morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-06-17
From: Harpers Ferry Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Things got weird last night at the hostel. A few of us were hanging out in the lounge when we heard gun shots. A few moments later one of the guest who was tenting in the back yard was knocking at the door. He said he had just heard two gunshots and somebody screaming. He was scared and didn't want to go back outside. We decided to call 911. When I gave the dispatcher the address he said they already had emergency personnel down the hill behind the hostel. He said something about performing a rescue on the river. The dispatcher thanked us for calling and said police were on the way. While we were waiting we heard sirens and then a helicopter. We went outside to check it out. A helicopter was hovering above the Potomac looking for somebody. We started debating whether the gunshots we heard could have been flares. The police arrived and almost everyone at the hostel was up. We told them what we had seen and heard but they didn't offer us any information as to what was going on. After the police left the helicopter continued to hover over the river for quite some time.I'm still not sure what happened last night. I asked the guy managing the hostel if he knew anything about it. He said he had heard the gunshots from his house down the street but he didn't know what happened. Hopefully I will get the rest of the story at some point.Anyway, even though it's not Saturday I woke up with that Saturday morning feeling today. You know, the one you had when you were little and you don't have to go to school. Ahhh.......Saturday morning, just stay in your pajamas all day watching cartoons and being happy. l took it easy, all day. I only got up to go to the kitchen or the bathroom. I guess I did sit on the porch for awhile too. It was great. While I was sitting around I updated my gear page. So if you are interested in what I carry in the woods check it out.
Date: 2012-06-18
From: Harpers Ferry Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Resting here is exactly what I needed. My Knee finally felt a little bit better today. I'm still walking with a limp, but the pain is less noticeable.An older man in his 70's has been staying here at the hostel the last couple days. His name is RT and he rides a dual sport motorcycle loaded with camping gear. RT has been following roads that cross the Appalachian Trail all the way up from North Carolina. He likes going down two tracks and finding places to camp. I think I'd like to do something like that in the future. RT and I were moved from the men's bunk room today. A boy scout troop reserved the whole thing. They moved us to a small co-ed room with only one window. The window is closed because it's been a cool rainy day. I took a nap in there today and didn't notice any thing foul. That changed when two female hikers ripe from the trail moved in. I'm not blaming anyone in particular, I don't know where it's coming from. There is a lot of gear in this room and the smell is powerful. I know it's not me. My clothes are washed. I've taken showers daily for a week and I'm pretty sure I've broken through the layers of stink. Hopefully this doesn't come across as sounding really mean. But, whoever said girls are made of sugar, spice, and everything nice never smelled a female hiker ; P They smell about the same as the men.Also, while using the hostel's computer today I could see that a lot of my pictures were upside down and sideways. I hadn't noticed that before. They don't appear that way on my phone. I believe that issue has now been resolved. If you had a sore neck trying to look at my pictures, I'm sorry. Try looking at them now. I've also been working on the gear page some more.
Date: 2012-06-19
From: Harpers Ferry Hostel

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

My knee feels even better today then it did yesterday. The discomfort is noticeable only when I pivot on my right leg. I don't feel much pain while walking around the hostel. Putting ice on it has really helped. I'm glad there aren't any steps here.People regularly donate extra vegetables and canned goods to this hostel. I haven't had to buy much food while staying here. Some of the other guest have been nice enough to pick things up for me when they go shopping. I appreciate that because I haven't felt like walking down to the store yet.I met a friendly couple from the UK today. They've been traveling around the world for a year and are now nearing the end of their journey. I enjoyed talking with them. We shared stories about traveling in Asia. Being on the Appalachian Trail and staying in hostels is like being in an airport. A short distance away from the airport are people who've lived in that area for generations. I imagine life there is very much the same today as it was a week or a month ago. But inside the airport things are very different. While you're on the trail or in a hostel you will meet people from all over the world. The accents may be different, but the spirit of adventure has brought us together.I found out tonight that my Godmother is driving down to pick me up and take me to Washington DC for my birthday! I've never been there before. I'd like to see the Washington monument and Lincoln memorial while I'm there : )
Date: 2012-06-20
From: Harpers Ferry Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry Hostel
Miles today: 1.4
Weather: clear sky

