morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-06-16
From: a flat spot

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: broken clouds

Underway at 9:30. A nice sunny day and plenty of hikers about. Several Scout groups. One was hiking "Caterpillar" style: in a column, the first person peels off and the group hikes on by. As each person goes to the front, he gets a break, resrting as the group overtakes him; as this was a group of ten, each was resting 10% of the time.3:45 at Bear's Den; management away, but hikers welcome to use the lower-floor: shower, internet. Several I didn't know were there, some to hike on and some to remain; G-Force present. The hostel is a fabulous stone structure, with plenty of lawn and flowers, just a couple minutes from the trail. It's a favorite Scout location and batch of Cubs has their dome tents in one area. At Bear's Den I tented; other hikers availed themselves of the bunks inside. I bought a frozen pizza, as did G-Force, we heated them in the pre-warmed ovens and ate them outside in the pavillion. G-Force has a construction business with his 2 brothers; he's their accountant and had to make a 100-pg. manual of all he does so they could cover his responsibilities while he's hiking.In the hostel that night I took a trail name; in discussing how I don't get recognized as a thru-hiker with "White Crow", he said I was a regular Rodney Dangerfield. In further discussion, I asked the group for advice on a name in this vein, but more centered on the trail. Keith suggested to put "trail" in it so I decided on "Rodknee Dangertrail", and I recorded this in the register, so it's official. (Keith is a gent who was travelling in the area by car and decided to check out the hostel for lodging. He came into the common room and was surrounded by hikers, so got quite a bit of good trl. info. He also offered me his phone number to call when I reached his area of PA.Mary Sue came by to insure that I was taken care of, ride-wise; it's a joy to have such friends, especially since she and husband George are the most-volunteering folks you'll ever meet. Mary Sue will pick me up at 7 AM and drive me to Harpers Ferry, so I can hike the 19.1 mi. back to Bear's Den. This affects the purity of my hike, but gets in a good day of hiking, rather than sitting around the place. 13.4 mi.
Date: 2007-06-17
From: Bear's Den Hostel

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: clear sky

Mary Sue present, cheerful as ever and took me to Harpers Ferry, where I got started on a beautiful, 'tho promising to be hot, day. Naturally I'd managed to forget something, in this case, water(!) so we stopped at a store to buy some. Met several hikers I know (Cheeseburger, 501, Cor Ker, Bonifido, who had flowers in her hair) as I was going the wrong direction. Mostly easy trail, 'tho I lost 50 min. by side-tracking to the beautiful David Lesser Shelter, where it was necessary to go steeply downhill for 1/4 mi. for water. 7:15 at the hostel and an ice cream dinner. Another group of hikers present. Mary Sue came over to give a concert and there was a sing-along (me politely not singing). "Queen Diva" (Laurie, who runs the place) made popcorn and the beautiful public room provided the perfect setting. Tomorrow at 8 AM Rosie Suit will be here to take me to the dental appointment which Mary Sue had arranged, then on to Harpers Ferry to resume my hike. 19.1 mi.
Date: 2007-06-18
From: Bear's Den Hostel

To: Past Weaverton Rocks
Miles today: 6.7

Forgot to mention yesterday that we became 1,000 milers; ajust past that spot I met Gimpy, who excalimed, "Can you believeit?" In some five days will be at the official 1/2-way point in Pennsylvania. Rosie came to Bears Den at 8, and we drove to Purcelville, for breakfast and dental appointment. Happily the D.D.S. could re-cement my crown, so in an hour we left for the Wal-Mart in Charlestown, WV. Laborious process of loading 273 photos from my memory card onto CD's (this mostly done by Rosie, while I shopped), then did some other shopping and went over to Appalachian Trail Conservancy (HQs/visitor center for the AT). At the front desk was John Tarturo, a volunteer friend of several years. Laurie Potteiger, who runs the office also present, as well as several hikers. We went thru the ritual of John's taking my photo in front of ATC HQs, then including it with this year's class; I'm northbounder #328. Then I realized I'd left my camera's memory card at Walmart, so Rosie drove back and got it while I did other business: bought a hiking kilt or "skort", which I already love. Then mailed the CD's and a few other things home. Joan's package there at ATC; what would I do without her? Suffer! (And be lonely)Rosie back and we went to lunch with "501" (so-named because at Springer Mtn. the volunteer ATC census-taker told him he was the 501st thru-hiker to start this year.) 501's a retired Tax Attorney, originally from Seattle, but later Boston (he's a Harvard grad and teaches Math at Tufts U.) A few years back 501 hiked the Vermont Long Trail, and found the guidebook out of date, so he asked the Green Mountain Club if he could do a new Edition and they let him. Just this week 501's daughter is going to work on the trail up north. It sure was great to be treated so well by Mary Sue and Rosie, super good friends and better yet, volunteers on the trl.The day became quite hot, and we all seemed to be stalling in the A/C ATC office, I got going around 4:15. One young hiker's parents were there and insisted on giving me at least a pound of wonderful cherries. Got some photos of the Jefferson Rocks and town and soon was on the 3-odd mile stretch of the AT along the C&O Canal Tow Path, right along the Potomac; a number of folks rafting on the far side. Plenty of day lillies along this stretch.Soon up a climb and a nice side-trail jaunt over to the Weaverton Rocks, with a nice, high overlook of the Potomac. Then hiked a couple more miles and found a reasonable spot to camp near some cliffs. 6.7 mi.
Date: 2007-06-19
From: Past Weverton Rocks

