morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-05-14
From: Front Royal Terrapin Station Hostel

To: Whiskey Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: clear sky

We hiked 19 miles today in the sunshine! It was a nice change! I've hiked in the rain so much lately that it has become the norm. I'm hoping today will be the start of a new norm.Tonight, I'm at a brand-new shelter called Whiskey Hollow. It is so new there is still building materials and scaffolding stacked at the side of the structure. This shelter would easily hold 20 hikers but there's only four of us in it tonight. What they don't have here are any tent sites. Beaker managed to hang his hammock but if I set up my tent, it would probably be at a 10° angle and I would slide to the bottom or up against the side. So, it's another night in a shelter for me. I don't mind when they are as new and as empty as this one.My picture tonight is some Lady Slipper Orchids I saw beside the trail. It is only the second time I've seen them. They're not very common. Not long after taking the photo, we came across a group of day hiker, bird watcher, flower enjoyers. They come out as a group every Mother's Day for the past five years. They were very excited that I saw the orchids and wanted to know exactly where I¢d seen them...¢Ah, about a mile back on the left side of the trail¢ wasn't exactly the answer they were looking for. They were also very excited to meet a couple of thru-hikers because none of them had ever met one before. We talked with them and answered their questions for about 15 minutes before moving on. Beaker and I are getting pretty good at this and we are perfecting our routine. I like to think we're the Martin and Lewis of the trail (I'm Martin, he's Lewis).Tomorrow, I hit 1,000 miles and we start on the "Rollercoasters". It¢s a 13.5-mile stretch of continuous ¢MUDS¢ (Mindless Ups and Downs) and "PUDS" (Pointless Ups and Downs). We've been told they're tough, but we'll get through it.Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-15
From: Whiskey Hollow Shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: snow

It was an incredible day for hiking! The weather was fantastic¢¦not a cloud in the sky and a temperature of about 70°. The birds were singing all around us and a nice, cool, gentle breeze blew most of the day. The perfect day to hit the 1,000-mile mark and to start crossing the section known as the "Rollercoasters".First, 1,000 miles! I've always planned to hike the entire trail and I know it is approximately 2,200 miles long. But, I don't think I fully understand, or appreciated, the distance involved until I was nearing this point. 1,000 miles! It seems incredible to me that anyone could walk this far; even more so, that I have done it. And, I'm ready to walk on! Folks, if I can do this, so can you! Just do it! Next, the "Rollercoasters". The Rollercoasters are a series of quick ups and downs that run 13.5 miles. They have been mentioned, often cursed, in every AT book I've read. Beaker and I covered two-thirds of them today (the latter part of an 18-mile day). The Appalachian Trail Conservatory owns the Bear's Den Hostel where we're staying tonight. We will finish the coasters tomorrow morning. These things are no joke. I sweat through my clothes at least five times today and drank more than a gallon of water. The climbs are steep but the worst part for me was the thousands of rocks of all sizes on the trail. In my opinion, they make the trail much, much harder than it would be if it was smooth.Tomorrow will be a 20-mile day. We will end the day in Harper's Ferry where we plan to Nero the next day just long enough to resupply and check in at the ATC Headquarters. We will head back out on the trail as quickly as we can afterwards and should be well into Maryland before the end of the day.But, it's well past Hiker's Midnight, and I'm falling asleep as I type. Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry. I¢m excited to be entering a new state tomorrow¢my fifth so far. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-16
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Teahorse Hostel, Harper's Ferry
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: fog

