morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-05-28
From: 501 Shelter

To: Hamburg, PA
Miles today: 24.4
Weather: light rain

5/28, Hamburg, 24.4Another big day! It started early as he Iowa family began getting ready for the day at 5 am. That worked well for me so I got up, ate, packed and was on the trail by 6:15. My plan was 24 miles into Hamburg where I could do some more healing since regressed a little with wet shoes. Hiking in the rain was OK, but my shoes never dried, so dry socks won't last long and my cheap moleskin will not stay in place. I hiked strong to the first campsite 6 miles in the first couple hours where I took a short break with the Iowa family. They had hiked early and stopped here for breakfast. Some hikers do that, but I need the energy to start my day so I hike on trail snacks until lunch. Lunch came at 12:15, 15 miles into my day. I was making good time in spite of the rockiness of the trail but I was starting to feel the moleskin move. Hiking near the end of my day I encountered a good Samaritan in the form of a local Botanist out doing a chestnut survey. His young and impetuous dog was hiking along and was so excited to see me would not let his owner get him on leash. Repeated commands to sit and stay became a game to the dog and it was several minutes before all was in hand. My Samaritan was interested in my progress and inquired if I needed anything. I felt I was set for the day feeling I could catch a hitch into Hamburg the three miles to a hotel, but mentioned I was not sure how I was getting back to the trail tomorrow. He generously offered to take care of that for me and gave me his card saying text me when you are ready.I arrived at the road and caught a hitch in a few minutes with another trail angel who already had one hiker in her Cooper. It was tight, but I managed to get in. Into the hotel I showered and laid a plan for resupply. Walmart was a half mile so I walked there and got what I needed. I am supplying for five days, but hope to make Delaware Water Gap in four. It will depend on the trail and my feet since the weather forecast is perfect through Sunday, and it will be raining Monday as I hike, hopefully into town.I suspect from here I will hike mostly alone, meeting many new hikers and staying with some over and over so it is becoming a different kind of hike. I feel like I need to cover as many miles as I can every day in order to relieve the stresses back home ASAP. If I can get fully healthy it should be fine. One additional issue to consider is my lower back, which was so good for the beginning of the trail, has been an issue since tumbling on the rocks a few weeks ago. It is fine when I hike, but sitting or bending to load my pack is straining and slipping on the wet rocks the last couple days has not helped. I plan to zero in Delaware Water Gap and visit a chiropractor so prayers for my next few days will be a big plus. Thank you for coming along.Silverback
Date: 2015-05-29
From: Hamburg, PA

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: broken clouds

5/29, Eckville Shelter, 14.5Today started earlier than I planned since I was fully awake at 6:30, and could not get to sleep. My trail angel shuttle back to the trail was scheduled for 10 so I was going to sleep "in" until 7:30. Oh well, I showered and headed to the lobby for some breakfast. I brought it back to my room so I could repackage my resupply while I ate. All in all I was able to get everything ready and packed...by 8:00 so I spent the next hour and a half watching news and finishing leftover peanuts and soda from the night before. My trail angel arrived exactly at 10, and I was on trail by 10:15. Being knowledgeable about what I was heading into he shared with me the things to watch for. Top of the list was his suggestion that several of the boulder fields I would cross were home to many rattlesnakes so I would probably see my first one. I hiked on in great anticipation. The trail started with a steep climb out of the valley. My back loosened up in a few hundred feet and it was good to feel strong again after a couple days back on trail. The air was warm already, 70 degrees plus, so I stopped often to wipe the sweat from my face and keep it from dripping on my glasses. Once up on the ridge hiking was pleasant but still quite rocky. I kept my eyes peeled closely over boulder fields, but unfortunately I still have not seen a rattlesnake in the wild. I stopped for lunch at a shelter just off the trail and was joined by Rock Dr. I assumed he was a recently retired geology professor or something but as we talked over lunch he shared that he just retired from teaching High school science, but did in fact major in geology in college. We didn't hike together after lunch, but were headed for the same shelter so we ended up here together. This shelter is a four wall shed with bunks for six, a shower (solar), flush toilet and a charging station for phones. Luxurious! Joining us this evening are several other thru hikers, including Opie who just hiked in, Chicago and Seeker. Seeker got his name because he is always looking for his stuff, and often loses it. When he got here he realized he left his two extra pair of socks at the last shelter. The trail is full of interesting people!Tomorrow I plan to increase mileage again and set out early for a 24 mile day. That will leave me in a good position to make Delaware Water Gap by Monday night. My plan at this point is to zero there in the church hostel to allow me time to visit a chiropractor on Tuesday. Im doing OK, but I will do better after a visit to a chiropractor.It was difficult emotionally to leave civilization this morning once again and I have an idea. One of the things that enters my thoughts as I consider keeping on with my journey is thinking about you folks joining me through this journal. It would help me greatly to have you sign my guestbook. You don't need to leave an email address and such, just leave "Kevin from Ohio" so I can be encouraged by the number of readers there may be. All in all that will make it exponentially easier to keep on ¢keepin' on¢ as they say.Silverback
Date: 2015-05-30
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Rest and repair
Miles today: 0.0