To: past Pine Knob Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: haze

Underway at 5:20, had seen a couple hikers go by with lights at 4 AM, doing either the Maryland Challenge (all Maryland's 42 mi. in 1 day) or the 4-state event, VA-WV-MD-PA in 2 days.After a while at Gathland State Park, where I took a photo of the War Correspondents' Memorial. Originally it was dedicated to those fallen in the Civil War, but has been updated to include subseauent wars.Onwards and at the Dahlgren Camping Center at noon, here the state of MD offers free showers. Washed myself and clothes as well as charged my camera and phone. A real sweet deal - free. "Shovel" a section hiker from the NY area, came up, so-named because when he first came to the woods he had an army shovel (officially, an entrenching tool). Shovel's a Poly-Sci. major at University of Maryland who¢s a tennis buff and has coached inner-city kids in Philly for years.Then on to our country's first George Washington monument, built of stone by the citizens of Boonsboro, MD in 1827. Originally it was a stack of stones, which collapsed a couple of times. The CCC re-built it, with mortar, in the '30's. At the museum I got a private tour by the curator; museum is about the Civil War history of the area, which is considerable.Warm day, I hiked on at 1 PM in my wet clothes, for purposes of keeping cool. Late in the afternoon it began T-storming, so I ducked into the Pine Knob Shelter, took a nap and had dinner while it cleared. 501 and "Second Wind" there, as well as several short-term hikers. A father and 12-yr. old son made a good team. The father heads the Industrial Engineering Dept. at VA Tech. and they've obviously been camping many times before.I moved on into the evening some 5 mi., stopping about 8:30 and tenting right on the trail 18 mi.
Date: 2007-06-20
From: past Pine Knob Shelter

To: Past Penn-Mar
Miles today: 15.0

Last day of spring and nice, clear day, underway at 5:20. After 2 mi. stopped and learned I'd left my camera and food bag at my campsite, self-victimized by leaving when it was pretty much dark. I stashed a few major items and headed back; some 5 minutes before I would have reached the spot, here came 2nd Wind with both items. Having lost some two hours in the above exercise, I was pretty much bummed and at the next road-crossing walked the .3-mi. to Free State Hostel, newly-opened and run by Janel and "Bonepac". He's a Osteopathic Physicians Assistant who'd always wanted to hike the AT, but has a young family, so it was out of the question until Bonepac realized that he could justify a thru-hike if it were a pledge drive for the free clinic where he volunteers one day a week. He did the trail in 117 days, never taking a day off. Now Bonepac and his wife work and have a huge home, bought to include the Hostel which is real nice. I e-mailed, phoned, showered, ate some, and repaired a leak in my sleeping pad. That afternoon Bonepac gave me a ride back to the trail and I did 10 mi. to Pen-Mar, a park right on the border, where as planned I dined on a picnic table while quaffing a coke from a vending machine. Afterwards, the day mostly gone, I illegally tented next to the trail as it left the park on a service rd. 15 mi.
Date: 2007-06-21
From: Past Penn-Mar

