morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-07-08
From: Duncannon, Pa

To: As far as I can go...
Miles today: 21.6

Trail Angel, Mary, shuttled me from The Stardust back to the trailhead in downtown Duncannon. I had breakfast at Goodies and a good breakfast it was. Tennessee, a tall, young hiker from Tennessee, came in after me and sat down at my table. A nice young man if a little reticent. I had met him at the Dutch Haus Hostel and it had been over three weeks since I had seen him. During our conversation, he told me he had done the aqua blazing from Waynesboro, Va to Harpers Ferry, WV. He also said he was taking off a week for a Caribbean cruise. So, it may be another three weeks before I see him again.After breakfast, I said goodbye to Tennessee and started hiking through town and then, neighborhoods on the edge of town and across the Susquehanna River bridge. The river was probably a half mile wide but fairly shallow. I crossed the highway, the railroad tracks and was climbing up a little mountain and into the forest within 45 minutes after breakfast. On top of the mountain, there was a very nice view of the little town of Duncannon and the Susquehanna.After my climb out of town, the rest of the day was pretty uneventful and the trail was pretty flat and nice to me. It was a good day and I logged 21.6 miles, got rained on and just before dark, I pitched my little tent and said goodnight to the world.Sayounara,Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-09
From: As far as I can go...

To: Lickdale, Pa.
Miles today: 21.9

Broke camp a few minutes after 6:00am. About an hour and a half into my hike, I came to a campsite and Steel Matt was there, just breaking camp. He and I hiked together for the next three days. He and I had hiked together before and I enjoyed hiking with him. Our pace was about the same which makes it comfortable for each hiker. Steel Matt is a 51 year old former masonry contractor who is in the midst of changing careers. He plans to finish the AT first.We decided to hike to Lickdale and split a motel room for the night. It was only 13.9 miles to town so it was a fairly easy day for both of us. When we came to the road to Lickdale we started hitching. After about 17 minutes, a pickup truck going in the opposite direction pulled over, made a u-turn and picked us up. After all of my experience hitchhiking as a teenager and later as a Marine, when it was socially acceptable, this is the first time anyone ever turned around and took me in the other direction. Two very nice young men, who seemed to be very interested in thru-hiking and thru-hikers, picked us up. The man in the passenger seat was going to ride in the back of the pickup and allow Steel Matt and me to ride in the cab. Neither Steel Matt or I would allow that to happen. We gratefully hopped into the back of the truck. Riding in the back was an opportunity for us to get a little of the foul smell blown off of us, too. It is really amazing how many wonderful and generous people I have met on the AT. Probably once or twice a week, I meet someone who completely blows me away with their sweet, caring, generous attitude. People who I have never seen or met and probably will never see again who were totally selfless with their time, energy and money toward helping me and other hikers. They will not get any recognition for their acts of altruism. I can't even remember many of their names but, you can believe that I will never forget their acts of kindness. May God bless you all!!Steel Matt and I stopped at Windys to eat first because we needed to wash all of our clothes. While they are drying, we would not have anything to wear except a bath towel and we decided Windys may refuse to serve us since they have the "no shoes, no shirt, no service" rule. We had the shoes but, all of our shirts, pants, socks and underware were in bad need of soap and water. After finishing our square cheeseburgers at Windys, we checked in at the Days Inn next door. The desk clerk told us their washing machine was out of order but their dryer was working. So, we washed our clothes "hiker style". We stripped, put all of our nasty clothes in the tub and washed them the best we could, with hand soap. They may not have looked that clean but they sure did smell better after they were dried.The end of another good day on the AT.Ciao for now.Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-10
From: Lickdale, Pa.

