morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-09-16
From: Monson, Maine

To: Kathadin, Maine
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Hooray. I have finished my AT hike. I summited Kathadin yesterday, Sept 16.I am glad to be done. In less than 1/2 hour I will begin a multiple bus trip to Boston, then Amtrak train to Chicago then home to St. Paul. So I can't write any more now, other than to tell you I finished.   I have been preparing in my mind a presentation that I hope to give to multiple groups back home.   It will be titled "A Real Walk in the Woods - What it takes to do an Appalachian Trail Thru Hike".   It will take me a week or two to write that. When I finish with that, I will either post it here, or on my Facebook page, and I will link from here to Facebook. Got to go catch my bus!
Date: 2015-07-23
To: less than a month to go
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I think I have nearly all my gear together. Still lots to do regarding food, some buying, some dehydrating, repacking, boxing - gets a bit overwhelming. The planning takes longer than the hike! I used to do backpacking trips of up to a week long. I always had a great time but regretted that moment near the end "aww, we only have another day and then we have to go back to town". The A T turns everything upside down - "Alright! Tomorrow we get to go to town!" I am desperately trying to regain that sense of wonder I used to have on a weeklong trip and to view this 1100 mile hike as a series of 10 or 12 individual trips; trips that are more modest but that 99% of the population don't do. Imagine going on 10 backpacking trips in one year! A thru hiker is going on 20 or 30. Most people who backpack do one or two. If I keep those facts in mind I am grateful for the opportunity. It's more difficult when you are cold, wet and you miscalculated how far it is to the next pizza place.
Date: 2015-08-20
To: last minute
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Rose early today to do more last minute prep of gear, mailings, sync to phone, check finances, print and store documents. Still have packing to do before catching the bus tonight. Will overnight to Harrisburg then a city bus to a point on Rt 11 where the trail crosses on a footbridge. That is east of Carlisle. From there I plan to continue hiking south to...as far as I can go. On paper, to Georgia but there are several ways to stop. I read on other journals about how many ways there are. I know for certain from my 2010 hike that if your knee is so tight that it won't bend you are headed home for rehab. Still, I plan to stay positive, take it slow and light to start and hope for the best.
Date: 2015-08-21
From: last minute

To: Alec Kennedy shelter 
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

At a bus stop in Harrisburg Pa waiting to get to trailhead on Rt 11 near Carlisle. Greyhound overnight and then breakfast at Flamingo Grille. Shipped my travel clothes ahead to Harpers Ferry. Should begin hiking soon. Amazing clear blue western -like skies. Just a pleasant breeze. Looking better for me than for the young Amish men from Bainbridge OH heading to the Presidentials for a week. I checked and they are facing 4 days of rain and Cold.It was getting late so had to stop at an unnamed but established site at the junction with White Rocks. When I left the bus station at 40 something lady missing some front teeth says "looks like you are ready to hike the world". Well, just a piece. "Wish I could do that, but you have to have money." I should have told her about Grandma Gatewood. I stop at the Federal Building and mail ahead my travel clothes after breakfast at Flamingo Grille. Forgot to fill water bottles so, on advice from a maintenance man on the street, I go to the Hilton. Entering the plush lobby with elegant restaurant I proceed to the desk where the polite desk clerk directs me, in my hiker garb (but without trail stink) to a fountain. I wait at a stop for the C bus and the driver drops me off practically under the trail footbridge and I was on my way.
Date: 2015-08-22
From: stealth site

To: stealth just before Pole Steeple trail
Miles today: 13.4

Not sleeping well just using foam pads under my older body. I end up taking longer breaks to nap which is fine. As long as I go slowly enough, I have a good day. If I have to stealth or even if I camp near a shelter I find a natural spot with a good supply of oak leaves already on the ground. My pads on top and it is tolerable. My Exped mattress is waiting at Harpers Ferry and that should help matters. Beautiful weather and I practically have the trail to myself.In the afternoon I stop at the General Store for lunch and ice cream. Ed is eager to promote it to hikers and I was satisfied with the fare. With poles on pack and eating a huge ice cream cone upside down in a bowl I take the back driveway and yellow blaze to where the trail recrosses. At a stream I soak and wring out my shirt. While I hike it dries (at least in the front) and keeps me cool. I deliberately take a slower pace than I'm capable (a 1000 mile pace I call it) and take a break every hour or so.
Date: 2015-08-23
From: stealth just before Pole Steeple trail