5/30, off trail, 0The Eckville shelter is an amazing stop on the AT, I seriously hope it is not my last. Sleeping was difficult last night as my lower back tightened progressively through the night. After tweeking it a couple weeks ago in a fall it has been sort of come and go. Hiking has always been good, sitting not so much and bending difficult. I hoped to make it to Delaware Water Gap just 60 more miles but after last night I was very concerned. I got up and struggled through bending to load my pack fully aware that my back had deteriorated. I was loaded and strapped my pack on at 6:45, hoping it would loosen as I hiked. After hiking about 1/4 mile it was clear it wasn't going to loosen very soon. I checked my map to consider my options. I could hike on and hope it loosened knowing I would face further tightening each night. Delaware Water Gap is 60 miles or 3 to 4 days away and I already located a chiropractor there. A second approach was to check the map looking for options to leave the trail before then if need be, but there were few options. The third option was to hike back to Eckville Shelter which is unusually located on a road and get help from there. I chose the third option and turned to hike back. On the way back I realized today is Saturday and it occured to me the least expensive option would be to see if Kathy could come and get me. That would give my home chiropractor a full week to treat and evaluate me, hopefully allowing me to return to the trail next weekend. While this sounds a bit like the end as I write it, it does not feel that way. Oh there will be some difficult choices to make to be certain regarding finishing in a timely manner and such, but for now, Kathy is on her way, and I am waiting at the largest Cabela's store in the world to take a week off to heal. My major emotion is frustration mixed with some relief knowing that the solution is available. With so many friends struggling with massively more difficult issues though I have no complaints and still feel very blessed to have the choices I have. I fully expect my chiropractor to get me straight as long as I haven't done any new damage, which I do not think is the case. The real challenge will be staying strong and keeping my weight down while I recover, and then staying healthy as I finish. I will continue to journal each day but will not upload until I return, or decide the adventure is done for now. Until then please keep praying for my health and the staff at Courthouse Chiropractic!Silverback.
Date: 2015-05-31
From: Rest and repair

To: Ohio/Wisconsin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

5/31, 0, home As I waited at Cabela's yesterday McGuyver sat for a long visit. We discussed the trail, and getting off to rest at length. Many hikers have found Pennsylvania to be very draining physically and emotionally. A few days off was the choice for many and I can tell you it was very encouraging to us both to hear others feeling the same way. Ultimately he was trying to decide whether to hike a couple more days, then head to a friends, or just grab a bus now. We enjoyed our conversation so much that by the time we finished he decided to head to his friends to visit. Hearing that was in Pittsburgh it made no sense for him to take a bus when we were driving right by there to get to Ohio. A quick call to Kathy and when she arrived we had a third passenger. It was a win win since new friends make conversation interesting and ultimately, easier to stay awake while driving. Kathy and I arrived back in Ohio after driving thru the night, around 10 am. We headed straight to rest and slept through to the afternoon. I had called and made an appointment for the chiropractor for Mon AM, so rest and recovery were the top priority. Monday morning my Dr. adjusted my back and felt he could get me the relief I needed by Friday with daily visits. Back home I set about planning food drops for the future and getting ready to head back to the trail. Tuesday I received a phone call from my mother to let me know my elderly grandmother had passed away overnight and I was immediately faced with a decision. Since I was already off the trail, I decided to make the trip home to Wisconsin for services and a family visit. Ultimately the choice was made easier when my family honored me with the request that I speak for the family at the funeral, and my Grandmother wished for her grandsons to be pall bearers. She lived a long full life of 97 years and was secure in her faith so while we will mourn our loss, we will also celebrate her departure to eternal life and enjoy family time together in her memory.My return to he trail while certain, is delayed. I will head back to Pennsylvania next Saturday and pick up from Eckville Shelter north. I received a phone message today from McGuyver about the difficult terrain trough there and some suggestions about keeping the weight down making him yet another helpful friend made on the journey north to Katahdin. As for daily updates I will post again after hiking the few days from Eckville to Delaware Water Gap which should be the middle of the week of June 14. Thank you for patiently following and I am sure after nearly two weeks of rest I will be well positioned to make this final run.Silverback
Date: 2015-06-19
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Brinks Shelter
Miles today: 24.8
Weather: overcast clouds