To: Hertline Campsite
Miles today: 17.0

We had breakfast at the motel and began hitching back to the trailhead. After only a few minutes, a young couple gave us a ride and 10 minutes later, the AT was taking us across a steel bridge that had been closed to car traffic since the floods created by Hurricane Sandy.The trail was fairly flat today but the rocks were getting worse each day. It seemed like they would go on forever. Big rocks, little rocks, stones, pebbbles, every type of rock imaginable. Every step a hiker takes on rocks has to be a calculated movement. Some rocks are wet and slippery and can quickly fell a hiker. Some have moss on them and can cause a slip or a fall. Some are not solidly seated on the ground or other rocks and may shift when stepping on them which could cause a fall. Then, there are times when your foot becomes lodged between two rocks, stopping you abruptly in mid stride, causing a fall. You can also catch the toe of your shoe on the top of a rock and go spinning out of control. I'm sure you get the idea by now. Taking the falls out of the equation, just walking on rocks all day can cause pain, sometimes excruciating pain not to mention blisters.Both Steel Mat and I agreed that 17 miles was enough for today. We arrived at Hertline Campsite a little after 6:00. We pitched our tents, prepared our evening meal and talked for a while. Steel Matt went to his tent to listen to a Pittsburg Pirate's game and I went to my tent and hit the bag.About 8:00 PM, I heard voices outside my tent. I looked out of my little mesh window and saw two old dudes about my age putting up their tent and chatting quietly. Now, there were four hikers in the campsite. I laid back down and was asleep within minutes. Another day on the AT comes to an end...Goodnight.Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-12
From: Hamburg, Pa.

To: Hamburg, Pa.
Miles today: 0.0

Ok, y'all, there has been a change of plans. I have decided to "flip flop". That means that I will go home for my appointment. Then, when I return, I will fly to Maine and hike south back to Hamburg, Pa, to complete my thru-hike of the AT.There are several reasons for this. The primary one is that I am running out of time because of all the going back and forth from the AT to home for my appointments. Traditionally, Mt. Katahdin, the finish line, is closed down on October 15, because of hazardous weather conditions like snow and ice on the mountain. Sometimes, they can close it earlier than 10/15, if the weather dictates. If I continue on my northerly trek, I may not make it there before 10/15. To be considered a thru-hike, one must complete the entire 2,185.5 mile hike* within a 12 month calendar year. And, I AM NOT ABOUT TO HIKE THAT FAR AND BE DENIED FINISHING!! Also, I had an absolutely horrible winter on the trail during all of March and half of April. As many of you know, I do despise cold weather and I do not want to go through ANOTHER winter in New England. So, I am signing out for now. Thank you for tuning in and please stand by for the finish.Shalom, y'all!Sandman69 *Originally, I have stated that the AT is a 2,180 mile hike from Georgia to Maine. There are lots of conflicting numbers regarding the length of the AT. The reason for this is because the trail is always changing or growing. Miles are added because the layout of the trail changes occasionally. The length several years ago is not going to be the same as now. When I arrived at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harpers Ferry, WV, the first question I asked one of the staff members was the official length of the AT. His response was: 2,185.5 miles. So, that's what we're going with.
Date: 2013-07-14
From: Off Trail

To: Washington, DC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

My good friend Jerry Concannon came to Hamburg, Pa, and fetched me once again from the AT. All I've got to say is what a friend!!Instead of going straight back to Myrtle Beach, we decided to stop and spend a day or so in our nation's Capitol. We parked in front of the Washington Monument. It looked very different from the last time I saw it. It actually had scaffolding wrapped around it and and it extended all the way to the top. At 555 feet, JC and I agreed, it must've been one huge job putting up all that scaffolding! The monument was being refurbished due to the damage it sustained from the earthquake several years ago.Next on our agenda was the WWII Memorial. Then, the Korean War Memorial, where the life sized statues of American soldiers look dramatically real.Next, was the memorial with the most significance for Jerry and I, The Wall or, The Vietnam War Memorial. Jerry's brother, John Francis Concannon, was serving in Vietnam when he was killed in action in Laos, on a covert mission. His name appears on The Wall. The names of 37 men who were friends or men I served with in Vietnam are on The Wall. It is not possible to visit The Wall without being overcome with emotions and thoughts about this tragic loss of American lives. Just the size of it, with 58,000 names chiseled in the black granite, can be overwhelming. The Wall is a big black gash in the earth and it is so representative. It tore apart the fabric of our country, especially in the 60's. History will not look fondly upon this travesty or those in Washington who perpetuated it. They should have their wall, too, The Wall of Shame!May you rest in peace Jack Concannon, Bobby Morden, Elias Salazar, et al, et al, et al...Sandman69 signing out for now.
Date: 2013-07-25
From: Mt Katahdin, Maine