To: near Caledonia State Park
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Underway at 5:35. Two miles into PA there was an old cooler beside the trail, wasn't sure if it had any goodies, but I checked and it was full of 8-oz. Pepsi's on ice. Had breakfast on the spot with 2 of 'em and trekked on.Later at Deer Lick Shelters (in PA there are several sites with twin small shelters). Shovel was asleep in one, I went to the other to get the register and noticed an occupied bird's nest. I approached it with my camera and the 2 birds tolerated me until I was within 6 in., then exploded out of there, startling me (and I didn't get the photo). Many of the shelters in PA were occupied by birds, wrens? Then hiked on 'til I came to a ball field/park and did some journalling and took a nap.In the PM I passed Shovel and Lucky at Quarry Gap Shelters, I wanted to hike nude a bit, and since it was 8 PM I continued another mi. and found a real nice site. Late afternoon we had a T-shower. About this time I heard a bunch of military-style yelling, meaning a lead person would yell and a hoard yell back. It ended as I crossed a road, to the side was Vision Quest, some sort of camp.A bit later was near Caledonia State Park, I opted to walk the .3-mi. down to an Italian Restaurant, had pizza fries and got a meatball sub to go. Walking back to the park, I encountered Shovel with a non-hiking couple. Turns out that in classic "Yogi" style, Shovel was sitting in a pavillion when the couple offered him a meal. After he related this and the couple had left I rued my bad timing and Shovel was moved to give me some chocolate they'd given him; I had done the more difficult, and rare feat of successfully Yogi'ing from a thru hiker! 21 mi.
Date: 2007-06-22
From: near Caledonia State Park

To: past Pine Grove Furnace
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: broken clouds

Underway at 5:15. Reached Pine Grove Furnace State Park at 2:30, there was 501, unrecognizeable as he'd shaved. He was eating his 1/2-gal. ice cream and told me he needed to get off the trail and consult his Doctor. Bummer; I would have surely enjoyed his company along the trl. I took on banana split ice cream and in 48 min. had completed the "challenge" of commemorating half my hike by eating a 1/2-gal. (FYI, a hiker has eaten this amount in under 5 min. One hiker ate a gallon!) We were allowed to sign the special Challenge-accomplisher's journal and awarded a prize: a wooden ice-cream spoon stamped appropriately.Other hikers there that PM: "Spirit", a gal from Chattanooga who did some of the trail in '05 and is finishing this year. "Pearls" (found a string of pearls just N. of Springer Mountain and wears the pearls all the time) and her husband, "Starvin' Marvin", he said their home was in the park, since they were actually homeless. "Zero", who's full of laughs, but whom I didn't get to know. Catsup and her husband Richard, they're from New Hampshire and he's slack-packing her thru PA. "Rain Check", so-named because his friends kept putting off going on the trail with him, so he finally came this year, alone, he' a ret. USMC officer who lives in the UK. Rain Check walked out of the park with me and left me in the dust, he has a huge stride. R.C. is hiking for pledge money for Orbis, which is a vision/sight related charity/research outfit.I got my package at the hostel, (Thanks to friend Carl Mortenson who filled in while Joan was off playing on Cape Cod) and took a shower there, washing my clothes in the sink. Then after a cheeseburger and onion rings from the grill, hiked on another 3 mi. (in the process passing the 1/2-way pt., I'm now a 1,000-miler! You may know that at the hike's end you're a 2,000 miler.) Finding a nice site beside the trail (PA has plenty of 'em). 21 mi.
Date: 2007-06-23
From: past Pine Grove Furnace

To: Pennsylvania farm land
Miles today: 21.0

Underway 6:50, a nice sunny day. Towards 10:30 was at a small deli .2-mi. off the trail. I got some items and here came Richard, Catsup's husband who said that she and Spirit, (who's now joining in their slack-packing, smart girl) who offered to take my pack to Boiling Springs ATC office, 9.6 trail mi. distant, so I agreed. He loaned me a fanny pack and the gals showed up as we were having lunch, trai-side; we then hiked a ways but they out-hiked me. Many day-hikers encountered and at B.S. at 4 PM, journaling on the ATC porch. Chatted with a volunteer from MD who was doing another AT census. Had a light dinner and hiked a few more miles, tenting illegally on a rise in AT farmland. 21 mi.
Date: 2007-06-24
From: Pennsylvania farm land

