morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-07-13
From: 501 Shelter

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I was up early and had my gruel of coffee, fruit flavored oatmeal with a crumbled up Butterfinger bar and Sour Patch Kids. I was encouraged to make a long day into Port Clinton as I had heard that there was a pavilion shelter and camping next to a beautiful river where you could go swimming. I passed Round Head and the Overlook View where I paused at the beauty. I passed the Fort Dietrich Snyder Monument marking the site of The Dietrich Snyder Fort. It was an important lookout post to watch out for enemies in the French and Indian war. (Like in the audio-book I was reading - The Last of the Mohicans") The monument looks like a gravestone, which I thought that it was before reading it. Stopping in for water and a break at the Eagles Nest Trail and Shelter I thought to myself that the shelter looks (in my mind) like a giant bird feeder sitting on the ground instead of a pole! I could picture giant birds coming and pecking at the sleeping hikers looking for seeds. I pushed hard and arrived at around 4:00 at the extremely steep trail down into the town. The Wineberries on the trail down didn't taste good for some reason. I loved the berries and was sad that I couldn't eat them. I did find some ripe apples and ate several of them and they were crisp and very tasty. The trail passed by a pond that was overflowing across the trail followed by a hard descent down to the road as the loose dirt made the trail extremely slippery. The hiking poles were my salvation from falling on my way. You had to hike by multi-ton boulders of solid coal for a short road walk along the r&r tracks before crossing the bridge into town. The bridge crossed a 50' wide, but shallow, swift running river. The park was just a little off trail and after stopping at the Barber shop asked for a free cup of coffe where I was interrogated by the owner. Then it was off to the post office and yogi-ing some homemade dehydrated meals from a hiker who had overpacked his resupply. He was getting ready to throw them away and I was lucky to be nearby! I walked to the park set up my spot in the large pavilion across the street from the river. After visiting with some hikers I made my way to the Firestation bar where the beer and food were so cheap that I ordered 4 beers (2 for me,2 for friends), chicken fries, mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers and a medium bag of chips for $12.00! I was stuffed and couldn't eat anything more of the good food and so went back to the park and turned in for the night after my safety meeting and iPod time. I drifted off to sleep with the music of crickets, frogs and some night bird.
Date: 2015-07-14
From: Port Clinton Pavilion

To: Port Clinton Pavilion
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up late and made coffee and breakfast. My shoulder was bothering me as I had fallen during the previous day's hike and had caught my shoulder on a rock as I fell, so I caught a ride to the Dr. Office and had an x-ray taken to see if anything was broken. There wasn't but they thought that it was a serious sprain so they gave me a prescription pain killer and a shoulder sling to immobilize it. They recommended that I give it a break for a few days to rest up. I was hot and decided to take a bath in the river, clean out my clothing and warmed up by the fire. The water helped with my back and shoulder pain after my soak in the river. There were hikers, including SEVEN, in and around the small pavilion/bbq pit by the river who were keeping things really safe and included me in their meeting. One of the hikers had brought a case of beer and was handing them out to the hikers and I was happy to take one off their hand. A game of Frisbee was started and they set up two hiking poles and a beer can on each pole. The goal was to knock the can off of the post without hitting the post. I would have loved to play but I am left handed and it is my left shoulder that is hurt. Thus feeling safe and pain free I decided to sit and eat lunch by the river watching the hikers play Frisbee and cut capers in the grass. It was nice to just relax for awhile, listening to the birds and the river singing and making merry. I finished the day at the firehouse and another inexpensive meal and brews. I made it back to the shelter after dark and disturbed a nest of swallows in my new location, that had built their nest in the rafters. I was soundly scolded for coming in at such an ungodly hour and disturbing her babies. I got into bed quickly and turned out the light so they could get back to sleep and soon joined them.
Date: 2015-07-15
From: Port Clinton Pavilion