To: Abol Bridge
Miles today: 14.9

This morning at 5:00, I crawled out of my bag and started gathering my gear. Tracker, a section hiker from Ft Lauderdale, and I had shared a lean-to for the night. He was going to summit today. We planned to meet up further down the trail and hike Maine together. We said our goodbyes and I hit the trail.Baxter State Park, where Mt Katahdin is located, is a very pristine place. I would spend most of my day hiking in it today and it was a joy. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and all was right in my world. And, there was very little strenuous climbing which is unusual for Maine. Maine is known for roots, rocks, mud and bogs in addition to very challenging climbs. I have quickly learned that my hiking here will not be the same as most of the southern states where I could do 20-25 mile days in lots of areas. In most of Maine, anything over a 15 mile day is a very good day. And farther south in Maine, 10-12 mile days will be the norm for most of us.Right after I hiked out of Baxter State Park, I came to Abol Bridge which crosses the Penobscot River. There is a campground/convenience store/grill located by the bridge and that is all there is for miles and miles. So, naturally, I stopped there for the night. The 100 Mile Wilderness is just ahead and there is no way I am going to pass up ice cream and cold beer when I will be living in the woods for the next seven or eight days straight. I pitched my little tent, took a shower and washed my clothes at the same time. Then, I headed to the grill for a wonderful grilled chicken tossed salad, beer and ice cream. It was a pleasant stay.Over and out for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-26
From: Abol Bridge

To: Rainbow Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 15.1

When I escaped from my cocoon this morning, I noticed a twinge in my left knee. Didn't think much about it initially. I packed my meager belongings and headed south on the AT and shortly entered the revered 100 Mile Wilderness. Again the trail gods smiled upon me. While the trail was not difficult, it was aggravating at times. It is hard to establish a good hiking rhythm when every hundred yards or so there is a mud pit with roots, rocks and streams to cross.After about nine hours of hiking, I made my way to Rainbow Stream Lean-to. Got rained on a little but otherwise, it was a decent day of hiking. On my menu for this evening's meal was Knorr's Broccoli Alfredo Noodles with a pb&j tortilla for desert.The end of another day in Maine and all is well except my left knee. It was hurting enough to concern me now.Ciao for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-27
From: Rainbow Stream Lean-to

To: Wadleigh Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 8.0

It was raining when I awoke around 5:00. It was actually more of a drizzling rain. My knee was definitely getting my attention now. My original plan was to make it about 15 miles today. Soon after I commenced hiking, I knew that was not going to be possible. If I turned my left foot a certain way, it would hurt. It would hurt worse on descents even though they were mild descents. After only eight miles in six hours, I would not tolerate the pain any longer. I stopped for the night. Guess I'm just a sissy when it comes to pain...especially MY pain.All I could figure was that I did something on Mt Katahdin that strained or sprained my knee. Whatever happened, I did not know it when it happened. It has gotten progressively worse since Katahdin, though. My concern was growing that this knee problem was going to have to be addressed. I planned to see a doctor at the next town if it persisted. But, the next town was still 70+ miles away. Could I make it that far on a gimpy knee???Was I in for a surprise this evening! Around 6:00, north bound hikers started drifting in to the camping area. And, guess what, some of them were my old trail friends from down south, Patches and Car Jacker. With them were Garfunkel, Oz, Earl Gray, Biscuits & Gravy, Lorex and Sconie. We really had a nice evening. they were ecstatic because they would be finishing up in just a few days. How I envied them. Later on, I was telling them about my knee problem. Sconie, from Wisconsin, told me he had a knee brace I could have. I told him I would be glad to pay him for it if it fit. He said, no way, just take it and see if it helps. So, I did and I felt a little relief immediately. Thank you very much Sconie. Your timing was right on, my friend!Another day in Maine ends happily.Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-28
From: Wadleigh Stream Lean-to