Today I decided to test my knee by walking down to the ice cream store. I didn't take any pain medicine so I would be able to hear what my body was telling me. I limped .3 miles down to the store, but they were closed. I was near the side trail that connects to the AT, so I decided to walk to Harpers Ferry. I had to walk that section anyway since I got a ride out to the hostel. The AT follows the tow path along the Potomac river between the here and Harpers Ferry. The tow path is a level two track that's very easy to walk. I would describe the feeling in my knee today more as a soreness than a pain. I noticed my leg was limping automatically, as if my mind was afraid to walk straight. I had to consciously straighten out the way I was walking. It felt empowering to be walking again. When I got to Harpers Ferry I bought a cheeseburger and an ice cream cone. Then I went back to the hostel. I walked about 4 miles round trip. The funny thing is I think my knee actually started feeling better while I was walking. There is some wisdom in what the coach says when he tells you to walk it off. I really have been enjoying this little break. In addition to adding more opinionated views to my gear page today (check it out). I also finished reading the New Living Translation of The Gospel of John. It's a little 72 page book I picked up at the church in Damascus. I hadn't read any of the NLT before, I like the way it's worded and may consider purchasing a copy of that translation to have on my phone.
Date: 2012-06-21
From: Harpers Ferry Hostel

To: Washington DC
Miles today: 0.0

I had a great day! My Godmother Cindy picked me up at the hostel this afternoon and took me to Washington DC. This was my first time in the nations capitol.We checked in to our hotel, then walked about 3 miles before stopping for dinner. My knee feels better everyday, road walking is great rehabilitation. Since it was in the upper 90's, we decided to take the evening monument tour. The air conditioned bus left at 7:00pm.Seeing DC is very special. Regardless of how you feel about the government. I got a sense of the original spirit of liberty while visiting the monuments. My favorite was the Thomas Jefferson memorial. I love the inscription in the stone above Jefferson's head, "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." The artistic stone and metal structures throughout Washington are really great. You can't help but be taken up by patriotism. It's sad that the government has slid down the path of corruption over the years. The shortcomings of men really shine when following the guidance of God takes the back seat. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RonPaul 2012 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Toward the the end of the day I began to feel a headache I attributed to the heat. I was wrong.
Date: 2012-06-22
From: Washington DC

To: Holiday Inn Express
Miles today: 0.0

In the bathroom this morning I took a closer look at what I had previously thought was a spider bite. It has gotten bigger and now sort of resembles a bulls eye.....A tick carrying lyme disease will often leave that kind of a mark. I showed Cindy and after comparing it to pictures on the internet we are pretty sure that I have it. I am so grateful that my Godmother showed up when she did! I'm just getting over my knee problems, and now Lyme disease!? Luckily for me Cindy keeps an emergency stash of antibiotics. She is carrying amoxicillin which is one type used to treat Lyme disease. According to the internet you have to take the antibiotics for twenty days. We don't have that many, so tomorrow I will see the doctor at urgent care. But for the rest of today we're going to have fun!Our first stop was Washington National Cathedral. The arched stone ceilings down the center of the cathedral are over 100 feet high. There are huge three story tall stained glass windows and gargoyles statues around the towers outside. I really like the gothic stone arches and the intricate handmade iron doors. This building is incredible!! I will post some pictures of it on my photo page. If you come to DC, you have to see this place!Afterward we went downtown to check out the botanical garden and museums. We saw many different flags in front of the embassies along the way. We parked the car and went out on foot. There must be like 20 museums in Washington and they are all amazing. You could probably spend a half day in each one, so we had to budget our time. We walked up one side of the national mall to the capital and then down the other. I began feeling ill at the American Indian museum. By the time we had gotten around to the Natural History museum I felt really sick. I didn't want to leave but I was dizzy and kinda felt like throwing up. I had an awful headache too. We got back in the car and went to the Holiday Inn Express in Charles Town. There is no doubt I have Lyme disease.I almost forgot to mention, today is my 31st birthday. In spite of being sick and having a sore knee, Cindy has really helped make this a memorable day.
Date: 2012-06-23
From: Holiday Inn Express

