morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-30
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

Well, slept in a little and packed up-and-out of hotel by 9:00. Stopped at the local diner,(where it seems everyone here is on a first name basis), and had breakfast. Started out of town towards the trail, but a memorial that I had not seen before caught my eye. It listed all of DWG's fallen since the war of 1917. As you look closely at the names however, you see a pattern mesmirizes. The last names in ensuing wars are the same...Generation after generation of Pennsylvanians, answered their country's call, to protect our freedoms, one of which I am able to enjoy now. My prayer of thanks said, I am on my way.As I write this I am now at my stop for the nite. Sort of a a bunkhouse or flophouse, with bathrooms, showers, electic stove and bunks After todays hike this is indeed a gift! I knew about the almost 1000 foot elevation gain, but silly me, I thought the rocks stopped in Pennsylvania! Well they didn't and they did indeed thrash me. Had there been a good spot to camp I would have stopped. Nah, I read about the showers...I'm here with another hiker, Jim, who took a bus from Phoenix just to get out here and do this. He started down in Maryland and hiking till he feels like stopping. Ah, the life.
Date: 2006-05-01
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Hemlock Pond Trail
Miles today: 9.3

Man did I sleep, and I felt great this morning. Drank a coffee, made a special oatmeal called something Mush, which is what it tasted like, but lots of calories!Which reminds me, to use a "Marioism", one of the great guys I get to work with. I'm really gonna try and stuff my face this time out. In previuos hikes I was trying to cut some weight, which obviously hiking will do, (average hiker will burn at least 8000 calories a day)! If you want to test this, get on a stairclimber at level 9 or 10, check your calories burned after half an hour, multiply that by 2 for an hours total and viola. So I have about 7#'s of body fat I can give up but can't lose anymore. So I start at 173 #'s, and a pack weight of about 35 #'s, (feels like 135#). So I'll find out how I did on weight when I get home. The terrain wasn't as rocky today, so although I did about the same miles I wasn't as trashed. And, I'm famous! Ran into a group of abut 20, 10 to 12 year olds out on a short hike of the AT with thier YMCA camp leaders and they all gawked at me and said, "There's a Thru hiker"! One little girl stopped and hurriedly took my picture! I felt like a movie star, but probably looked like a creature from a horror film. I spent most of the day traversing ridgeline and had some gorgeous views of the valleys below and now as I'm writing this in my tent, not a soul around, I'm overlooking a pristine mountain lake called Crater Lake.Stay away tonite bears!!!
Date: 2006-05-03
From: Culvers Gap

To: Mashipacong Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: clear sky

You get a different perspective of things when you're sitting on top of a mountain on a blue sunny day, listening to the birds chirp around you as you look at at the scenery that surrounds you. Off in the far distance, mountains are the background of a scene displaying waves of forests, and rolling hills, washing up to where you gaze. The lake below, surrounded by the homes of people you'll never know, going about their day. From up here the look is so idylic and peaceful, while down there, folks experince the streses that life can bring. Diferent world I am in, right now. Time to move on...This is the second day I ran into only one or two people. Yesterday I met 2 section hikers going north, for a week. Today, a young woman with her brown lab puppy, named Bella, stopped up at the pavillion I was having lunch at, turns out there is a parking lot about 200 yards below. Well Bella helped me out, I had just finished a peanut butter and Jelly bagle, and my hands were a sticky mess. Puppy solved that problem, licking them clean. The owner as she was leaving even offered me her bottle of water!!! The section I am hiking has no water for about 18 miles which is almost 2 days of hiking for me. Nice folks up here in New Jersey..
Date: 2006-05-04
From: Mashipacong Shelter

To: Secret Shelter
Miles today: 12.5

Sooner or later the light bulb turns on and I see the light. For the past several days I've been using up my little tube of sunscreen, and I'm like "What's up like that?", (another Marioism). Well the duh, what's up, is that the trees as of yet have not leafed out, so there is no canopy to protect you! You are totally exposed to the sun, on a mountain, and I am gonna have the best Farmers Tan going, at the end of this adventure.The hike was an unusually long one today as I really wanted to make it to the "Secret Shelter". Called so because the shelter is on private property and provided as a way from a former thru-hiker "to pay back all the genorosity he was shown, when he thru-hiked". Secret, because it is not in all the trail publications, save a few.Arrived, feet throbbing, thinking of the relevance of a black cat that ran acroos the trail in front of me earier, (the trail does in some cases come in very close poximity to homes and neighborhoods), ah, just a cat,I hope...The effort proved to be well worth it. Once again, by myself, I had the use of a little cabin, situated on a piece of property nestled into the mountains of New Jersey. Surronded by old 3' high stonewalls, built by farmers long ago, a nice piece of heaven does this man own. The shelter itself has a sink, a small loft upstairs to sleep, electric baseboard heat if you needed it (I didn't), a fan, which I did put to use. Out thru another door was a hot shower, which I immediatly made use of. The sink was large, maybe 2' x 3' and perfect for handwashing clothes. A laundry line was provided as well. And it was all mine for the night!Cooking dinner, I suddenly heard what I thought was somebody screaming! And in looking at the direction the noise had come from, I realized that I had never before heard a Donkey make the hee haw noise before. So my company for the night in the nearby field would be the occasional screams of my Donkey neighbors....
Date: 2006-05-05
From: Secret Shelter

