morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-24
From: Duncannon PA

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Slimer called in 7-24-2004 @ 6:49 pm Doyle House Duncannon PA.Stayed here at the Doyle House last night, slept good. My intent was to hit the trail this morning but I decided to take a zero day to rest up. I have a nasty blister on my heel, tired and run down.Many thru-hikers starting to trickle in. "Terripen" "Goofy" "Butterfinger & Wide Load" "Lammy & Smack" "Kiwi" "Wonder Boy" (Wonder Boy drove up from Damascus VA) "World Bridger" , Kiwi's from New Zealand.Heard there's going to be a big party here tonight at the Doyle House for Lammy, he is getting off the trail I heard. Everyone coming in seems to know about the party. News travels fast up and down the trail.Going down the stairs from my room, met two dog's barreling up the stair's towards me. I recognized them as Wonder Boy's dogs from Damascus VA. Wonder Boy drove all the way up here just for Lammy's party ! How did he know ?I was so close to Adam (Gather), now he's three day's out in front or roughly 60 some odd miles.Washed my shorts in the sink, hung them out the window to dry. Big gust of wind blew them off and away they went ! I hung out the window and looked down. They had landed on the balcony below. I had 50 ft of parachute cord I use to hang my food from tree's. I get a safety pin and rig it up.I'm hanging out the window trying to snare my shorts, get some curious stares from the street below. Takes me about 30 minutes to get them. I would snag them and get part way up and they would fall back down again. Finally got them up. Wonder if anyone saw short's coming up by their window ? Beautiful view here looking out over the Susquehanna River. People out in canoes, wish I could rent a canoe but too far to walk.Called home spoke to dad. He was suprised I took a zero day. Said he would have come up to see me if he had known. Beautiful 57 chevy pulls up while talking to dad. Must be a race track nearby, see trucks towing race cars, wish I could go.Will stay here tonight and hit the trail in the morning. Going to try and put in some big mile days the next week or so to make up for this zero day.Sent a bunch of stuff home today, sleeping pad, water proof pack cover, rain pants, base ball cap, and some more stuff. Gotta lighten up! I have my pack down to about 13 lbs now excluding food and water. That's a big improvement over the 38 to 40 lbs I started out with when I first began my journey north. My guess is pack weight including food and water is somewhere around 23 lbs now. Makes a big difference.When I first started out everyone's packs were huge, now all the thru-hikers have very small packs, you learn as you go.Will go get some pizza, eat and turn in, getting ready to hit the trail in the morning. Sorry I will miss Lammy's party, but I cannot afford another zero day. ( I have my own journal now, check it out: http://www.trailjournals.com/Slimer).
Date: 2004-07-31
From: Delaware Water Gap PA

To: New Jersey and Beyond
Miles today: 16.0

Adam (Gather) Hale called in this morning 7-31-2004 @ 10:30 am Delaware Water Gap PA at the Church of the Mountain Hostel.Got into Delaware Water Gap last night, no rooms. Big Nascar race at Pocono this weekend. Made it to the Church Hostel and spent the night there. Mailed some stuff home this morning.Some guy died of a heart attack 2 miles up the trail in front of me yesterday, don't know who it was. Sorry to hear things like that.Mom said Jorma was at Danielsville PA last evening, I got in here last eveninghe was exactly 31.2 miles behind me. The old man is gonna have to pick it up.Paparazzi,Sardine,Londen Len, Brood X, Baloo, and Whoa and Moxie are here at the shelter. Getting ready to head out on the trail and it's starting to rain.Took a bad spill in the rocks yesterday, cut and skinned up some , but I'll live.If you're wondering where my wicked grin is at, it's somewhere back there in the rocks. Will be a long time before I get that grin back on again. Those rocks just wiped the smile off my face.Here we go heading north, putting one foot in front of the other .......
Date: 2004-08-01
From: New Jersey and Beyond