To: Toms Run Shelter
Miles today: 12.6

Since I am tentless at this point (using poncho/tarp in case of rain) my gear is out under the stars, too. I remove all the insects from my drinking cup and cold brew my only pack of Via this segment. Breakfast is some of the leftover potato salad from the general store (two ingredients of a standard breakfast - eggs and potatoes). These dry calm mornings have made the transition to the woods easier than could have been anticipated, giving my body time to adjust without the added burden of setting up or packing up in the rain. 8:45 I begin hiking with a prayer. I consider We are something God is doing. I different view. Hmm.I take the Pole Steeple blue blaze to the overlook. Mike, a local cabin owner gets my picture on a rock outcrop. I head down to Laurel Lake. I get a free shower and wash my clothes. By 11 I'm settled into a picnic site with clothes hung. I finish off the potato salad hoping I don't get sick. Feel incredibly refreshed. Swimming in the cold water and lying in the sun makes this feel sorta like a vacation! At 1 pm I hike south to the other part of the park. 2:20 get fries and ice cream at the snack bar. Two 20 yr old girls are in line in front of me. "I can basically out eat every guy I've dated except the Italian guy who cooked". "I'm good with food until I'm at a place like this then I eat everything!"There is a road portion of the trail. Out from the trees pops a 4 year old on a bike. Stops, turns to look back into the woods "Yeah, Man". A second later his 2 year brother on a smaller bike (without pedals, just pushes against the ground like the original 1830s bike) pops out. As he passes me he looks up and says "Yeah, Man". Following both is the young Mom trying to keep up. Later, when I'm eating they go by. "Yeah, Man" I call out and get a smile and wave from the Mom.6:40 pass the Half Way marker and get a picture.6:50 arrive shelter and share the site with a brother and sister about my age doing a few days on the trail.
Date: 2015-08-24
From: Toms Run Shelter

To: Quarry Gap shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: light rain

10 minutes into my hike, uphill, not warmed up yet, I'm passed by the Honeymoon Hikers, on their 3rd thru hike. I take my time, taking long breaks in relation to hiking time. Just realize I haven't seen any fireflies on the trail. Past time for them? Mid morning I am walking on white sand, remnant of an ancient ocean. My start date helped a lot (part of the luck I am going to need to finish this year). It was 100 degrees the week before my trip, in the 80s now. On my first day, a hiker asked "where were you during the big storm last night?". On a bus, is my quick reply. I had no idea there was a storm with 3 inches of rain. Either away from the Greyhound route or I slept through it.At times, just looking down at the trail, I could be anywhere, Colorado, Northern Arizona, anywhere rocky.Food - honey mustard crackers go surprisingly well with almond butter and strawberry preserves. I pass what appear to be blueberry bushes but no berries. Must be long past the harvest. I meet a father daughter. He with a huge pack with lots of stuff hanging off, including lexan water bottle. He is winded and I suggest he slow down until the trail seems easy, works for me. Later I meet "Step N Wolf" who camped with them and did some first aid on the daughters blister.4 pm, hear distant thunder. 4:20 large black snake across trail. Doesn't decide to move until I do a difficult bushwhack to get around him. Right.4:40 under a crackling high tension line - Blueberries! I didn't miss them after all. 5:15 ten minute break at junction with Hosack Trail.5:45 arrive shelter. Occupied by two cute as buttons Australian girls. Inspired by the movie Wild. They're doing the middle third of the trail North bound. When they get into NY they plan to leave the trail and go to New York City for a week. They have a speaker for their players and a video of inventive balanced rock constructions done to Alan Watts readings. Alan Watts! I read him 40 years ago. They did the 4 State challenge despite a late start due to an unreliable taxi. They're in one of the whimsical shelters so I go to camp in the leaves under rhododendron plants. I hear a screech owl as I drift off. Despite warning, rain never came.
Date: 2015-08-25
From: Quarry Gap shelter