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I'm no doctor. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night and this looks exactly like a tick bulls eye to me. After breakfast Cindy took me to the urgent care. The good news is, according to their scale I gained 12 pounds in the last two weeks! The bad news is it took the doctor about two seconds to diagnose me with Lyme disease. She said that I'd done the right thing by taking 3 doses of amoxicillin yesterday, but she had something better. The doctor wrote me a prescription for doxycycline. I'm supposed to take it twice a day for two weeks.Cindy took me to Walmart to order my prescription. Then we went back to the hotel for a dip in the pool. We had lunch at a Japanese restaurant before picking up my antibiotics. We've decided to stay at a hotel near Harpers Ferry tonight. After we arrived Cindy wanted to go tubing down the river, but I felt like staying inside. While she was out I posted a couple journal entries and some pictures to Trail journals. When Cindy returned from her tubing adventure we went to Harpers Ferry for dinner and ice cream. We also walked around downtown a bit.Cindy is heading further north tomorrow to visit with some friends. Having her here with me has been a huge blessing. The timing was perfect. Thank you so much for helping me through all this Cindy!!! Your an angel : )
Date: 2012-06-24
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Crampton Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: broken clouds

After breakfast this morning Cindy took me back to the railroad tracks north of Harpers Ferry. I feel pretty good, I've got a couple days of antibiotics in me, and a bottle of Tylenol to take the edge off. It's time to start walking again. I gave Cindy a hug and said good by. Thank God she came and picked me up when she did!I took it slow and put on my knee brace before climbing 800ft. to the first shelter. When I got there my knee felt OK so I decided to continue 4 more miles to the next one. Nearing the next shelter I began to feel kinda sick like I did the other day, so I took some Tylenol. At least I'll be covered if I get bit by another tick while taking these antibiotics.I met a young man from New Jersey at the shelter. He's out section hiking. We chatted for awhile until another hiker named "Crazy Horse" showed up. He's a real character. I like listening to him talk. He has a unique sounding voice and his stories are funny, although he tells them with a straight face like they're not meant to be : ) He had me laughing pretty good a couple times : p He knows a lot about the trail.It was nice to have some town time. I love air conditioning and soft clean sheets! However, after two weeks off the trail it's nice to be on my Thermarest again. Pennsylvania here I come.
Date: 2012-06-25
From: Crampton Gap Shelter

To: Pine Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: scattered clouds

The trail through Maryland is nice, it makes for easy walking. I found some trail magic that EZNOMAD's parents left this afternoon. I wonder if that means he's nearby? There's a memorial for George Washington that I got to see today. If you noticed my picture is from a weird angle it's because I'm trying to stay out of the sunlight. I was told the antibiotics I'm taking will make me sunburn easily. A couple people have mentioned to me that Lyme disease causes joint inflammation (especially in the knees). I suppose it's possible Lyme has played a part in my latest knee pain. I do remember reading about that in the paperwork the doctor gave me. Either way I'm not going to run anymore on this hike. I have to many miles ahead of me for such risky behavior.I thought about pushing for a twenty mile day but I started feeling sick at about 3:00pm. I'm going to use that as my excuse for not walking more today. Before I forget I want to share a tip Cheeze It gave me. I've now confirmed it for myself. If you open a jar of Tiger Balm and keep it close to you it does in fact repel mosquitos. 100 miles to go and I'll have my new hammock!
Date: 2012-06-26
From: Pine Knob Shelter