Beaker and I crossed into our 5th state today when we entered West Virginia. We also reached Harper's Ferry, the symbolic mid-point of the trail. We also visited the Appalachian Trail Conservancy HQ where we had our pictures taken and added to the official log of those who have made it this far. It was an exciting moment for me.  The actual mid-point isn't for almost another 100 miles and we will celebrate reaching it in the traditional AT fashion; by eating ice cream.We caught up to Sitting Bull and Bri (now known as Hoops) at the ATC HQ tonight. They are staying at the same hostel as we are tonight and went to dinner with us. It's been almost a month since I've seen them. It is sure nice seeing them again. Sitting Bull is suffering from shin splints and will be zeroing here tomorrow but Hoops will be moving forward. He tends to hike faster than her and she has to leave the trail for a couple of days next week to prep for school, so they should reconnect after that.We also ran into Squire and his two sons, Remix and Stretch. Squire is a retiring Marine pilot (currently on terminal leave). Stretch is 14 and Remix is 12. They are known to hike 25+ miles a day. They are also two of the smartest, politest, best behaved, young men I've ever met. Did I mention, they are also fluent in 4 languages? I'm glad I got a chance to see them again too.  They only came back this far south to pick up an area they had skipped earlier.Tonight, we are staying in a hostel here in Harper's Ferry but we will be heading out again in the morning. We hope to do another 18 miles. This section of West Virginia is only 4 miles so we will be in Maryland before the morning is over. The trail in Maryland is 40 miles. It should only take a couple of days to pass through and then on to Pennsylvania before the weekend. After spending more than a month in Virginia, hiking in 3 more states in less than a week seems almost surreal.Its well past Hiker's Midnight and the morning is going to come early. Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-17
From: Teahorse Hostel, Harper's Ferry

To: Dahlgren Backpack Campground
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: scattered clouds

We tried to leave Harper's Ferry this morning at about 7 am, but I¢d never been here and wanted to see everything on the way out of town. I've got to come and spend more time exploring the area in the future. There is just so much history there.Once we finally left town and crossed the Potomac River along the walkway on the railroad trestle, we entered Maryland, my 6th state. We will hike 40 miles here, then cross the Mason Dixon Line, and enter Pennsylvania. The hike today was just shy of 18 miles and the terrain wasn't too bad, but the temperature reached 91°. It is supposed to gradually drop back down in the next few days (88 tomorrow, 82 on Friday, 75 on Saturday, and 69 on Sunday). It's hard to believe that less than a week ago, we found a father and son shivering from the cold in their sleeping bags at 4 pm in a shelter. These 30-40 degree swings in temperature are hard to adjust to.Tonight, we are at a free campground that borders the trail. A bathroom with a shower is available so it's pretty nice. I'm tenting tonight but I really don't care if I sleep inside or outside, but I really like having a shower at the end of the day. I also washed out the clothes I wore today. Even if they're not totally dry in the morning, at least they will be clean (sorta, at least as clean as I could get them in the shower using hand soap).Beaker received a message this morning that Trail Angel Vicky wanted to meet us on the trail at lunch time. What an incredibly sweet person. She brought us Italian subs that were delicious and homemade brownies. She also brought fruit and ice cold soda (root beer and orange soda is currently my favorites, I'm not sure why, I've rarely drank them in the past). If you are reading this Ms. Vicky, thank you so much. The food was great, but the fact that you shared your time with us was even better. It was so nice to meet you.The picture tonight is a view of the Potomac River, not too far after the confluence with the Shenandoah River.  The C&O Canal runs right alongside the river and as we traveled along the tow path, it was fun to imagine mules pulling barges along the trail 100 years ago.Tonight, I'm safe, warm and dry in my tent. Tomorrow is going to be another long, hot day but I'm already looking forward to it. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-18
From: Dahlgren Backpack Campground