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Jorma (Slimer) called in from Delaware water gap PA 8-1-04 @ 2:42 pm at the Church HostelI got in here late last night, starving. Nothing open, Poptart came in with a pizza box with two slices of pizza in it, thanks Poptart.Did 26 miles yesterday in spite of the rocks. I left Danielsville PA on 7-30-04 around 5 pm. Was talking to dad from a pay phone outside a little store. Man comes out and asks if I need a ride back to trail head. I said yes. He dropped me off and I hit the trail. Made it to a pretty campsite. Went down the hill to the spring, it was barely dripping water out the pipe. Took me an hour to fill my water bottle. Fixed my dinner and turned in. Sure hope it doesn't rain tonight as I don't have a tent, sleeping under the stars tonight.7-31-04Woke up and hit the trail. Need to Make Delaware Water Gap tonight, pushed hard throught the rocks all day. Get in to Delaware Water Gap late. 26 mile day today8-1-04Lots of things to do today, re-supply, mail some stuff home, straighten up my pack. Poptart hitched a ride to the movies today. He has to pick up a package at the PO in the morning. Ran into Tarsan, great guy, he left out early this morning headed up the trail.Gather I have been seeing the wise comments you have been leaving in the shelter registers for me, the last one read " Slimer you will never catch me" That's ok Mr. Gather, here soon I'm gonna be on you like a chicken on a june bug.Slider is ahead of me, he had already hiked this section of the trail so he skipped it. Blue Grass band played next door last night, pretty good music.There is a bakery here that's out of this world, they have everything. Mom and pop bakery. I bought a big bag of plums, blue berry muffins, corn muffins and they gave me a free do-nut. I could not believe all the good food in there.The bakery also sells wooden statues carved with a chain saw . Early this morning I woke up to that chain saw. Man out there carving away with that chain saw. Now this is a sunday morning, don't know how he gets away with that.Met a father and son from Maine. I questioned them about the weather up there in September. They said it got pretty cold and that I will need my 20 degree sleeping bag at night. I will spend the night here and hit the trail in the morning .........
Date: 2004-08-02
From: Delaware Water Gap PA

To: Unionville NY
Miles today: 0.0

August 3, 2004 ¢ Transcribers Note:Gather (Adam) has been on the trail 111 day¢s total this includes zero day¢s , the 7 day¢s he took off at home to be with his dog is not included in this.Gather, total miles hiked to date: 1,330.9   111 = 11.9 miles per day total trip average.Jorma (Slimer) has been on the trail 100 day¢s this also includes zero days, Slimer has taken no time off away from the trail.Slimer, total miles hiked to date: 1,300.9   100 =   13 miles per day total trip average.830 miles left to go to Mt. Katahdin Maine.74 day¢s left until they close Baxter State park ( Oct 15th)1,330.9   74   = 11.2 miles per day they will have to average to Katahdin before close.Slimer (Jorma) has gained 110 miles over 100 day.s on Gather, that¢s 1.1 mile per day gain since last April 24th.Note: Slimer was held up on the trail with knee and ankle injuries for a total of 13 days. Those 13 day¢s are included in his average, so you can see Slimer is moving at a good pace. Back out the 13 day¢s and Slimer would have averaged 14.9 miles per day.Good luck and Godspeed to the both of them on their journey north.
Date: 2004-08-06
From: Fort Montgomery NY

To: CT and Beyond
Miles today: 0.0

Gather (Adam Hale)The following msg came in via my guest book from Ed Wright of Jensen Beach FL. Dad has communicated with Ed via e-mail. Ed has given his permission to list the following note in my journal for all to read.Ed Has peddled a bicyle from California to the Smoky Mountains of TN. has written and published a book "1001 Hikes to Mount LeConte and Counting" Ed has hiked Mount LeConte 1,267 times, and continues to hike it.Dad says this is one guest book entry that will be framed and hung on the wall.Here goes,Name: Ed Wright   Email Recorded From: Jensen Beach, FL Message: Gather.. Officer Taco completed the Appalachian Trail on June 20th, I believe. In one of his low moments in Pennsylvania he posted in his trail Journal the following poem that he found on a shelter wall. Perhaps you saw it also. Here goes:** "And mercifully a poem from a tattered and weathered paper I found in a shelter somewhere:" "When things go wrong, as they sometimes will When the trail you're trudging seems all up hill When funds are low and debts are high And you want to smile but have to sigh When care is pressing you down a bit Rest if you must, but you must not quit." I thought that your write'up about the $17.00 Cheeseburger was a classic. "Are you having dinner with us tonight Sir? No, I am eating alone!" Hike your own Hike and May God continue to bless and protect you Adam. Website: http://www.mtleconte.com Mr. Wright told dad if I make it all the way to Katahdin, he will send me the $17.00 for the Cheeseburger plus tip.With a carrot in front of my nose like this, how can I not make Katahdin Maine.Thank you Mr. Wright.Gather
Date: 2004-08-08
From: Kent CT