To: Port Clinton Pavilion
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I was up early and cleaned up and washed my camp clothing in the river as my hiking clothes had dried. While my camp clothing was drying, the Van from the world's largest Cabellas drove by where I was at the post office asking if I wanted a ride to the store. I said yes and hopped in with my pack and off we went after picking up several more hikers. The store was in the neighboring town of Hamburg where there was also a Walmart and other stores very close nearby. We were brought to the front door and dropped our packs in the vestibule and wandered inside the cavernous box store. I had 2 missions in mind. I asked if they could warranty a leatherman style multi-tool which they did as well as my Kealty Pack because the straps wouldn't stay secure and kept coming loose. I asked if I could substitute a 50 litre Redwing pack (which was also priced less) as I had lost so much weight that the hip belt of the pack was too big. They agreed and gave me a 26.00 store card for the difference which I used for a new pair of shoes and insoles. I left the store with new pack, shoes, insoles and a Leatherman Style and was only out $40.00!I then understood why people were such big fans of the store if they treated all of their customers with such good care. I then went to Walmart for supplies, including bodyglide and wipes. I bought a package of fully cooked chicken fajitas, a sprite and an apple pie and sat outside and topped off my phone and iPod. I then walked over to Mc. Donalds for a drink and wifi. I then accidentally walked the wrong way for a mile before realizing it, turning back and getting a ride back to town. I set up again and went to bed for the night after visting with Seven and getting safe by the river while having a beer. It was a beautiful sunset and the water was great for a dip before warming up by the fire. Soon it was time to lay down on my bed of benches and drift of to sleep to the sounds of the river.
Date: 2015-07-16
From: Port Clinton Pavilion

To: Allentown Shelter
Miles today: 22.6

My shoulder was doing much better when I got up so I was soon on my way back to the trail first thing in the after a decadent breakfast of Coffee, Coffee Cake, Muffins, fruit & cheese danishes and pineapple - orange juice. It was a day of much climbing and beautiful views out of Port Clinton Campground. I stopped in for a snack break at the Windsor Furnace shelter before climbing on up to Pulpit Rock letting the beauty before me proclaim the greatness of God's creation! I briefly checked out the Pulpit Rock Astronomical Park before moving on. It was worth the .1 mile walk to the Pinnacle with its panoramic views which were inspirational as well. Looking out across the valley was incredible and I just sat there and rested. Some of the hikers had spotted a snake hiding in a crack of the rock and I managed to identify the garden snake as being harmless, as they were worried that it may be venomous. Back by the trail there was a huge pyramid pile of rocks about 15' tall that someone had took the time to pile up. It was so very huge and random. There were more rock piles and walls along the way. I picked up water at the stream and cleaned up before I made it to the shelter. I hung my clothes out under the eves just before the rain and it rained pretty good throughout the night. We didn't complain as we needed rain and were happy that we didn't have to hike through it! The shelter is a log built shelter with cooking platforms on both sides upon which two hikers set up as their beds as the shelter was full and the long eves provided shelter from the rain. It was a confusing mess of trails to the privy that weaved through tentsites in a maze. I got lost coming back to the shelter and had to stop and ask for directions! After eating dinner I sponsored a safety meeting with my coffee and talked trail for awhile before I got an urgent call from my sleeping bag requiring immediate attention. I then climbed into bed and listened to the rain for awhile before putting in my earphones and listening to my iPod to unwind before going to sleep to the sound of the rain on the metal roof.
Date: 2015-07-17
From: Allentown shelter

To: George W. Outerbridge Shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: overcast clouds

The rain had quit by morning and I got up and prepared breakfast and coffee. the storm had cooled things off somewhat and the air had a fresh and clean smell which was pleasant to everyone. The hikers under the eves had managed to stay dry, in spite the rain due to the fact that there wasn't any wind and it fell straight down. It was a day of very large and very small rocks. I don't mind the large rocks as you can hop from large rock to large rocks with some care as some can move. When the trail was good it was very good and I could fly along, but when the little rocks kicked in the trail became hell and my flight would slow to a snail's pace. The small rocks would be small and poke you through the bottom of your shoes. It's the little rocks that are hard on the feet and constantly move, causing you to turn your ankle, time after time trying to throw you to the ground! Luckily the patches of the small rocks weren't long. Alternatively I would kick a rock loose going down hill with my rear foot and it would slide under my front foot which would then throw me wildly off balance only barely to be held up by swift use of the hiking poles to balance myself. Many imprecations were hurled thus against the offending stones and those who put a trail through such stone-fields. I made good progress when I wasn't in the small rocks and stopped at the Bake Oven Knob and its shelter for a quick snack break. Then it was up and over South Mountain to the ancient looking shelter which side trail I almost missed. Setting up my gear in the shelter I took my cleaning stuff and water containers down to the water source past the shelter on the trail. I used my Jetboil pot to take a quick shower and then wash out my clothing before filling up my containers and heading back to the shelter. It wasn't long before I was cooking dinner and having a safety meeting with some of the hikers who had stopped in for the night I was very exhausted and sore at the end of that day and I didn't think that I would have trouble falling asleep that night.
Date: 2015-07-18
From: George W. Outerbridge Shelter