To: Pochuck Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: clear sky

What does Poison Ivy look like? In all the years I've hiked I don't have a definitive answer, and I have asked several hikers over the years. So, what I have garnered over the years is that it is: 1) green & 2) has 3 leaves. And the latter of these two points is really where the wheels fall off. The distinct shape of the leaf, is it 3 separate leaves or 1 leaf with 3 points? Does the end of the leaf come to a point or is it a teardrop shape? I just avoid anything green with 3 pointed leaves. Short hike today as I had a resupply waiting for me at the post office in Unionville, N.Y., (I am skirting the N.Y. and N.J. border right now). So I go in, grab my box, haul it out back onto the grass and greedily slice it open, forgetting what I had thrown in there and eager for the suprise. My God, what didn't I put in that box!!! And to add to the consternation, the friendly ladies at the Post Office reminded me, that if I was going to "bounce" (re-mail) the box forward, that they closed an hour for dinner, (lunch) at 12, and it was now 11:30. So, I hurriedly pick out what I'll need for the next 5 days, all the while shaking my head at what was in there, and even took some things out of my pack to lighten it somewhat. I swear I will read that book that I've picked up and put down sevearl times over the years, and just carried for 50 miles, A history book titled "How the Irish saved Civilization", (it looked good in the book store..). That done, I spy a sandwich shop across the street and waltz over for a real cheeseburger and waffle fries, Yum.Get to the shelter area a little early and toy with the idea of moving on but the feet are pretty sore from yesterdays big miles so I'll just stay here, and pitch my tent.
Date: 2006-05-06
From: Pochuck Mountain Shelter

To: Wawayanda Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: few clouds

I was joined last night at the shelter by a fellow with the Trailname "Iceman". We had supper together,(dinner), and learned that we are both the same age and have similar backgrounds. He named himself Iceman, as he is a refrigeration mechanic that lives in this NJ area but commutes to NYC for his work. This turns out to be his first hiking experience and he is loving it. I am amazed to learn that he started out a day after me, at Delaware Water Gap, but has already caught up with me. And the enormity and weight of his pack makes me feel like a piker, even though I've done over 1300 miles of trail so far. Well he quizzes and I give him some ideas that I hope will help him lighten his load for his next trip. He digs out a small bottle of Bourbon, offers some, which I happily oblige, and at which point I learn of his haste in this trek. Today he will hike about 3 miles to a road that we will cross and part ways, a friend will pick him up and drop him off at his house. And by 6 PM tonite he will be on a charted yacht, procurred by his employer, where the entire company he works for, about 60 folks he guesses, will be entertained on a cruise and dinner around Manhatten. So sitting at a picnic table, deep in the woods last night, using a gas stove to boil Ramen noodles, then to a yacht cruising around Manhatten. We are very, very lucky to be alive and in this country where such things are possible. I'l be thinking of the Iceman tonight as I enjoy my dinner and hope he enjoys his evening and has good thoughts of the week he spent in the woods...
Date: 2006-05-08
From: Greenwood Lake, NY

To: Greenwood Lake, NY
Miles today: 0.0

I decided to take the day off today as my body needs a rest. A slightly hyper exendend knee and mild ankle sprain convinced my brain that a chill day was in order. Had to find a new motel, as the one I was staying at was booked for tonight. So tonight I'm about a mile down the road, but closer to where I will pick up the trail tommorrow.As I work on this journal entry, I am also washing my clothes by hand in a sink with a bar of soap, as there are no laundromats in town. This effort gives one a whole new appreciation for a washing machine!!Before I checked-in however, I grabbed some breakfast at the local diner, filled up my fuel container at the local hardware store, and went to CVS, for some toothpaste (travel size, small tube, light weight). Everywhere I went with that pack on my back created conversation about what I was doing, how far was I going, and some things that I "just shouldn't miss", while hiking up here.To the young woman, Ashly, who guided me to the motel and everyone I've met today, Greenwood Lake is like other trailside towns, just plain friendly.
Date: 2006-05-09
From: Greenwood Lake, NY