24.8, Brinks Shelter, 6/19Big day today. Most of the hostel woke around 5 when I did so we were all getting ready for the day amidst one another. Some were reading as they prepared for a zero but Sweet Eyes and I were heading up the trail with a 24 mile goal for the day. He headed out first but I was on trail shortly after at 6:15. I crossed the Delaware river on the interstate bridge and was very glad to be leaving Pennsylvania behind. Not only have the rocky trails been tough but with all the time I was off trail during Pennsylvania it felt like I was never going to leave. Unfortunately, as we have been warned, New Jersey starts out just as bad. Te climb out of Delaware Water Gap is considerable but not too long. The rocks of course made it a challenge but I noted I felt pretty good. I have found that my most recent breakfast habit of two Pop Tarts and two Carnation complete breakfast drink mixes does not last very long in spite of the near 1200 calories they contain. This morning I added to that a tortilla wrap with peanut butter and granola type cereal in it. It lasted much longer most likely because of he peanut butter and was nice and crunchy to eat. Once up on the ridge the hiking was much like it has been, rolling up and down but the rocky terrain is nicely broken up with smoother trail sections for short times. It was very humid but the temperature was moderate in the low 70's and it was mostly cloudy. My first stop was at the Mohican Outdoor center where I left a resupply box last Saturday. I covered the eleven miles to there by 10:30, got my box and a Powerade and decided to have some lunch. I have also changed a lunch habit by switching from deli salami and cheese in a wrap to prepackaged tuna salad. The heat was getting to be too much for he fresh lunchmeat and cheese. After lunch the hike was very much like all of Pennsylvania was, rolling up and down over rocks. In spite of the difficulty we did feel we would make our 24 mile goal earlier than we expected and in fact, did. We were settling in to a nice newer shelter by 5:15. Chip, Solar and Grandma are here as are Mama Bear and her 3 kids. Mama Bear is a hiking family from Naples Florida. The four of them hiked from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Harpers Ferry last summer, when the kids were 4,6 and 9. They are. Completing the trail this summer from Harpers to Katahdin. We have settled into the shelter for the night and Neon and Penguin have joined us. We all are hiking long again tomorrow to put ourselves in a good spot preparing for the big rains forecast for Sunday. We will hike in the rains but plan to hike into a hostel by the late afternoon where we can shower, dry out and get ready to go on. Mondays forecast still looks good and we are all trying to keep moving as much as possible. On to Maine!Silverback
Date: 2015-06-24
From: Southfields/Tuxedo, NY

To: West Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: broken clouds

12.9, 6/24, West Mountain ShelterAdding to the list of surreal experiences and I can share with you I am writing as I watch the sunset reflecting off the New York City skyline. We are roughly 40 miles away atop Bear Mountain/West Mountain sitting in a shelter watching the sunlight hit the skyline and waiting for he city lights to come on. There are some great views out here but this will be on of the more unusual. We hiked out of the motel in Southfield at 7:30 to begin the 2.4 mike road walk / ride wish back to the trail head. Unfortunately the ride wish did not work out this time so it was 8:30 when we reached the trail to begin heading north. The hike today was planned to be easier than most and offered two opportunities to stop at concessions and one beach so our pace was casual. We hiked into the beach area of Harriman state park at 11:15, hit the pop machine and settled into the sunshine. Crock Rocket and friends were already there swimming and sunning the morning away so we joined in for a relaxing visit. We ate, we napped, we visited and we rested until 1:30 when we decided it was time to move on. Neon is meeting her husband tomorrow morning and they are helping me with a quick resupply so we are headed to the nearest shelter to Bear Mountain Museum and zoo. The afternoon hike took us over a parkway within 34 miles of New York City where we were able to stop at a median information center to access another soda and snack machine so we watered up and grabbed additional drinks for dinner then hiked on. The shelter was on the top of the ridge above the parkway at the end of more occasionally vertical rock climbs so it was nearly an hour later when we arrived. There were two overnight hikers there so we settled into the shelter and fixed dinner. For the evening we are all visiting and watching the lights slowly emerge on the horizon. This adventure has been such a wide variety of experiences it has finally exceeded my expectations. Physically I feel very good. My back and feet are like the first day I hiked so that is good but I do have some minor strain in my right heal. I monitor it each day and as long as there is no decline in its condition I will be fine. Prayers are always welcome.Silverback
Date: 2015-06-26
From: US 9