To: Raven Rock Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: clear sky

It was another beautiful but warm day again today. The high was around 88° and to make matters worse, there were few springs to replenish our water supply. I'm sure I'm dehydrated tonight but I'll be okay. I still have a liter for in the morning and there is a spring about 4 miles into the day.Tomorrow is supposed to be about 10° cooler than it was today but there is also supposed to be chance of rain tonight and tomorrow. I considered sleeping in the shelter but the mosquitoes are starting to get bad so I decided to risk the rain.Tomorrow will be a short day for Beaker and me. A co-worker of his is going to meet us at a road crossing at about 10 am and take us to brunch. I'm excited about meeting his friend, and brunch, but a short hiking day sounds great too. My feet can really use a break.  Tonight, after making my dinner, Ringer came walking into camp. I haven't seen her in more than a month. She is the young lady who found and returned my lost wallet. I owe her big time. She really saved my hike, or at least saved me from lots of troubles and delays. I tried to give her a reward before and she refused to accept it...but she did accept a piece of chocolate tonight. It's good to see her again and I'm glad she is still on the trail.Hoops (aka Courtney or Bri), also came in just before dark. I had just seen her a couple of days ago with Sitting Bull in Harper's Ferry but she had decided to stay until later in the day and we headed out early. This put her in a shelter behind us but she decided to push a 26-mile day to catch up with us today. Two things on that: 1. 26 miles! Oh, to be that young again! 2. I'm glad she caught up. She can take care of herself, but I'm a father of 4 beautiful girls and she reminds me of them...I guess I just can't help being a dad.I also ran into "The Captain" here at the shelter. He is another great young man I hadn't seen for a while. Beaker and I had just been talking about him earlier today and wondering how he has been doing. It's great to see him too.It's funny, other than when we were at the AT HQ a couple of days ago, we hadn't seen a thru-hiker in more than a week and then we see three of our favorites in the same day.Tonight's picture is of the beautiful Maryland sky, taken after eating lunch and laying on the picnic table at a shelter.Tonight, I'm safe, warm (a little too warm but it will cool down), and dry. Tomorrow, we will do brunch and then cross the Mason Dixon Line and enter our 7th state...Pennsylvania. Exciting days are ahead of us. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-19
From: Raven Rock Shelter

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

Today, we crossed the Mason Dixon Line. We left Dixie and entered the northern State of Pennsylvania. It was nice to enter my 7th state but I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that the hiker's nickname of ¢Rocksylvania¢ has me a little concerned. Pennsylvania has the reputation of being the rockiest portion of the trail. Past hikers joke that the rocks are all turned up on their edges and re-sharpened each night. It will take me a few days to reach the 75 or so miles that are supposed to be really bad and I'm not looking forward to it...but, I'll get through it!We had a couple of nice surprises today. Beaker's friend, Ahmed, visited us on the trail and took us to brunch at a nearby cafe. I really enjoyed meeting him and talking about the trail and scouting (his son is a Boy Scout). His son just won an international award in Robotics and he is only in 8th grade. What a nice guy and a great break from the trail.We also had trail magic about a mile from reaching our campsite for the night.  Some kind soul left a cooler of juice boxes labeled "For Thru-Hikers". There was still ice in the cooler.  It was another hot day and it really hit the spot. Thank you so much whoever you are.Beaker and I only did about 13.5 miles today. We considered moving on to the next shelter, but it was almost 7 miles further and it was already close to 5 pm when we arrived and water was another 1/2 mile further. In addition, it was thundering in the distance, the campsite was very nice, and we had signal for our phones. I could tell he was wanting to press on but I was ready to stop for the day. The stream is right next to the campsite and we were able to soak our feet and wash out our shirts.  Tomorrow, we plan to do almost 20 miles and we will start the day with a 1,000 ft climb.The last couple of nights have been very hot so tonight I'm trying something different. I carry a silk bag liner to keep my sleeping bag clean(er) but haven't been using it because it is hot and confining. Tonight, I slipped it onto my air mattress like a sheet and I plan to use my sleeping bag like a blanket. I can use the sleeping bag if it cools down enough or just toss it off me if it's too warm. My wife is visiting next weekend and I think I will go ahead and switch it out for my summer quilt.I'm also planning on switching shoes again. I plan to go back to Keens. The Oboz I'm wearing now seem just a little too thin and flexible on the bottom so I feel every rock. I'm hoping the Keens will be better when the rocks get bad.Tonight, I'm safe, too warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-20
From: Tumbling Run Shelters