To: Arden Mountain
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: broken clouds

Make it stop!!! How do songs get into your head, and why can't you getrid of them once they get in there?! I'm a walking jukebox today. Eveything from the 70' & 80's, from Aerosmith to Frank Zappa. And it's not like I know the whole song, that may be tolerable. Nope, I just know the tag lines or chorus and have yhose on repeat thru my brain over and over again. The problem with leaving town today was not leaving town per se, but the fact that I knew what I was in store for. When I came into town on Sunday, the hill into town, you could have slid down. Now I had to go back up it!!! No real plan, as the 1st shelter I run into is about 4 miles and the next one is 14, so I ended up camping on top of a mountain. I just ran out of gas and it was the first flat spot I could find after getting water. Now there is a story -- I was motoring pretty good today, and wasn't checking my maps as frequently as I should. Well I blew by all my water sources, and ended up walking a half mile out of my way to get water. Lugging 4 litres of water (what I use for dinner, breakfast & restock my canteen for the next days hike), up the trail is not any fun. Serves me right, but it made for a late evening, with setting up the tent, stringing a line to hang your food away from the animals, cooking, eating. A lot of work condensed in a tight timeframe, because the sun was going down and when it gets dark in the woods, it's DARK!And finally before I forget again, when I was hiking those boulders on Sunday, at one point, I just laid down on the rocks to rest, looking up in the sky, is a fully restored Bi-plane! Well I started waving like a little kid, and he came around and buzzed me! That was really so... COOL! Life is good.
Date: 2006-05-10
From: Arden Mountain

To: William Brien Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: overcast clouds

You smell it before you see it, almost taste it in fact. A heavy, almost musty smell. Then you look around, and although not in ruins, the forest in a part of this area was on fire, and the smell of wet burned wood still lingers. What caused it, this far probably lighting, I see no campsites as I walk thru the charred trees, but it is a reminder at how fragile this beauty all is.I spend most of my days alone, seeing no one at all. Only ocasionally do I see other hikers and they are also section hikers, generally by themselves; the only diffrence being, they are hiking Southbound, based on their logistics, while I hike North. I see in the shelter logbooks that there are other hikers in front of me, but I'll not catch them.Waking up this morning, on top of the mountain, with birds chirping, and a lone owl, hooting in the background, made it a struggle to pull oneself out a warm sleeping bag, into the chilly morning.Well I won't complain about the day other than to say the place names of Lemon Squeezer and Agony Gulch lived up to their names. Lets hope the Ol' Advil does it's thing!!!
Date: 2006-05-11
From: William Brien Memorial Shelter

To: Fort Montgomery
Miles today: 8.9

I'm so fortunate to have so many specialists concerned about my well being during these last 3 days. I call them specilists or ENT's, (Ear Nose & Throat), you probably know them better as GNATS! Everytime you slow down or stop, they come to make sure you're OK. Fly in your ears or up your nose, to make sure eveything is OK, and if your panting after going up a tough climb, they'll jump in and check the old throat. But you czan have revenge. EAT 'UM!Last night it rained, and today is very foggy. A bit disappointing, as I am told from one of the climbs I will do today, you could see NYC, if it was clear.Met an older gentlemen at one of the tourist overlooks on Bear Mountian that had just finished the trail last September!!! Very much the inspiration I needed and it was great talking to him, because this last week has beat me up, and I keep meeting these young section hikers going the other way, that are doing 18 miles days. He was very proud of what he had accomplished, and I tried to make sure I shared his joy.Hiked into the town of Fort Mongomery NY, which is home of West Point, because I have a mail drop here with more food. The only thing I had left was a packge of tuna fish and a few candy bars.Another of the many "I didn't know that's", is this is the only place on the trail where the founders original vision was ever consumated. As you walk the very end of this section, you go thru a nature center that has live exhibits of all the natural elements to this part of the trail. The vison was to have one of these for each state the trail passed thru. So you have a mini-zoo of foxes, bear, coyote, porcipines, and others,(all animals are rescued, and would not have survived in their natural element). Along with an aquarium, reptile display & tags/signs on every tree, shrub or weed, identifying what it was! They were closing so I had to rush thru and thus a view of the ever evasive Poison Ivy eludes me once again!!!
Date: 2006-05-12
From: Fort Montgomery