To: Kent CT
Miles today: 22.4

Gather (Adam Hale) 8-8-2004 in PAWas walking along the trail the other day and met an Amish family out for a stroll. They ask me where I¢m going ? Maine I say. They are horrified to hear I¢m walking all the way to Maine from Georgia>They ask me if I¢m the first person to do so. I say no, many thru-hikers before me have walked it.I then explain to them all about the Appalachian Trail. These people were fascinated and awed by what I told them. The lady asked me why in the world I want to leave my family and walk the trail ? I say because it¢s here.This was such a nice family; the children were very polite and so well behaved. My very first encounter with the Amish. They tell me how they live. No power in the house, but power in the barn. They do everything with horses. The man tells me they have a hay baler pulled by horses but it has a gasoline engine to run the baler.These people live such a simple life, hard but simple. They live in there own small little world apart from the rest of us. And that may not be all bad to hear them tell it. We must have sat and talked for 30 minutes. They were most interested in my life and the trail.These people had never heard of the Appalachian Trail and had no idea they were taking a stroll on it.Down the trail a ways I came through a place called the lemon squeeze, or the fat man¢s squeeze as some call it. Here the trail passes through a narrow rock formation. It narrows down to 20 to 25 inches wide for about 40 feet.
Date: 2004-08-09
From: Montgomery NY

To: Kent CT
Miles today: 63.4

Gather (Adam) called in from Kent CT 8-9-2004 @ 2 pm from outfitters shop.Got into Kent CT expecting a care package from home and went straight to the outfitters shop for the mail drop. Guess what ? Nothing !! My stress level begin to climb! I need this stuff. My water bag and rain jacket.Called home and told mom. I was so pissed! Told her she might have to come up here and bail me out of a Conn jail for going ballistic. She told me to calm down and call back in ten minutes after she'd had time to track the package.As it turned out UPS had delivered it Sat morning. the girl in the outfitters just didn't see it. Twice she didn't see it! I was so relieved to have my stuff, even if mom did forget to pack the cheese crackers, snickers bars and granola bars. She found them later behind the seat of the truck. well I can get those here in Kent.Called her back to let her know all was well. She wanted to talk but I had to move on. Paparazzi was waiting on me. We will be moving on to the next shelter 8 miles up the trail. She said everything in CT was more expensive and David Letterman lives there. Yeah, I'll look for him.Mom said yesterday morning at 8:19 am on top of Mount Washington New Hampshire the temp was 38 degrees, 49 mph winds, gusts to 57 mph and wind chill was 26 degrees. What's it gonna be like when I get there.Mountains are not real high through here, 1200 to 1400 ft, but very steep. Straight up and down, hand over hand climbing sometimes.I have knocked down 63.4 miles on this leg.I have put 1,451.6 miles behind me, 722.5 left to go before the big K.Here we go, heading north putting one foot in front of the other ..........
Date: 2004-08-11
From: Salisbury CT