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to
Miles today: 21.5

This morning broke with sunshine and blue skies. What a difference it makes. I packed up, had breakfast and hit the trail with new found gusto. My knee was still a little sore but much improved. As the day's hike unfolded, it loosened up and felt almost normal. The terrain was very gentle today except for the usual, roots, rocks, mud and bogs. But, no hard climbs. I made good time and my knee held up well. Otherwise, it was a pretty uneventful day of hiking.After I had hiked about 16 miles, I thought about stopping to camp. Then, I changed my mind and decided to go for Cooper Brook Falls. Yesterday, I struggled to make eight miles. Today, I logged 21.5 miles which is a great day for Maine. Thanks again, Sconie, the brace did the trick.When I arrived at the lean-to, two big bearded guys came running up to me yelling, "hey, Sandman", before they got to me and I could not recognize them yet. My goodness, it was Buffalo and Postman, two of my hiking friends from a few months back. What a pleasure it was to see them. Buffalo is from Buffalo, NY, and Postman is from NJ and what fine young men they are. We chatted for a while and caught up on each other's progress. They were less than 60 miles from finishing and were obviously very happy about that. They updated me on a lot of our mutual hiking friends too. Sadly, some had left the AT for various reasons.At Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to, the falls and stream are right in front of the lean-to. So, I decided to test the water. Postman told me to beware of leeches. He had gone in and came out with a few attached to his body. Well, I waded into the cold, swift stream, the closest thing to a bath I had in four days. I came out feeling very refreshed. Checked my body for leeches and found none. Then, I went to the lean-to to put on some clothes. I took my sandals off and there was one of those disgusting, black leeches firmly attached to the soul of my foot. Well, Audie said salt would make him come loose. So, he poured salt all over the leech. He squirmed and wiggled but did not come loose. So, I took my lighter and fired him up. He really went wild but still would not come loose. I could not stand the heat from the lighter. What feisty creatures leeches are! Then, I finally pulled him off and Audie stomped him. Relief at last.A good day of hiking and meeting old friends comes to an end in the 100 Mile Wilderness of Maine.Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-29
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to

To: Carl A. Newhall camping area
Miles today: 18.9

Everyone was up early this morning. Most of the guys, including me, rose at 4:30. All of them only had 60 miles to go to complete the AT by climbing Mt Katahdin. Several of us exchanged phone numbers and ema's. We fixed our breakfast and then everyone departed. I hated to see them go since I was the only one hiking south, in the opposite direction from them. Maybe we will meet again one day. I hope so.My day started out hiking uphill and soon I was climbing my first mountain of the day, Boardman Mountain. It was not a big mountain but it was tough enough to make me sweat in the cold morning temperature. The trails settled down a bit and then came White Cap Mountain. This was a tough climb! The approach trail grew steeper and steeper and finally, it went vertical for several hundred feet. A huge stack of boulders where I had to ease my way to the top, one careful step after the other. When I finally popped over the top, there were three hikers sitting there admiring the vast panoramic view of the land, lakes and river below. What a view it was. The hikers were two ladies and a guy. Tenderfoot, a past thru-hiker from Vermont, with her hiking partner, Tree Light, from Connecticut, who were hiking south. The guy was Paranoid who was hiking north. We all chatted for a while and I hiked on south. White Cap Mountain was a serious climb, especially from the south side with the vertical ascent.Right behind White Cap were Hay Mountain, West Peak and Gulf Hagas Mountain. These last three were not nearly as tough as White Cap but good climbs, also. After descending Gulf Hagas, I came to the Carl A. Newhall camping area and deicded to pitch my tent and call it a day.Sandman69 signing out for now.Thank you!
Date: 2013-07-30
From: Carl A. Newhall camping area