To: Tumbling Run
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: few clouds

Left camp at 8:20. Continue descending. It's another sunny, though a bit cooler, morning. Wished for my sleeping bag or long johns last night. About 9 am a NOBO with a ULA pack informs me that he was caught in a 20 minute downpour the previous day near the Rocky Run shelter. Missed me since I didn't push on. 10 am I proceed through Caldonia Park. 10:15 cross busy Rt 30. Climb through oaks and ferns over rocks and roots. 10:40 it levels off. 3 NOBOs pass me, two young men following an older man with a fanned out white beard, all with old style frame packs. 10:50 I decide to stop based on time, not how I feel. I'm liking these stops based on a conscious decision, rather than ones forced on me by deathly derangement. It's another breezy blue sky day! What is going on? Like a Twilight Zone episode. Only a few irritants, mainly the little midges that hover directly in front of your face. Once, when I had my Rx glasses hanging, I mistimed a blink and one the darned things actually touched my eyeball! Ugh. 11:40 encounter my first actual rock wall that I climb. About an hour later at a junction there is a group of about 10 young people on a pre-orientation backpack. A couple upper classmen are leading. 1 pm I stop for a short break. 2 woman I met earlier arrive and their prior offer to take me to the post office in South Mountain is still good. I walk with them (the first people I've hiked with) to the road. They perform food trail magic, taking me to Franks for lunch then to another post office so I can finish what I have to do, then back to the trail. This all takes over 2 hours but saved me an hour of road walking. I take a 15 detour to Chimney Rocks and arrive camp 7:15.
Date: 2015-08-26
From: Tumbling Run

To: Raven Rock shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Slept well until about 2:30 am. After getting up briefly I was cold and sliding. Still, I was up and hiking at 7:15. Continue descent along a stream lined with mountain laurel. I take just a 20 minute break at Old Forge Park despite wanting to sleep more. I take a look at Antietam Shelter. It has historical value but I am very glad I didn't camp there. Would have been even colder and it looks prone to flooding. I stop at Deer Lick Shelter and have second breakfast. I cross Rt 16 then there is a little foot bridge over a creek. There are balanced rock constructions. Did the Aussie girls do that? Trail rocky. Cross another road and start a long climb. I am the only occupant of the trail, just me and 50,000 spiders and their webs. After 24 hours alone on the trail I pass NOBO "Washer Woman" and we thank each other for web clearing.2:00 Pen-Mar Park. Very nice in a 50s kind of way. Incredible view. Glad it didn't become housing. Meet Dennis Sewell who does shuttles. He sits with his friend Bill and they tell each other stories all day. I charge my phone and have a good lunch and a rest. Listen to a couple more stories from Dennis and head out - 4:15 pm. All good. 5:05 I surprise the Ridge Runner Dan who is carrying a big trash bag. He didn't expect to see another hiker, either. 6:30 there is a grand rock climb, ala Maine. I take the detour to High Rocks. Lots of young folks drive up for the sunset. I think I smell ganga.7:45 I make camp as the sun sets. The loft is so cool, and I have the whole space to spread my gear, I have to sleep there. Very warm at first.Chicken Noodle soup pack with instant potatoes and cheese for dinner. Caramel Bugles from the General Store for dessert. Set up to sleep, using backpack for padding and, if cold, put legs inside - an old trick.
Date: 2015-08-27
From: Raven Rock shelter