To: Dalton Ma
Miles today: 0.0

Jorma (Slimer) called from Kent CT 8-10-2004 @ 2 pm from outfitters shop.I left Fort Montgomery NY on 8-7-2004 @ 1:55 pm.As I¢m leaving Bear Mountain Sate Park I cross the bridge. Meet a man and woman, stop and talk a while. He goes to the car and brings back a bag of Tommy-toe¢s (cherry tomato¢s ) and gives them to me. I love these things, I think I ate them all before I got to the other side.Slider is out in front of me maybe two weeks, he skipped a section he had already hiked. Skittles is behind me somewhere, he was hiking with Ted from Greensboro I heard.I asked dad to look into an ultra-light tent / tarp such as an Go-Lite or WunderLust. I¢m gonna need it soon. Need something not much over a lb.Dad told me Gather had left here yesterday. Also told me he had stayed in a suite at the Holiday Inn in Fort Montgomery NY .I¢m really starting to get down mentally physically , I¢m ok I think. It seems the least little thing will set me off, no patience anymore.I told dad I keep seeing the quotes in the registers ¢ It¢s not the miles, It¢s the smiles¢ I have been writing ¢ When you¢re trying ton beat the weather to Maine, Big miles are Big smiles¢.Met ¢Hiedi¢ the ridge runner down the trail, very nice person to be around. Alao met a girl from Albamarle NC, called her self ¢Gorbache¢ was hiking with Katie. Met up with Gabbie and Rainbow.It¢s straight up and down through here, very rugged, no huge mountains but rugged. Went off the trail to a pizza parlor, met a south bounder ¢Scooter¢. His shoes were falling apart. We had a pizza, got back on the road. A jeep pulls over, boy and girl offers us a ride and food. They had all kinds of goodies, strawberries, cookies, even had a pair of shoes they offered to Scooter!Down the trail a ways at a Hostel I was reading a book by MJ Eberhart, he has walked the trail, wild looking dude. Retired doctor, calls himself ¢Nimblewill Nomad¢ from Mo.I was in a shelter by myself the other day and this little chipmonk walks up to my feet and seems to look as though he begging for food. I give him a bit of snickers bar, he likes it. That little fellow must have eaten a third of a snickers bar. I stopped because I didn¢t know what the snickers was doing to his little body.Met up with Blister Free a former thru-hiker, he was with his father at a trail head. He gives me a big grapefruit from the trunk of his car, fresh fruit is welcome indeed.Get into Kent CT, hard to get a ride on the road into town, big money through here, million dollar homes everyway.Met up with Rainbow Lady, said she was giving it up and off the trail here, that¢s always sad to hear. I will camp out here in the church yard tonight, they let hikers camp in the back yard of the church, hope it doesn¢t rain tonight.Dad tells me it¢s Gather¢s birthday this Saturday, Aug 14th, ¢Happy Birthday Little Brother¢
Date: 2004-08-12
From: Kent CT

To: Salisbury CT
Miles today: 33.4

Adam (Gather) called from Salisbury CT 8-12-2004 @ 2 pmPaparazzi and I get into Salisbury CT. Been raining, thunderstorms are forcast. Kind of a lull when we get here, but we know more is on the way. So we decided to split the cost of a room.I know everything in CT is more expensive than anywhere on this trail, but $150.00 for a room during the weekday!!!?? We bartered with the guy, but he wouldn¢t go below $115.00. for a room on a weekday! We¢re going on to the next shelter.This state doesn¢t seem to be friendly to thru-hikers. Called home before we moved on, everything was ok there. Jorma is a day behind me.When I call home again I will be in Dalton MA, that¢ll be this weekend. Yeah, I¢ll get there in time for those weekend rates in the motel¢s.Bad timing, the trail¢s getting rougher, rocky and steep, only 689 miles to go. Mom asked me if I was going to do it ? I said Yeah, I guess I am ¢¦¢¦.And then there's Hurricane Charlie on his way to greet me, well we have been complaining about lack of water, guess we'll shut up now!Here we go heading north, putting one foot in front of the other ¢¦¢¦¢¦
Date: 2004-08-17
From: Dalton MA

To: Mark Noepel Lean-To
Miles today: 13.7

Gather & Slimer Left Dalton MA 8-17-2004 @ 11:00 amRaining when Gather and I left Dalton. Now this is a different rain, COLD, temp has dropped. When you¢re wet 48 to 51 degrees can be quite cold.Mountains are getting bigger and more rugged, running anywhere from 2000 ft to 2800 ft through here. Gather is in front of me a ways. Not sure if we will be able to hike together, I doubt it. He wants to stop, I want to go. I don¢t have a tent, he does. I have to time it so I hit one of the shelters each night if I can. Sometimes that means you get to one with a couple of hours daylight left, but not enough time to make it to the next one. With a tent you don¢t have those problems. Gather and I are brothers, we love each other. But, we are both on a mission to summit the big ¢K¢. We may not hike together, we will be together from time to time. We do hope to summit the big ¢K¢ together.Dad said he was only going to make one trip up here to pick us up, he said if we¢re not together when he arrives, the one that¢s not ¢THERE¢ will just have to walk back home.I can tell you right now I¢m not walking back the way I came ! I think maybe that¢s why Gather has jumped out in front of me.I¢m starting to get into moose country now. It¢s very beautiful through here, wetlands, beaver ponds, trout streams, a true hunter ¢ fisherman paradise. There are wetlands and bogs on top of the mountains here. Am hiking with ¢Impulse¢ and Doc ¢Gnarly¢ and ¢Harry¢. Doc is a Veterinarian from Fla. I asked Doc if there were any moose through here, he said sure there are. I would really like to see one of those dudes. Doc said you will get the chance.Crossed over Crystal Mountain (2050 ft), went by Gore pond. Crossed the Hoosic river.Made it to Mark Noepel Lean-To (2800 ft), Gather was already there drying out his stuff. Few other hikers there. We all dry out, cook and turn in for the night.Gather & SlimerDalton MA - to Mark Noepel Lean-To 13.7 miles
Date: 2004-08-18
From: Mark Noepel Lean-To 