To: Leroy A. Smith shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I was very hungry and ate 4 packets of oatmeal & extra trail mix and coffee. It was an extremely hard and hot day as we first went downhill from the shelter and across a beautiful bridge and river. Then it was up a rugged climb and then through the Palmerton Superfund site where the landscape was poisoned by a zinc smelting plant nearby. The ashes contaminated the area resulting in a superfund of money needed to fix the problem and the area is beautiful but you cannot eat the fruit or drink the water in that section. This is bad for the hikers in this already dry section of land. This sucked as the berries here looked so tempting and were everywhere! The day's climb included hand over hand action as I had to put my poles up and climb up to them in a number of places. Luckily my shoulder was doing much better and didn't act up much or become further injured. I was sore but I knew that I was going to sleep well. The views were incredible and along the way I came across a hiker who had been out of water for miles and it was miles to the shelter where the next water was located. I urged him to drink one of my 20 tea and Poweraid bottles which he did and immediately began to feel better. It was good that I came along when I did or he may have been in serious trouble. I walked with him to make it to the shelter to make sure that he made it ok and we were both very thirsty and tired from the heat and the hike. I quickly got my stuff set up in the shelter and then grabbed my containers and cleaning supplies and went down the road and off down the stream to a secluded spot to strip down and take a bath and clean my clothes. It felt so good and I hung each of clothing on a branch after I cleaned them. After I went upstream and filled up my containers of water and started back to the shelter where I hung out my clothing on another hiker's line and started cooking dinner. One thing that I miss are the picnic tables that make cooking easier. It also makes it safer as you don't have to cook in the shelter reducing the risk of people accidently setting the shelter on fire and drawing animals into the shelter due to the smell of food. After dinner I hung out with the hikers and talked for awhile. Then one hiker had pulled out a guitar and we listened and sang some songs together around the campfire, having a blast! Then someone sponsored a safety meeting to make the shelter safer. Before turning in for the night I noticed a zitlike infection on my left index finger and lanced it and squeezed a good amount of pus from the site. It had two marks and looked like a spider bite so I knew that I had to keep an eye on it in case it turned out to be one of the bad ones like a Brown Recluse or a Black Widow. Putting Triple Antibiotic Ointment on it and turned in for the night with my headphones on.
Date: 2015-07-19
From: Leroy Springs Shelter

To: Church of the Mountains Hostel
Miles today: 20.1

That morning, during breakfast,I had noticed that the infection on my left index finger was swollen and sore after I had squeezed the puss out the night before. It looked more like a spider bite and that my finger was becoming infected. The terrain was decent down into Wind Gap and the view at Hans Overlook was beautiful. Taking a snack break at the Wolf Rocks, I felt great in the cool breeze, soaking in the view and the morning sun. Then it was a short jaunt to the Kirkridge Shelter and Mt. Minsi to the view at Lookout Rock which was worth another break, this time for a snack. It was downhill to the Delaware Water Gap and there were beautiful views to be enjoyed along the way. I made my way to the Church of the Mountain shelter which is a stately early 1800s era brick and stone structure with the signature bell tower. I walked up the driveway and got the rundown from a hiker who had zeroed the day before. I got set up on a bunk and hopped into the shower to bask exultantly in hot water. I soaked away my aches and pains and felt wonderful when I was done. The finger, left index, was looking worse and I squeezed a great deal of puss out again after the shower. I figured that I would get it checked checked out the next day if it got worse. I ate a lasagna Mountain house dinner found in the hiker box and drank a trail magic beer out back at the picnic table. I sat and watched hikers play Frisbee, cook their food and just socialize and have fun. While hiking is great fun, it is the hiking community of hikers, trail angels and businesses that brings the whole thru-hike experience to life and makes is memorable. You meet so many types of people from Professional Bankers to college students and everything in between. You get to see the best of humanity as it is a community that will drop everything to help one another. That's what will remain with me the most of the experience, is the people. Thus pondering I walked off of the property with two other hikers for a safety meeting, and went to bed early with my iPod.
Date: 2015-07-20
From: Church of the Mountains Hostel