To: West Chairback Pond
Miles today: 12.8

Last night I shared the camping area with a whole heard of Girl Scouts. What a nice bunch of young ladies they were. As usual, they had lots of questions for me when they found out that I was a thru-hiker. We run into lots of scout groups and other youth groups day hiking on the AT from the local towns. When they see us, their eyes light up and they treat us like rock stars. They just can't imagine anyone hiking for thousands of miles and actually living on the AT for months in doing so. Today's hike had several mountains with Chairback being the most challenging. After summiting it, Tenderfoot, one of the lady hikers, told me she and Tree Light were going to camp at West Chairback Pond which . It was getting late and after Chairback Mountain, I was ready to call it a day, also.Tenderfoot, a spry lady who looked and climbed much younger than her 72 years, thru-hiked 20 years earlier in 1993. She also camped at West Chairback Pond then. When we arrived, I commented on how beautiful it was and asked her if it had changed much in 20 years. She said about the only difference she noticed were the canoes lying on the banks of the pond. What a gorgeous pond it was, too. The view I had from my tent would have brought a premium price if we were required to pay. The three of us were the only ones there and it seemed like we were the only people in the world on this evening.Another good day in the Maine woods comes to an end.Sandman69
Date: 2013-08-01
From: Wilson Valley Lean-to

To: Monson, Maine
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

After eight days in The 100 Mile Wilderness, I am headed for town and all the good things that come with it, a shower, a bed, good food and frosty beer. My target for today is Shaw's Hostel in Monson, Me. My hike was a pretty easy stroll without any serious climbs, just a lot of rocks, roots, mud and bogs. It rained sporadically but it didn't phase me today, I was going to town!Monson is another one of those sad stories we see all too often in America's current economic landscape. It's a quaint little town of 681 souls. There was a furniture factory that had been in operation for many years and it closed recently, putting 90 employees out of work. It had a devastating economic impact on the little town of Monson. Many smaller businesses have closed while others are for sale. There are real estate signs all over town representing homes and businesses for sale. The people are friendly and they seem happy. Of course, I'm sure they know their town is dying unless something good happens soon.Sandman69
Date: 2013-08-02
From: Monson, Maine

To: Monson, Maine
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I took a zero today to wash clothes, clean gear, shop for supplies and relax. Shaw's Lodging is a nice, well run hostel. Staying there is like visiting friends or relatives and staying in their home. Dawn, Jennifer, Susan, Dick and John took good care of us and I highly recommend Shaw's to future hikers.There is a nice little restaurant and pub, Lakeshore House, ust a couple of blocks away. Their food is excellent and their libations as well.Ciao for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-08-03
From: Bald Mountain Road

To: Monson, Me.
Miles today: 16.9

Today, I was dropped off 16.9 miles south of Monson and slack packed back to Monson. It was a sweet hike. No difficult climbs but it rained three different times. But, each time was followed by sunny blue skies.One of the high points of the day was seeing my first moose. Tenderfoot, Tree Light, Rob and I were being shuttled to the trail down a logging road when a young moose ran out of the forest in front of us. I was shocked at his size. He wasn't that heavy, maybe 300 lbs. or so, but he was already taller than a horse. He ran for a few seconds in front of us and dashed back into the forest. I couldn't get my camera out fast enough to get a picture but, Tree Light was ready and she got a pic and emailed it to me.When I was finishing my hike nearing Hwy 15, I saw a handmade sign stating: "Fresh Ground is in the parking area. If I'm not there when you arrive, please call me at this number." I could not believe it! Fresh Ground was doing trail magic for us in the south when snow was on the ground. He fed us and made wonderful coffee and hot chocolate for those hikers fortunate enough to come up the trail when he was there...and, I was. Now, here he was in Maine, looking after us again. He wasn't cooking this time, he was offering free shuttling to wherever we needed to go. Can you imagine such selfless devotion to AT hikers??? Fresh Ground was a drug addict. He went into a recovery program and he's been clean for several years now. After he thru-hiked a few years ago, he began doing trail magic on the AT. He stops every 20 miles or so, sets up his tent and starts serving hikers as they come down the trail. He and his faithful dog, Dottie, just follow the bubble of hikers. But, I never expected to see him and Dottie in Maine. When I got to the parking area, Fresh Ground, came running up and we greeted each other. " Where do you need to go, Sandman?" I told him I would appreciate a ride to Shaw's. And away we went, catching up on things along the way. The name, "Fresh Ground" brings a smile to the face of every hiker who has ever met him. His mission is his ministry. We SALUTE you, Fresh Ground!! May God continue to bless you, my friend.Another good day comes to an end on the AT. Thank you, Lord.Sandman69