To: Fort Montgomery
Miles today: 0.0

Being the fair weather hiker that I am, I chose to spend another zero day in town. The weather supported rain all day, so I got the room for another night hoping to miss the downpours. Washed my clothes in an actual machine this time, which is a first this time on my hike, ate as much food as my body would allow me to ingest, italian food is big up here and very good! Met and talked to some nice folks at a local watering hole that was built in the 20's. Had so much fun chatting it up that we closed the place down,(10:00), and they gave me a ride back to my hotel, about 1/2 mile away. It always affirms what I know in my heart, that all folks in our wonderful country are just plain nice folks, that would, given the oppurtunity, do anything for you. I think, sometimes I spend too much time watching the news, and all you see is there are the very tiny minority of people that do things that are not nice, but get all the air time.The trail brings you back in touch with the kindness of strangers....
Date: 2006-05-13
From: Fort Montgomery

To: Graymoor Friary
Miles today: 6.3

I turned 50 today. Hard to believe I've been around that long. Thank you to my mom for bearing me that long ago and keeping me safe & alive. I enjoyed our 35 years together and miss the fact that we didn't get more, and that you couldn't share in this adventure and the other accomplishmnets I've made in my life. I think you would be proud.So I headed out of town today, with an accomplice. Remember the guy who went on the Manhatten cruise? Well he got back on the trail and has caught up with me! So Iceman will be hiking with me for a little while.Short day, as there was a monastary that allowed hikers to stay on the grounds AND you could order food and it would be deliverd to the picnic area we were alowed to stay at on thier grounds! 3 of us up here tonight. One fellow did 24 miles the other day and effectively traversed all the terrain that it took me 3 days to cross. Holy Moly.Well this begins my last big week. Have to average at least 10-12 miles days to make it up to Kent Conneticut as that is where my journey will end.I think I'm getting the dreaded hiker appetite. Before I left town I had a bagel with butter, bottle of oj, 2 donuts, 20 oz coffee, 2 cupcakes from bake sale and 1 litre of gatorade!
Date: 2006-05-14
From: Graymoor Friary

To: Fahnestock State Park
Miles today: 11.9

Deep, deep in the woods, you see an old stone wall, or remnants of a foundation, or just an open field that doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the landscpae. The touch of a human hand back here starts the mind wandering; who did this, what was here, where are they now?The hike today was pleasant, although chilly and overcast, it did not rain. The terrain wasn't bad so we made good time.Caught a ride to the local state campground that promised hot showers and free camp sites to long distance hikers. It is so sad to see the condition of parks with facilities. The effect of budget cuts are definitly taking their toll on our beautiful State and National park systems...
Date: 2006-05-15
From: Fahnestock State Park

To: RPH Shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: light rain

Short day today because it started raining and rained pretty heavy for about 3 hours. Everything stayed dry except my feet, but you couldn't stop for a break or else you'd start shivering, not good. So we came to this shelter and have clothes hanging up all over the place in hopes they may dry out by tommorrow.Iceman and I thought we would have the place to ourselves, but 6 other folks showed up. Oh well.
Date: 2006-05-16
From: RPH Shelter

To: Morgan Stewart Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: light rain

Clothes didn't dry out much from yesterday. Boots wet, socks & pants damp, but the shirts are ok 'cause I slept in them and body heat dried them out. It was an overcast morning until we put on our packs, and then the rain started. In the 50's, rain was cold. If you stopped hiking to catch your breath, shivering began, so very few stops.My compadre, Iceman and I were sharing food, as we were both running low. Keep in mind that I stocked up 3 days ago from a mail drop for 5 days of hiking, and last night as we did 2 nights ago, a pizza place delivered to the shelter we were staying at, (very close to road), so Iceman odered the pizza pie this time. In spite of all that, we are running low on food and still have about 3 days to go. According to my guide, there is a store/deli half a mile off the trail. So in the rain we go, down the road, cars splashing us as we go by,(no big deal, we're pretty much soaked after 5 miles of hiking anyway). Into the store we make a beeline for the coffee and start perusing the store for necessities. At the deli, I ask for an order of macaroni and hamburger, to eat in the store, and a ham and cheese sub to go (for supper). We spend our time in front of the soda cooler because they blow a little bit of heat from the bottom, and the owner doesn't seem to mind us there, so we try our best to warm up before heading back out.Out into the rain again. And in case your wondering, my "food" cost came to $45, and my buddy paid $47, which purchased us pop tarts, candy bars, oatmeal and the like. Not healthy stuff but LOTS of calories!!!So back out onto the trail we make the 4 miles in about 2 hours. At this point the trail has become a stream and we henceforth refer to it as "The Appalachian Creek". Once we get to the shelter we see our 6 shelter buddies from last night are already there, so we get ready to set up our tents, and the rain stops and the SUN appears!!! Life is good but I'm tired and going to tuck in for the night.