flopper, Viking. Finishing New Jersey is bittersweet. I grew up here and didn¢t leave until graduating college. I had many outdoor experiences - Sunfish Pond, Stokes State Forest, the Great Swamp, the Jersey shore - and I have really enjoyed reliving those memories over the past few days. I am taking a couple of days off for a personal commitment. When I return, I will enter New York, which has the reputation for being challenging. I plan to be ready.