morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-05-30
From: iron Masters hostel

To: Boiling Springs, PA
Miles today: 0.0

A late start today. I had a small breakfast at the hostel and then went to the General Store for a more substantial meal. My second breakfast sustained me through the day. With the recent hostel stays and Resturant meals I've regained a couple pounds from my ~20 lb loss. I cannot carry enough food to replace the calories I burn. I'm grateful for the town meals when I can get them The morning warmed up, a few challenging climbs and "rock maze" made the hike demanding. I stopped at each stream to rinse my shirt and soak my head. The cold clear water is refreshing. The relief doesn't last long. Hitting a stream means usually means that there is a climb afterward. There were a number of day and section hikers on the trail. It was enjoyable to meet them and hear their stories. A number of parents with their children giving them an outdoor experience. The number of thru hikers is less as you move North. Today I seemed to be a novelty for the people I met in the trail. As I hiked into Boiling Springs, PA the trail went through farmland. It was a beautiful scene as a thunderstorm was growing on the horizon. The town small and quaint has a beautiful lake and trout steam that runs through it. As I hiked over a bridge I could see 50-100 nice size fish in the water. Oh how I wanted my fly road. On my way to the Allenberry Resort for the night one of the families that I met on the trail picked me up and drove me to my destination. The Appleberry is a unique resort next to town. It has a dinner theater. resturant, pool, clay tennis courts and a fly fishing museum. They accommodate hikers at a reasonable rate. It Most of the day I had the opportunity to reflect on the first half of my journey, why I'm out hear and what I've learned. There are three reasons why I want to do a Thru Hike on the AT.   First, to celebrate this time in my life through the a ritual. Second, is an intention to have a closer relationship with the Divine through solitude, nature and meeting people on the trail. Third, is to have an adventure, discover the joy inside of me and to play. So far my hike has given me an opportunity to experience growth in each of these areas. It hasn't been as dramatic as I expected. It is my hope that the second half will contribute to advancing in each of these areas. I'm looking forward to what the rest of the trail will bring.
Date: 2015-05-31
From: Boiling Springs, PA

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: light rain

The Allenberry Resort was a great place to regroup. I spent the morning looking at the fly fishing museum and had coffee by the stream and watched the fisherman. After a hiker breakfast I got on the trail at 9:45a missing the coolest part of the morning. The trail today was primarily flat and went through farmland. The landscape of healthy crops and farm houses made for a change in scenery and soothing views. The sun was hot and I welcomed the occasional woodland shade. The trail was well used by runners and day hikers. I saw only one Thru Hiker today. It was another day of reflection and what the second half of my adventure will bring. I've thought often of my past work and how this is so different. However I'm realizing some lessons cross diverse experiences. One lesson was from a respected colleague, Stuart Brooks. It is as fitting on the AT as it was during my corporate life. It goes like this.      1. You gotta wanna2. You can do more than you think you can do3. You already have everything you need4. Some people have needs that you cannot meet. Thanks Stuart. I still get to practice these each day. As I set up camp thunder and dark clouds were in the background. A gentle rain began to come down. It should make for very good sleeping this evening.
Date: 2015-06-01
From: Darlington Shelter

To: clarks ferry shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: light rain

The thunderstorms stopped early in the morning. It was good to break camp and have breakfast and be dry. The morning was still, quite, clean air from the rain with fog and high humidity. The trail took me through farmland and grassland. The wet grass quickly soaked my boots and shorts. I'm getting use to hiking in soggy socks and boots. I resupplied in Duncannon where the AT goes right through town. The local grocery store, Mutzabaugh's is a half a mile off trail uphill on a busy road. It was the most dangerous part of my hike. The people at the store were friendly and offered to store my pack, charge my phone and drive me back to the trail. That's service! One more stop at The Pub for lunch and a beer. As I left The Pub rain began to fall. I considered staying in the hiker hostel next store but wanted to get in at least 15 miles. I moved on and the rain came down. Within a few minutes I was soaked. The next five miles out of town and then uphill over rocky terrain were in the rain. I arrived at my first check point and decided to camp. The rain stopped when I arrived song was able to get up a dry tent. Almost everything else I had was wet. The day got the best of me. So I did the best I could and huddled up in my dry tent with my wet gear hanging around me. I'm going to call it an early night, skip dinner, read a book and hope for clear skies tomorrow. Next time I'll take advantage of a dry room when it presents itself.
Date: 2015-06-02
From: clarks ferry shelter