To: Church of the Mountains Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I was up early, ate breakfast and asked for a ride to the emergency room to get my finger looked at. It was lanced again and drained and I was given some medicine to help with the infection with the instructions to return if it worsened. I returned to the hostel after lunch where I met with SEVEN again as he had just come in and got set up out back by the parking lot. A group of hikers had gotten a bunch of Magical Mushrooms and were going to go to the river bank to partake of them and asked if I wanted to go. I didn't feel that it was for me so I declined and rested around the shelter for the day visiting with the new hikers that were arriving as the day went by. I kept an eye on the finger looking for improvement or degeneration but it stayed about the same. I was treated and ate dinner at the Sycamore Inn down the street were I tried the Super Nachos and a Sam Adams Summer Ale. The nachos turned out to be plentiful, filling and awesome! My phone was almost dead so a waiter directed me to an outlet where I could watch it while I ate. That evening a trail angel gave some of us a ride to the laundry mat where we did laundry and while we were waiting, took us over to Walmart for resupply and my prescription. We got back in time to put our stuff in the dryer and eat our dinner that we had brought from Walmart. I had brought tortilla shells, salsa, guacamole and a rotisserie chicken and shared it with one who didn't have anything to eat. Then it was back to the hostel which was pretty scary as the driver didn't see well at night and almost crashed us several times on the way back! It was time to get safe off property with some friends and then turn in for the night.
Date: 2015-07-21
From: Church of the Mountains Hostel

To: Church of the Mountains Hostel
Miles today: 19.6

Getting up early raided the hikerbox while I drank my morning coffee. I went down to the diner with a few hikers. On the way I saw several skinny, stray cats at the bakery parking lot and one came up to say "Hi" and rubbed on leg asking for some loving. I petted it for a moment before catching up to the others. Shoebox surprised me and sprang for my breakfast! I had the pancake special with eggs, sausage, OJ and Coffee. I saved some of the sausage for the cat on the way back and made the cat very happy and soon it's tiny motor was going a mile a minute as it ate and then thanked me by rubbing on my leg again. It let me pick it up and I stood for several minutes just petting it before it wanted to get down. I spent the day waiting for the finger to heal but it wasn't responding to the treatment. In fact it was swelling more and looking even worse so I went to another emergency room where they took it more seriously and I was soon hooked up to an IV and given better medicines before being released. The doctor said that if it had gotten worse I could have had to gotten my finger amputated! I was picked and given a ride to Walmart to pick up my prescription and then back to the hostel by a friend of the pastor's. I watched with anticipation to see if it would get better or worse until I went to bed. The trail angel gave us a ride earlier the laundromat and then to Walmart again so he wouldn't have to ride in the dark. I washed my camp clothes and my rainsuit as well this time so that now all of my stuff was clean and ready. I made dinner and had a safety meeting with some of the hikers who had arrived that day and visited awhile. Then showering up I went to bed and listened to my iPod before going to sleep.
Date: 2015-07-22
From: Church of the Mountains Hostel

To: Church of the Mountains Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

Awaking early I found my finger was noticeably less swollen and was not as angry red as the night before which was a great relief. I took my medication and went for breakfast and decided to give it one more day to see if the healing would take or if it would take a turn for the worse again. I walked to the diner with some fellow hikers and was treated to breakfast at the Water Gap Diner where they fed me a huge and delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs and sausage with about a pots worth of coffee as we visited. Things went well and I washed my camp clothing and went to Walmart again and got some lunch. Back at the hostel, I went with a group down to the Edge of The Woods outfitter for a few odds and ends and while there got my picture taken with the giant stuffed bear inside and the tiny wooden carved bear out on the porch. The church had a hiker feast that they called a "hot dog dinner" and we were treated to a wonderful potluck dinner and visited with the pastor and church members it was a great time. During the day I had received another food package from Unicorn of both homemade and store bought food including Biscotti to go with my morning coffee! She has been such a blessing, encouragement and help to allow me to stay on the trail with these care packages and words of encouragement. I planned to leave in the morning if my finger continued to improve and got to bed early in order to get an early start if I was able. I shared a safety meeting and helped the hiker that I met earlier on the trail who had chronic pain from a badly set bone, by giving him my left over pain pills and he gifted me with more safety material, enough in fact that I might make it to Maine just fine with what I had. To celebrate I sponsored a safety meeting with those who participated in such things before going to bed for a possible early morning departure.