To: Ironmasters Mansion Hotel
Miles today: 29.5

It was a big, big day for us today. We originally planned only a 9-mile day and a hitchhike to a nearby town for a resupply but we both felt we had at least enough food for one more day. However, we started our hike at 6:50 this morning and planned to hike a 20-mile day instead.When we reached the 20-mile mark, it was only about 4 pm so we decided to hike the rest of the way to the General Store and stay in the Ironmasters Mansion Hostel. At the end of our epic 29.5-mile day, we were greeted by a sign at the hostel stating it was closed for a special event. We soon found out the nearby campground was also fully booked leaving us with the choice of going back the way we came, continue, or find a ride to town about 15 miles away. Only one offered a shower and town food, so we called an Uber and made our way to the nearest hotel.In addition to our long, long many mile day (my feet are aching), we also crossed the official halfway point today! Even though we still have a long, long way to go, it was definitely a morale booster.When we did finally reach the General Store, Hoops, The Captain, and one other thru-hiker were already waiting there. All five of us are currently sharing a room. It's crowded, but a lot less so than a shelter AND you don't have to hike a hundred yards to the privy.In the morning, we will catch a ride back to the General Store. This is the location for the ¢Half-Gallon Challenge¢. The challenge is to eat a half-gallon of ice cream in celebration of reaching the halfway point. I'm pretty sure I won't be attempting this fest, especially at 10 am but who know what tomorrow will bring.Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry in a little run down hotel. I'm clean for the first time in several days. I had a gas station sub sandwich and salad for dinner, washed down with a cold Mountain Dew. I feel glorious (but exhausted). I'm excited to begin the second half of my hike tomorrow and for all the adventures to come. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-21
From: Ironmasters Mansion Hotel

To: James Fry Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: moderate rain

It was a short hiking day for us today. After our long hike yesterday, we found the hostel closed and the campground full.  We had to find a ride to town, find something to eat, and check into a hotel. It was after 11 pm before we finally got to sleep. That's way past Hiker's Midnight and much later than we are used to. We decided to sleep in a little but by 6:30, Beaker and I were already awake and I¢d finished my shower. The younger folks took a little while longer to wake up but everyone was up by 7:00. We walked over to the nearby gas station/convenience store (the only place nearby) for breakfast and was working on finding a ride back to the trail when Trail Angel Ice Man pulled up and offered us a ride.  What a great guy, and he even brought fancy donuts and drinks. We had left the trail at the Pine Grove General Store. As we were gathering our equipment, Sitting Bull came walking in. We hadn't seen him since Harper's Ferry. Hoops has been hiking with him for quite a while but he had to take a few days off due to shin splints and he was just catching up to her. They are in tonight's picture.The Pine Grove General Store is where the "Half-Gallon Challenge" takes place. To celebrate reaching the half way point, many thru-hikers will consume a half gallon of ice cream here. If you can do it, you get a little wooden spoon to commemorate your success (or you can get one for 10 cents). I'm slightly lactose intolerant, and hopefully a little wiser than I once was, so I decided not to do it. But, since it was nearing lunch time, I did have the Hiker's Burger and a small cone. Both Sitting Bull and The Captain took on the challenge and were successful but, for just a minute or two near the end, I began to think Sitting Bulls' ice cream was going to make a second appearance. He was starting to look mighty pale.The AT Museum is also located here and Beaker and I spent about 30 minutes enjoying the exhibits. The museum is very nicely done and I recommend it to anyone who happens to be in the area.By the time we were ready to hike out, it was just past 1:00. My feet were still tender from yesterday's long hike and we could hear thunder off in the distance, so when we reached the first shelter at 4:00, we decided to stop for the evening. I believe we hiked just less than 8 miles today.Tomorrow morning, at about the 1.5-mile point, we will reach another general store. This one is supposed to have a deli. We hope to have breakfast and pick up something for lunch. And, since they are calling for rain all week, we hope to try out a new hostel tomorrow night.Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry and spending the night in the James Fry Shelter.  Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-22
From: James Fry Shelter