To: RPH Shelter
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: clear sky

6/26, kevin@kevincullen67, RPH Shelter, 19.4This one is high on the list of good days hiking for many reasons not the least of which is he way it ended, but lets start at the start. I woke this morning to the sunlight streaming through the window as I relaxed in e comfortable bed. Our hosts have been wonderful and it wasn't long before I heard coffee grinding, and smelled kielbasa cooking. After grabbing my fresh laundry from the dryer I dressed and packed then headed down to the kitchen. Bryan was fixing breakfast so I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat at the table. Die Hard joined is but Minitar slept in so we shared breakfast together and solved the worlds problems. Minitar joined us at 8:00 saying, I guess I slept in. I was ready to go by 8:30 so Bryan ran me to the trailhead and we said our goodbyes and thank you's. It was a great first trail magic of this type for me, being kidnapped by a complete stranger and treated like family and it was a wonderful treat! I hiked on enjoying the cool morning temperatures in the low 70's with low humidity and leaf filtered sunshine making the woods glow green. Hiking alone this morning was a nice change allowing me to get into my normal pace. The trail was smooth and rolled up and down through the woods making its way north. I made my usual stops for fruit snacks and such drinking water from my pack bladder as I hiked fully enjoying the hike. At 12:30 I arrived at a road crossing with a water source so I stopped for some lunch in the open grassy area. I hiked on at 1:00, heading for another beachside concession for an afternoon break. I took the side trail to a hot dog and some soda around 3:30 and ran into Penguin and Crock Rocket again, as well as Maps, and Twiggy Ninja. They hiked out before me, but we were all headed for the same shelter for the evening. I arrived at RPH shelter and could tell there were many people there from the laughing and talking. Little did I know but discovered when I arrived a local hiker had provided trail magic in the form of grilled chicken breast, mac n cheese, pasta with sausage, and cold beverages at the shelter so it was like a good old backyard family picnic. The evening has now been wiled away eating and visiting for a couple hours so it is time to observe hiker midnight and turn in. Tomorrow I plan to hike 24 miles, but it will depend on how much time it takes me to stop in Stormville, NY to forward my next supply box at the post office. I still have four days food in my pack and there is no way I am adding more at this point so I will send it 90 miles ahead to Salisbury, CT where I can pick it up when I need it. Silverback
Date: 2015-06-27
From: RPH Shelter

To: Telephone Pioneers Shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: moderate rain

6/27, 16.8, Telephone Pioneers ShelterThe weather changed overnight so I awoke this morning to 58 degrees and overcast skies. Rain was expected to begin at 3 pm and continue through tomorrow with several inches expected so todays plan was modified. Instead of hiking to a campsite 20 miles away I planned to slip into a shelter at 16 miles. I headed out of the shelter at 7 feeling pretty good and waiting for my right achilles to loosen which it has been doing nicely within the first few hundred feet for a few days. The tendonitis seems to be stable, no better no worse, so I have been trying different taping methods to support it.The trail today presents a couple of long uphills, and a couple of short, steep climbs with the remainder of the trail relatively smooth. I hiked alone today which is nice for spending time in my own thoughts, and hiking my own pace. 5 miles in I needed to slip into Stormville to forward a resupply box. I had hiked into Tuxedo Tuesday with three days of food and had a 4 day resupply waiting there so I forwarded the resupply to Stormvile. Now I have hiked four more days and found enough delis along the way that I need to forward the package again. I hiked into town stopping at the deli and was able to call the post office to forward my box to Salisbury, CT. A few sodas later and I was back on trail heading for the first shelter. I arrived at the Morgan Stewart Shelter at 11:00 and decided to eat some lunch. Penguin was there and we met Encyclo who started in May. We visited over lunch for a short time but sitting too long leaves us stiff so I strapped on my pack and hiked on after 20 minutes. The remainder of the afternoon I hiked steady heading for the Telephone Pioneers Shelter hoping to get there before he rain started. Soon the goal was moot as it started raining lightLy around 1:00. I arrived at the shelter at 2:30 and could have hiked on but a space in a shelter is a premium in the rain, so I ducked in and settled. Penguin, Star Trek and Saffron hiked in a little later and we are just four sheltered from the rain for the night. Tomorrow the forecast is for heavy rain all day. In that situation I, and many hikers, look to group up and hike to a motel. That makes it possible to hike in the rain all day not worrying how wet we get knowing there is a warm shower and bed at the end of the day. Penguin is meeting her husband Sunday so Star Trek, Saffron and I reserved a room for tomorrow night. We will look for a fourth as we hike but may be just the three of us. The forecast for the rest of the week looks decent with no significant rain until next Thursday. That may set up well because I will be staying in a hostel in Salisbury that night if all goes well. Silverback