To: Rausch gap shelter
Miles today: 24.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Yesterday I whined about the rain. It did stop to let me set up camp. It rained again throughout the evening and the temperature dropped. The rain stopped again to allow me to pack up and have breakfast. My clothes and shoes were as wet in the morning as when I took them off. I decided to wear them as anything I put on would get wet again. I put my clothes in a plastic bag and warmed them in my sleeping bag. Warm and wet is better than cold and wet. If the rain would stop my body heat would dry my clothes within an hour. Today I decided to embrace the rain. It's a good thing too as the rain joined me for most of the day. The first shelter was too close (~7miles) but the next shelter was further than I wanted to go, ~25 miles. Off I went with a better attitude about the rain. If I was going to be wet I'd make the best of it. I wasn't going to get any wetter. I decided on the ~25 miles. I didn't count on the temperatures being in the low 50s. Without warmer gear I would have to stop early or keep moving. I decided to keep moving. The rain would help me hike farther. I stopped at the Peters Mountain Shelter. It is one of the nicest I've seen on the AT. There were a number of section hikers waiting out the rain. I was able to get easy water from the the shelter downspout and made a hot meal. I regrouped and kept moving. A must on a cold wet day. The rain continued. The temperature didn't improve and I hiked faster to keep warm. I was grateful for the easy elevations and excellent trail that allowed me to go at a higher pace. My body temp was right on the edge of shivering. Fast hiking kept me from hypothermia. My focus was the gaol of a warm sleeping bag, dry clothes and tent by the end of the day. The day went quickly. In 25 miles I saw only three hikers and arrived at Rausch Gap Shelter around 5pm. It is a large shelter with a piped spring. It was full. I was pleased to see Uphill and TJ two thru hikers who's company I enjoy. Many of the other hikers were new Flip Floppers. They started at Harpers Ferry. I have a great level camp site, private yet no far from the shelter. The rain brought me new things to see such as orange salamanders and gave me nice views with moving clouds. I'll continue to embrace the rain but look forward to a little sunshine.
Date: 2015-06-03
From: Rausch gap shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: scattered clouds

6/3 17.5 miles Rausch gap shelter to 501 Shelter. The overnight rain combines with a flat and soft camping space helped me get a good night sleep. The rain stopped early morning. After breakfast in my tent vestibule, I packed up (everything was wet) and headed out. The day was overcast and the rain stayed away. It was a relaxing and enjoyable hike. It was a good day to slow down, enjoy nature and reflection. It is a privilege to have multiple days of solitude in nature without distractions. Having the time to think clearly and thoughtfully clears my mind to reveal what really matters. I've enjoyed this part of my adventure very much. At the same time I get the opportunity to meet interesting people on the trail. That was the case with our Pizza dinner at 501 Shelter
Date: 2015-06-04
From: 501 Shelter

To: eagles nest shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: light rain