To: Buck Off Hostel, Boiling Springs, PA
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: light rain

Today, we made our way through several tough rock scrambles but we finished the day with almost two miles of field walking. We will have about 14 more miles of open field walking in the morning.We reached Boiling Springs at about 2:00 after about a 12.5-mile hiking day. We considered continuing on but the next shelter was more than 14 miles further and neither Beaker nor I wanted to do a 26+ mile day today. We also need a resupply. We decided to stay at a new hostel in Boiling Springs, resupply in the morning, have breakfast at the local diner, then continue hiking. Tomorrow will also be a short day due to the distance between the shelters, but I don't mind. The rocks are doing a number on my feet. My wife is visiting this weekend and I will replace my shoes while we are together. It's earlier than I was expecting to, but I can feel every rock and root through these shoes. I'm hoping to find some with a thicker, stiffer sole. I've usually worn Keens in the past. I¢ve been very satisfied with them and will probably go back to them.We've been seeing a lot of flip-flopped on the trail the last few days. Most of these folks started at Harper's Ferry and are headed North. After reaching Katahdan, they will return to Harper's Ferry and head south. It's interesting to see these folks are concerned about and act the same as we did almost three months ago. Most are only hiking about 8-10 miles each day and are exhausted when they reach the shelter. A benefit is they typically build a fire each night at the shelter; something we never do anymore. Don't get me wrong, we all like a fire, but after a while, it's just not worth the effort it takes to build one...but us old-timers will enjoy it while it lasts. Another benefit is extra food, tonight I had some toasted marshmallows. We old-timers don't think they offer enough benefit to carry them...but we will sure eat them if someone else carries them.
Date: 2017-05-23
From: Buck Off Hostel, Boiling Springs, PA

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: broken clouds

Today was only about a 14-mile day. One of the problems that often arise when you stay at a hostel is the fact that the owner dictates the schedule and you are stuck with it. The place we stayed last night was about 3.5 miles from the trail. The hostel owner shuttles back and forth/to and from the trail for free but we were unable to get the ride until after 8:30. Once we were back in town, we stopped at the local grocery store to resupply and, since we were walking past a diner anyway, we stopped in for breakfast. Around noon, we we're crossing a local highway and realized there was another diner almost within throwing distance, so we stopped there too (actually, we already knew about both these places and couldn't resist stopping).We really didn't want to go too far today because we knew some of our friends, Strider, Lumber Jill, Winter, Oz, Glimglom, Darwin, Leggs, etc., were returning from Trail Days in Damascus and planned to be at this shelter tonight and we wanted to see them again. They are all young, tend to hike faster and further than us, and we are planning on getting off the trail this weekend so we don't know when the next opportunity to see them will be.I also ran into Squire and his two sons, Stretch (14 years old) and Remix (12 years old), this morning. They just completed the 4-state challenge. They started in Virginia, passed through West Virginia, through Maryland, and into Pennsylvania all within 24 hours--44+ miles total!  The AT Conservancy believes the two boys might be the youngest to ever successfully complete this challenge. We've also been hiking with Ringer the last couple of days. She was the lady who found my wallet and returned it to me about 6 weeks ago. It's nice to see her again too.Tomorrow, we head into Duncannon. It's only about 9 miles up the trail but we've been told it's a rough and rocky 9 miles. We plan to stop at the Doyle Hotel for lunch and a beer. The Doyle is as old as the trail and it is traditional to stop there. We haven't decided yet if we will stay or just have lunch and press on.Even though it has started to rain, tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry in my tent. My feet are sore from the rocks already and I'm a little concerned about tomorrow, but we will get there. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.