To: the Dirty Doyle
Miles today: 21.0

Underway at 5:05. Cool AM again, but nice. Continued hiking amidst picture-perfect farmlands; breakfast break on a stone wall around a family graveyard. Another break at the Scott Farm, a 1870's farmhouse the ATC acquired with a land purchase.Hiking on, left the Cumberland Valley and went up into the treeline. Took a late AM break at a fantastic overlook, viewing the Cumberland Vallley, which I'd just crossed. I worked on this trl. section back in '02. Later that AM met Catchup and Spirit, who are slackpacking southbound each day and get to see many hikers they've met prior. Typing these words in a tree line among some wheat fields.A little higher, the caterpillars we've been seeing have morphed into gypsy moths. Did I mention that a hiker told me that this year it's been too dry to spray for them?PM break at Cove Mtn. Shelter, it has a lot of character as its main beams are 100-yr. old reclaimed timbers, plus there are many fretwroks/embellishments. A framed poem on a wall alluded to a wood spirit heraabouts so I looked around and found it - it's a face carved onto the end of the main ceiling beam.Hiked into Duncannon, stopping at two fantastic overlooks, one over the Susquehana to the east, it really looks like a paradise down there. The other was close and above the town, really nice. Most often, views are hazy, these have been low enough, plus clear skies have made them good. Down some real tough, steep, rocky, almost hazardous trail into town, getting there about 7:15. At the town's edge someone had left two coolers of cokes and some candy, I enjoyed a root beer and hollered at a gent who'd stopped at the corner, yes, a ride to the supermarket! Deli dinner, shopping, then asked another gent for a ride to the hotel, yes! Checked in with "Half-step", a nice young guy (many guys take hard-charging trail names and many gals take self-disparaging names, so 1/2 Step is going against the grain). We shared a washer-dryer. I got a nice corner room with 2 windows. Many hikers here and around the town, strangely, you sure don't see 'em on the trail. 21 mi.
Date: 2007-06-27
From: the Dirty Doyle

To: past 501 shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Underway at 5:40. Quite humid, had to forego glasses most of the day as they fog up. Pestered by gnats and biting flies. A-10 jet firing continues.Towards 9 AM at the Swatara Rd. crossing, I waited for a lady to drive past before I could cross the road and she did a quick U-turn and motioned to me. Turns out she leaves cokes in the spring which I passed yesterday and she was on her way to replenish the cache. My good timing got me a cold root beer: it went down in about 2 enjoyable min.Lunch break and nap at William Penn Shelter, joined by Different Life and 1/2-Step, and a hiker I met for the first time: "Uncle Tom" whose accent is New Englander-ish, he mentioned doing some trail work near Katahdin, so that makes him a good guy by my book (have you readers noted the regard I have for volunteers?).On 4 more mi. to 501 Shelter, so-named because it's on PA Hwy. 501. The ATC acquired a house with acreage when they bought some trail lands, so a ranger lives in the house and a cabin is the shelter. It was unoccupied and I took a quick, cool shower in the jerry-rigged device outside. Had a snack and hiked on, alas, wasting a (bad) 1/2 hr. by initially re-finding the AT, then going the wrong direction (almost a first)!Continuing on, T-storms appeared and I found a mediocre tentsite, just beating a lighter-than-anticipated shower. 18 mi.
Date: 2007-06-28
From: past 501 shelter

To: Port Clinton, PA
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: broken clouds