To: Seth Warner Shelter 
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: clear sky

8/18/2004 Gather & Slimerwake up, still a slow drizzling rain, chilly, down in the 40¢s last night. Eat and head out on the trail. Passed by Bascom Lodge (3,491 ft), hard climb, slick and very muddy. Went by MT. Greylock. Passed the Wilber Clearing Lean-To.We all decided to go into Adams MA, Stop & Shop store there. Got into Adams, all the others headed for the beer section, I headed for the food and fruit. We all loaded up on goodies as this will have to do until I get to Manchester Center VT which is 54.4 miles up the trail.The rain has stopped for now, we set around outside the store and watch the people go by. From time to time someone would stop and talk to us. As we are setting there Gather comes walking up. He goes in and re-supplies. We all set there too long, burning daylight.We finally hit the trail again. Crossed over into Vermont, Yahoooo, another state behind us.Made it to the Seth Warner Shelter. It had started raining again, pouring down this time.We all hang up our stuff to dry out, cook our dinner. Gather & Impulse have pitched their tent¢s, shelter is crowded tonight. Hikers will do that sometimes to let the ones who don¢t have tent¢s sleep in the shelter.A south bounder comes stumbling in about dark. Usually the first thing a hiker does when he hits the shelter is hang his gear up to dry, or start eating. This guy just stared at the floor. Doc Gnarly asked him if he had any food? The Hiker ho ¢hummed, the Doc said ¢I asked you if you have any Food!¢ The hiker says no. Doc and all of us gave him food. His trail name was ¢Publix¢, we asked how he got that name, said it was the name of a supermarket in Fla. He was from Fla.I know the feeling very well to be out of food, out here if we know a hiker is out, we will share, even if it means we have to get off and re-supply again.We all turn in, been a ¢long- wet- muddy- day¢ ¢¦¢¦¢¦Gather & SlimerMark Noepel Lean-To ¢ Seth Adams Shelter 19.8 miles
Date: 2004-08-19
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Goddard Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: haze

8/19/2004 Gather & SlimerWake early, eat and pack up. Hit the trail in the rain again, just a drizzle this morning, very foggy.Gather is still in his tent. I have to go, have my sights set on Goddard Shelter 21.6 miles up the trail. I have to get there before dark as I have no tent.Pass by roaring branch, very pretty through here. Pass by the Congdon Shelter, take a break there. A little further up the trail I see my first moose! Big bull moose, huge, about 30 feet from me. He sees me, and runs off about 40 feet and resumes eating something off the ground, leaves I assume. Would love to get a picture, but very thick and foggy through here.Gather catches up with me. We climb Harmon Hill (2,325 ft) slick and muddy. We pass by a beautiful beaver pond. Crossed Little Pond Lookout (3,060 ft).Make it to the Goddard Shelter. Ranger Jan was there. Last I saw of him was in Daleville Va I think. If I remember right he was catching a bus to NY because he had already hiked that section, must have been a slow bus.Group of south bounders from Raleigh NC were there. Pacemaker, NightRider and Hiking Bear were at the shelter . The group from Raleigh said a few weeks ago they came through the White mountains, 40 degrees, wind howling at 60 mph, makes us feel real good.I have hiked with Hiking Bear back in the PA rocks, he was down on his hands and feet crawling and picking his way through the rocks, I heard him mutter, ¢this is what you get when you¢re legally blind¢ Later he told me he could see very little.Harry was hiking with us, he called home and was told his dog was dying. Harry started at Springer mountain GA just like we did and made it this far. Harry got off the trail to go be with his dog. Have to admire a man for that, very sad day. Harry did say he might get back on the trail, but time is not his friend right now.We all turn in for some much needed sleep ¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦Gather & SlimerSeth Warner Shelter to Goddard Shelter 21.6 miles