6/4. 501 Shelter to Eagles Nest Shelter. 15.1 501 Shelter was a fun place to be. More like a hostel the shelter filled up quickly. It was a good time to catch up with hikers in my bubble and to get to know new ones in the trail. A big attraction is pizza delivery to the parking lot next to the road. I managed to eat over half of a medium size pizza. The shelter has a solar shower. I took advantage of the shower but the sun didn't cooperated. I slowly got clean spraying 55 degree water on me. It was great when it was over. 501 gave me an opportunity to dry some things out. Everything improved to almost dry. The exception was my shoes. They went from soggy to just wet. I slept in finding it difficult to get moving. After a leisurely breakfast I was close to the last to leave at 8am. My intended goal was to meet TJ in Hamburg to share a hotel room, resupply, do laundry, clean up and maybe have a beer. I'll miss the laundry the most. My dirty clothes are in the tent vestibule. I couldn't stand them inside of my tent. I'm grateful to have clean dry clothes to sleep in and hike tomorrow. It's worth the extra weight to carry them. My body was just fatigued today. A little trail magic of a cooler of sodas was helpful but not enough to boost my energy. The weather was cool and overcast. The trail was very wet. Much of it looked like I was hiking through a low level swamp. It was just a dreary day and I felt off my game. You can't be good everyday. I stopped at Eagles Nest Shelter unable to do the final nine miles into town. My heart and head wanted to go but my body wasn't going to get me there. Sorry that I missed you TJ. Hope to catch up with you on the trail. My plan is for an early dinner, good nights rest, early start tomorrow and a short nine miles into Hamburg. I'm hoping for a little sunny weather for all of us.
Date: 2015-06-06
From: reservoir road

To: Road crossing
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: few clouds

A lazy morning at Common Ground B&B. A wonderful breakfast prepared by Liddy with the ingredients fresh from the garden. A great way to begin my day for a brief slack pack and return to the B&B. The trail was busy. Full of day and weekend hikers. My hike today would take me to the best view in PA, The Pinnacle. On my way I caught up with Boy Scout Troop 230. We hiked together for some time until we reached Pinnacle.Troop 230 were a fun group of twelve year olds enjoying the outdoors. Their scout leaders were dedicated and devoted to getting their Troop to get the most from the experience. By the look of the boys enthusiasm I'd say the scout leaders have been successful. Thank you Troop 230 leaders for letting me join you and to share a part of your adventure. Good luck on your hike in Leadville, CO.The Pinnacle was a gathering place with a great view of PA farms. Large red barns and stone houses were scattered throughout the rolling hills. There must have been thirty people sitting on rocks, eating lunch and enjoying the scenery. I was happy to see thru hikers that I met earlier in the week. They were relaxing and enjoying lunch. Leaving Pinnacle the trail turned road like making for easy and enjoyable hiking. The day started out overcast with the sun shinning after lunch. I'm grateful for a day like this. It was helpful to recover from a wet week. The rest will prepare me for a more difficult and rocky trail ahead. I've been warned about "knife's edge", a rocky steep ridge line and challenging terrain. My hiking day ended early. I was able to catch up with family, relax at the B&B and prepare for a for tomorrow. There will be difficult terrain and lots of rocks. Very different than the rest of PA. Mike and Liddy invited me to join them for dinner at a local Dutch Resturant. They had a commitment in Philly and offered that I take their truck to meet them at the Resturant. Very kind of them. I accepted their invitation. We had a great meal. Comfort food of smoked pork chops, Dutch potatoes and sauerkraut. Desert of blueberry custard. All excellent.It's been an enjoyable couple days at Common Ground B&B. I'm sorry to be leaving in the morning. However, it's been great therapy to repair tired muscles and prepare me for the challenge ahead.
Date: 2015-06-07
From: Road crossing