Underway at 5:20. In 4 mi. came to where I'd hoped to be last evening: Hertlein campsite. Met a nice young short-term hiker from Lebanon, PA, named "Jacobo", which is Kenyan (I forget the translation). He explained that at college he rooms with an international crowd, the majority of which is from Kenya.Soon I made a dumb turn; there were some quite-impromptu white blazes making a turn and I followed 'em for some 1 3/4 mi; they dead-ended at a decrepit hunting tree stand. After wasting more time looking for the trail and cursing my fate/ineptitude, I returned to the AT, found the right way, and schlepped on.Late PM a shower, which cooled us off for a hour, during the rain no bugs, afterwards only the biting flies. 8:15 down the dangerous, steep trail into the town of Port Clinton, a true trail town in that the AT goes thru it. Alas, the place is real dead. Restaurant only open Fri-Sun. (it was Thurs.), hotel mysteriously closed for 2 weeks, Pepsi machine wouldn't sell me one. Walked over to what I think is the club/bar of the Volunteer Fire Dept. Entry controlled by a buzzer, they let me in but it took a volunteer to sign me in as a guest, which is real nice of the gent. Manufactured pizza and beer. As I was leaving, here came 3 hikers who'd seen my pack outside. It was Larry, friend and Michael. The latter is from North Georgia and hiked most of the AT last yr. He¢s now going at a 24 MPD rate, 1/2-times as fast as I am. I stayed for conversation and a couple more beers (my most of this jaunt). BTW, the locals didn't really socialize w/us hikers, but one sent over beers - go figure!On to the town's pavillion where hikers can stay/tent. The locals bestow many kindnesses on the hikers. Matter of fact, as I left the VFD bar, a 3-gallon-sized plastic jar of pretzels was sitting next to my pack, I took it to the pavillion, where someone had also left melons. Tented over by the river. 22 mi. (and a wasted 3.5!)
Date: 2007-06-29
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: Port Clinton, PA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Up by 6:30. Several of us guys walked the .3-mi. over to a nice family restaurant, the Three C's. Many locals there, they take the counter. Turns out that FM 105.5 Magic was doing a remote from there, and a local played his harmonica. We hikers enjoyed the accent of the waitress, as in response to ea. request, she'd say "Shuwa" (for "sure"). Back at the Pavillion, Scott of Ye Olde Backpacker (outfitting store) was there with his van. Jay Silverheels, whom I'd last seen in TN was sitting up front (my impression is that J.S., rather than hiking, is hanging around the hostels, such as almost two months since I hiked out of/last seen him in Erwin, TN). J's waiting out the blackfly season, which ends early July, to resume his hike in New England.Anyway, I decided to take an admin day (hikers call 'em Zero Days, and brag or self-remonstrate over how many they've taken; this is my fourth, a low number indeed) at Scott's free hostel, attached to his store, some 6 mi. distant. I bought a couple things, the major item a German Deuters brand sleeping bag which will save me some weight and stlll be washable.Later it was laundry, supermarket and post office. Others who came to the hostel were "Bucket" and "Water" a young couple from Michigan, "Life Traveler" (whom I'd previously mis-labelled, "Different Life", he's also known as "LT"), "Radar" from Maine, who worked at L.L.Bean for 14 yrs. and is a stone mason, and Michael, met yesterday. I was going to stay in the small bunkhouse, but decided I was loosing too much time so called Keith, whom I'd met in VA, lives in PA and asked if he'd shuttle me back to the trl. at Port Clinton; he agreed and towards 7 PM showed up. We had dinner at a diner and went back to the pavillion where "Bag O' Tricks" was waiting with various Trail Magic. More trail talk and Keith's getting a good understanding of the thru hike; he hopes to hike next year. B.O.T. has been around the trail for years and knew the great Earl Schaeffer for 25 yrs. B.O.T. was a really good source for Keith's tuteledge. Soon Keith left and I to my tent. 0 mi.
Date: 2007-06-30
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: past Balanced Rocks
Miles today: 22.0

Underway 5:35, had to walk a 1/2-mi. thru town to get back to the trail, then normal, sometimes rocky PA treadway on a glorious day. Numerous day hikers, including some Scouts. At the Windsor Furnace Shelter for a break. LT and Radar showed; they were doing a 16-mi. slackpack to the Eckville Shelter, where their packs would be left,then they'd hike on more miles. A bird was nesting in the shelter and LT got real close to it, and I got the photo. We went by some great viewpoints, Pulpit Rock and The Pinnacle, clear skies helped the views.Late afternoon at Eckville Shelter, another land-purchase situation in which the ATC got a house with garage in the deal so has a caretaker there and hikers stay in the garage. Everything in life is relative and the welcome amenities here are tap water and garbage service. Brue, Larry, Bucket and Shovel present; they'd all slackpacked here as well. After some lunch, underway. The couple was going to hike on, the gents to stay. As I was leaving, here came Uncle Tom, almost unrecognizable as he was under a new hat. Soon after entering the woods, I enjoyed hiking another area of trail I'd worked on, two more to go in NJ and ME. As two Jersey-type boys came by me I asked if the flies were biting them, reason, they had longer hair and hats. They said no and suggested I try an anti-bug "pad", and handed me one. I'm not so sure of its effectiveness.Walked past the Balanced Rocks where blue blazes lead you to some 1/2-ton or larger boulders, long and flat and a small sign says to lift up. You can, causing a slight rocking motion.On 'til 8:50 when I found a small campsite. Pulled 2 ticks off today. 22 mi.