To: Pine Knob shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

Worried all night about sleeping bag, etc. Spend what seemed like 3 hrs trying to get back to sleep. 6:15 I'm awake for the day. Warm weather coming so am not so desperate to get sleeping bag. I'm using a SOL sleeping bag bivy with a Sea to Summit cotton/silk blend liner (did I mention that before?). Works great to 60 or a little below. Once I get to Harpers Ferry I can carry the polypro long sleeve shirt that I used on the bus. That will help to sleep a bit warmer. I'll stick with short hiking pants for now. Had a dream of a tooth and nail fight with the one armed man from the movie The Fugitive.7:45 start hike. I soon leave the ridge and descend parallel to a rock wall. Think I caught a glimpse of a fox. 8:20 cross a major highway. Stop to remove my windshirt and have a munch. Continue down to Warner Gap. I meet two young men out for 3 days. One is nursing a strained muscle in his calf. I offer a little advice and some Vitamin I. Some military men, out for a morning jog, pass us. It doesn't occur to me at the time to ask their assistance for the injured hiker. I am sure their first aid training is far superior.10 am, stop for second breakfast. First breakfast in camp consists of cream cheese on a granola bar. Second is granola in a bowl with soy milk powder, cinnamon, raisins, a little extra sugar and the coldest water available. Very good. Dozed off again afterwards. Another incredible blue sky day. I cross a couple open fields and can feel the sun. 11:45 pass a power line which leads to a steep rocky decline. I get water past Cowall Shelter.1:30 the cicadas clock in and begin singing. 1:40 stop for a long break, 80 minutes. Looks like I'm only going to make it to Pine Knob. Doesn't look attractive being perched virtually above Interstate 70. 6 pm turn off to the shelter. The first thing I see there is and incongruous baby carriage! A deaf couple and what appears to be their adopted daughter occupy the rustic shelter. Something seems a little odd but no matter. He directs me to the camp area and to water. Camp areas are too hard. I make a difficult climb up the hill behind the shelter and find a spot more to my liking. Flat and leafy. 7:23 a deer runs through the woods near my site. 7:30 dinner ready and daylight fading. Wake up once at 1:30 AM. I roll a bit during the night but sleep warm.
Date: 2015-08-28
From: Pine Knob shelter

To: Ed Garvey shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I am at mile 1144.0 south of Katahdin. I wake up at 6:20. Watch alarm isn't working again. Will need to use phone tomorrow. Had to shove my cold legs inside my pack and that worked. I start worrying about the planning (getting to Harpers Ferry post office) but stop - everything has worked well if I don't get ahead of myself, go slow and massage my leg muscles every so often. I have cold sweet coffee and first breakfast. Now I have to be on my guard - getting more confident - pride + energy = stumble if not tumble. Boastful, condescending, unforgiving, without compassion - Lord, remind me of my past errors.Another topic- how did I get that scratch down my right side? Down at the shelter, the family is gone by 8 am. Did they leave last night? While stopped, I am passed by 75 yr old grandmother with two replacement knees is section hiking. Does 5 to 8 mile day hikes with her husband doing shuttle, reading his book in the Honda. She's done at least one over nighter, with a daughter or grand daughter for company.At the Washington Monument park I use the bathroom. There is a bus load of kids playing with some adults providing food. Someone puts a couple packs of cheese crackers on my pack. Never find out who.12:20 arrive at Dahlgren camp for shower, charge phone and lunch. There is what appears to be a PTSD veteran camped out, yells at the bugs "get away, do you want me to get out the spray?". He doesn't ask for any assistance but I feel guilty for the next 2 days for not offering any. He did have a cell phone and probably gets a check every month but still. I could have spent a little more time with him since he looks to be utterly alone.2 pm I depart. At the road I yellow blaze up to the towers. Am able to walk backwards for a bit, using different muscles. Regain the trail at the top.6 pm Gathland park. There are food vendors but I have a "tuna melt". One tuna salad pack, crackers and the last of my cheese. 6:42 start off again. 7:30 the sun is a red globe. Make it to the crowded Ed Garvey shelter at 8:30. Walked 20 minutes with headlamp. I have Muscle Milk drink from powder and go off into the woods to hang a bear bag and camp. Longest day both time and miles. Back home I put reflective bike tape on my poles. I put one by my camp and the other by the bear bag. Easy to find in the dark with headlamp.
Date: 2015-08-29
From: Ed Garvey shelter