To: Deer Lick Shelters
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: few clouds

I got up fairly early and finished off my granola. There's only 3 cliff bars left, those will be gone before lunch. I need to stop in town and get more cold food.I felt like I made pretty good time today considering the headache came back and I felt crummy. I made it 17.7 miles to Pen Mar Park by 2:30pm. It's a pretty nice park with an excellent view overlooking the town of Waynesboro. While I was sitting at a picnic table having a snack, a fellow came over and struck up a conversation about thru-hiking. He asked how I resupply my food. I said that I was actually hoping to hitch a ride into Waynesboro and go to the Walmart. He then offered to give me a ride. Not only did he give me a ride to town but he brought me back as well! He also waited while I got a burger, thank you!!While I was at the park I saw "Rampage" as well! Awhile back Rampage hiked a pack cover I left at a shelter 20+ miles to Marion hoping to see me. Fate put us in rooms right next to each other at the same hotel. I met him outside his room later that night. I like Rampage, he's honest, friendly, and helpful. I agreed to meet with him at a campsite further down the trail tomorrow morning.
Date: 2012-06-27
From: Deer Lick Shelters

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: clear sky

I met these guys the other day. They are the only twins I've seen on the trail. I can't for the life of me remember their trail names. I saw them again today and asked if they would pose for a doublemint gum inspired photo. They did great : DAnyway, I walked 3 miles this morning to the campsite Rampage and his girlfriend stayed at last night. They were just packing up camp.Rampage's girlfriend Mango brought a car, which has enabled him to slack pack since Harpers Ferry. Rampage asked me if I wanted to slack pack the next 12 miles with him to Caledonia State Park. This is my first time slack packing. I'm just going to come right out and say it was the easiest 12 miles of the hike so far! I used my little Sea to Summit daypack and only carried a bottle of water, 3 bagels, and 2 cliff bars. Walking without the weight is fantastic. We made over 3 miles per hour without breaking a sweat. Rampage and Mango got a campsite to share with a few friends at Caledonia State Park. They invited me to stay, but I'm really excited to get my packages in Duncannon. I got Rampage's online journal address so I could keep up with him, check it out : )http://www.ontheat.wordpress.comI gave Rampage a hug and got back on the trail. Just so you know. Rampage got his name because he likes wild onions he calls ramps, not because he throws fits.
Date: 2012-06-28
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Boiling Springs
Miles today: 29.1
Weather: clear sky

I passed the official halfway point this morning. Someone wrote "Half Way" with rocks on the trail and there is also a more official ATC marker further up. They are both wrong, since the trail changes every year.  It's a little bit longer now then when this sign was put up, but it's still cool. Time to start the countdown!Around lunchtime I arrived at a little grocery store near the AT museum. It's a thru-hiker tradition to eat a half gallon of ice cream at this store. I'm not one to break tradition, so I bought a half gallon of black cherry. It was a little tough getting started because it was frozen solid. I put it out in the sun for a few minutes till it was soft enough to scoop. After that it wasn't hard to finish, I ate the whole thing in about 20 minutes. Now I'm a member of the half gallon club : )I arrived at the last shelter before Boiling Springs at 7:15pm.  I figured that since town is only 4 more miles I might as well keep walking and get something to eat.Boiling Springs seems like a nice little town. I stopped at Anile's and ordered a large pizza. While I was in there I called the Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse to inquire about a room. It sounds like a pretty fancy place but the hiker rate advertised in the guidebook sounds just right. The Allenberry really surprised me. It's a 50+ acre resort with several lodges, cabins, a restaurant, tennis courts, swimming pool, hot tub, and a playhouse (as in actors). This would be a great place to meet with someone on the trail. I went down to the bottom floor of the lodge I am staying in to get some ice for my knee. To my surprise, the whole bottom floor is a recreation room! There are pool tables, foosball, and ping pong. This is one of the best places to stay when you're on the trail. Stay here! The hiker discount is a real bargain!
Date: 2012-06-29
From: Boiling Springs

To: Duncannon
Miles today: 25.6
Weather: clear sky

I'd really like to spend another night (or two) at the Allenberry. But, I want to catch the post office in Duncannon tomorrow morning. I must be nuts leaving this air conditioned oasis to walk 25 miles. The trail went through cornfields for the first 10 miles or so. Did I mention it was 100 degrees today? Walking through those fields with the sun beating down was awful. I pleaded with the trail to take me back into the shade of the woods. It did, but after a while the gnats, mosquitos, and flies were so bad I wanted to be back out in the open. The trail obliged by taking me through some hay fields. I must have drank 7 liters of water today. Every time I came to a water source I doused myself and soaked my shirt. I did not see any other thru-hikers on the trail today, they must all be smarter then me. (I found out later that the news had warned people to stay indoors today because of the heat index. I guess I missed that.)By the end of the day I was really pooped. I met a jockey named Andrew who was out day hiking. He was exercising to keep his weight down. Andrew said that jockeys wear lightweight protective gear to minimize the weight on a horse's back. He said that as little as 5 pounds can make a difference to a horse. I couldn't help but relate the similarities of backpacking to horse racing. If 5 pounds can make a difference to a horse, imagine how that feels to a human.We got off the trail and into the parking lot at the edge of town about 8:00pm.  Andrew offered me a ride to the Doyle Hotel. The Doyle really surprised me, but not in the same way that the Allenberry did. The Doyle is a dump. They must not have building inspectors in Pennsylvania, because if they did this place would be condemned. I could write a whole page about it. I would have been more comfortable in the woods.
Date: 2012-06-30
From: Duncannon

To: uncharted campsite
Miles today: 8.8

I got up at 6:00am this morning and started sorting through my mail drops. I'm trading out my rechargeable lithium battery pack to with one that is half the size. I got some Hydropel for my feet on rainy days. The Leatherman "Squirt" I sent in for repair is back. Montrail sent a replacement pair of "Blackwater" trail runners after I complained about the durability of my last pair. The sole design is not trail worthy. I will probably just wear this new pair at home. To replace them I had a pair of Brooks Cascadia trail runners that I had previously purchased sent back to me. People on the trail have said they are good for 700+ miles. My mom also sent my silk sleeping bag liner, which I'm very grateful to have had last night. They obviously don't wash the sheets at the Doyle Hotel. And last bit not least, my new hammock is here!After I escaped the Doyle, I headed down to the post office. I returned my worn out shoes to Montrail along with a note explaining the flaws in the design. I also started a bounce box and put stuff I may need but don't want to carry inside.While I was in town I took the time to get breakfast, do laundry, and purchase some trail food. I was back on the trail sometime this afternoon. This is sorta weird, but I started thinking about cats as I got closer to the Clarks Ferry Shelter. I really like cats and I miss having one around. I stopped at the shelter to get water and have a snack. While I sat there I was surprised to see a little kitten come out from under the picnic table. It meowed and came right up to me. I started to pet him. It's skinny and has ticks behind his ears. I feel bad for this little kitty, I hate ticks. I didn't have any food that was right for a cat, but it seemed to like Cheetos. While he was eating I managed to pull two ticks off him with the pliers on my tiny Leatherman. I squished their guts too, vile creatures. I thought about taking it to the vet to get rid of the rest of the ticks. My thoughts even went so far as adoption and naming him lucky. Then a guy with a hunting rifle and a dog came walking down the trail in front of the shelter. Of course the dog took off after the cat. The guy yelled at the dog and it came back, but the cat didn't. I waited around awhile but decided it was probably better for me that the cat got scared away. After that I got back on the trail and walked a couple more hours. If you love cats there might be one in need of adoption under the picnic table at the first shelter 5 miles north of Duncannon.