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 8.7

I wake up at 5:15, before my phone alarm goes off. Stop quietly at the shelter privy and start hiking about 6. At 7 I stop at the Weverton overlook and take a couple pictures. Mist over the Potomac. 7:30 head. Legs weary from yesterday's long push. 7:40 I startle a trail runner coming up. On the switchbacks I notice a fruit lying on the ground. Look up in tree, many more of these odd looking - wait! Paw-Paws! Ripe! They grow in Ohio, too, but I've never had one. Timing has to be perfect. I open one up and taste the sweet sticky inside, mottled with lozenge like seeds. Awesome!8 am cross road. 8:12 overflowing parking area near the C & O trail. An entire HS boys and girls cross country team is gathering for a training run. Pass another paw paw tree and have another sample. I am not eating, otherwise, until dinner. I did this on my other long hikes and works to eliminate the flatulence associated with trail food and makes going to town more tolerable.I get to the post office at 10 o'clock, receive 2 of 3 boxes (will wait to get tent box or forward). Bit of a puzzle as to how to carry. Figure it out and go another 6 minutes (I wanted to know) to Hostel. I am quite early and can't check in to the well kept TeaHorse until 1 pm. I sit in an Adirondack chair in the yard, rest and go through my boxes. Extract radio - Car Talk is on! Followed by This American Life.Once in the room I get cleaned up. I walk across the street and they are able to get me right in for a massage. 1/2 hour just on legs for $35. Seems to help even though the masseuse speaks only Spanish. I just point to the sore quad muscle for a little extra work. Some pain the neglected left leg, too. Do a big load of hand wash and hang on the line.Two women from Ohio out for 3 weeks use the private room on the other side of the common area. A young man, Tom, from New Zealand arrives. He'd stayed here a week ago and has something worked out with the owner Laurel, so he mows the lawn. Laurel takes the ladies and myself to Walmart for a resupply (answered a question I hadn't asked, yet). Tom cooks a big dinner in the kitchen for himself. I go off to Mena's for pasta and the ladies go to the farm to table Cafe. Big moon shining when I emerge quite satisfied. A late NOBO thru hiker arrives and begins talking non-stop. He and Tom, by coincidence, are taking Amtrack on Sunday. The NOBO is going to eventually go to Maine for a flip-flop. The Kiwi is going to DC for a week then on to Europe. One of those multimonth post graduation tours they are known for.
Date: 2015-08-30
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

At 11 am I walked to the nearby church but no one there. I learned later that three local churches share a pastor and he was a bit hobbled so they had an ecumenical service earlier in the day. Walked back to hostel. I read in the log that the infamous Bismark and his fellow hiker Hopper stayed at the TeaHorse hostel June 8 last year. I sit outside a bit and listen to a crow give a sermon from high in a tree across the street. The hostel owner needs to clean the hostel so I head down the hill into town and don't return until after 7 pm. Have a good day. Stop at the firehouse holding a bake sale. I get some cookies and a free bottle of water. Next to the ATC where I did 3 hrs on the computer to get caught up on this site. I meet a couple SOBO through hikers. I renew my membership and the volunteers, one very cheery and the other friendly as well. The second thru-hiked at 65 and spoke proudly of how there are only 150 who've done it at that age or older. I can speak to how difficult it is at any age. I have dinner at the Towns Inn. Rice and veggies side dish with a burger and McCutcheon local vanilla cream soda. I stop at the bookstore and pick up a couple items. I meet Trooper at the restaurant then later when he is eating his own food near the church and sharing sardines with a local cat. Earlier I saw a sign at the gospel church " We're not intolerant, just convinced". Of what? I hike past Jefferson Rock and on to Rt 340. From there I take Union St. back to the hostel and end the day.