To: PA 309
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: light rain

A relaxing morning at Common Ground. Liddy prepared a robust breakfast of organic ingredients. Local eggs and sausage, home made blueberry muffins and incredible oatmeal bread that soaks up cream. Liddy also repaired a hole in my shirt that should last me to Katahdin. Thank you for the professional sewing. What a way to start my day. It was hard to leave. Thank you Liddy and Mike for your hospitality. My best wishes to both of you and success with Common Ground. It was a beautiful morning hike. A mixture of small climbs, rocks and smooth road. At a trail head I had the pleasure to meet Jean and Sean. They were bird watching and took the time to great me. They gave me spontaneous trail magic of a cold seltzer.Jean shared her desire to thru hike the AT. Sean was a little more cautious. However their enthusiasm was contagious. They motivated me and gave me a greater sense of appreciation for my adventure. Jean and Sean - my best wishes for your future hike. Let me know if I can be of help. Thank you for stopping to say hello. The trail ahead will be challenging. There is a demanding rock scramble, no water or camping for twenty miles. This is s result of years of zinc mining. The area has been a Federal Superfund Site since 1982. Timing overnights and water is critical to successfully navigate through this part of the AT. My plan is to overnight at the last shelter before the site and then hike through the following day. I will do a couple of short days to lay up. Mid afternoon I stopped at the Blue Mountain Summit B&B. A bar and restaurant just off of the trail. The owner, Kenny sometimes offer hikers to tent behind his establishment. He offered this to me and I readily accepted. There is a nice outside venue. Tonight there was music by the BC Combo. There was a large crowd of regulars. Dinner was good, the beer cold, enjoyable music on a lovely evening. A real treat. Thank you Kenny. Another enjoyable and unexpected day on the AT.
Date: 2015-06-08
From: PA 309

To: mile 1256.8 camp
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: clear sky

The morning rain let up to allow me to pack up. I'm grateful for Ingrid's suggestion of a weather app. It correctly predicted when the rain would stop. Thanks Ingrid. The rain stayed away until late afternoon when thunderstorms rolled in. By then I was safely in my tent. Thunder, lightening and strong winds. It was a short but challenging hike today. A mixture of rocks, boulders and sharp edges with a little smooth trail.Bruiser warned me about "knife's edge". It was challenging without the rain. Conditions were dry but many of the rocks were damp. I slipped and scraped my leg. I received three such souvenirs today. I tackled other sharp climbs falling two more times. A few scrapes and bruises with one bent pole. Thru hikers were also treated to trail magic with water and other supplies left by a local hiker. We are always grateful for these acts of kindness. I finished early and set up camp before the storms. I'm feeling a little under the weather. An early evening should help restore my energy. A big day is planned for tomorrow. The forecast is calling for rain. We will see what the morning brings. Today ended week twelve on the trail. It feels that there is still a long way to go.
Date: 2015-06-09
From: mile 1256.8 camp

To: leroy smith shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: light rain

Thunderstorms continued through the night. The sounds were good for sleeping. I was fatigued and was in my tent at 5:30p. I never came back out. I woke feeling better but still tired. There was a difficult climb out of the valley. It required scrambling up steep wet rocks. The climb required you to lean into the rock and keep three points of contact to move up. Two hands and a foot or two feet and a hand. Hiking poles were a hazard. It was steep but not too long. It was slow going.This was the beginning of the trail at the Superfund site. Despite being under restoration for more than 30 years it is a dreary place. I admire those who have worked so hard to reclaim this space. It appears that it will take many generations for it to be restored. Happy to be through it. During my lunch break I had the pleasure of meeting "mechanical man". He is a dedicated section hiker and offers services for shuttles, camping, hostel and water at his home near by. Mechanical Man shared his wisdom of the trail, particularly local water conditions. Be prepared for limited water as summer comes and long walks to get it. Thanks for saying hello. This part of PA has seasonal springs and a limited number of year round running water. You must plan carefully. Typically there are water sources along the trail and close to a shelter. There was no water on the trail today. It was a 0.4 mile walk downhill from the shelter for water. Working that hard to get water gives me a greater appreciation for it. Obsolete and Ox let me know that they are only about a day or so behind me. I look forward to hiking with them again.
Date: 2015-06-10
From: leroy smith ahelter

To: Delaware Warter Gap
Miles today: 20.2

The water was a long way but it was a good source. I collected over four liters of water to carry the half mile back up the hill. I took advantage of the good flow to wash up and rinse out my clothes. Cold but refreshing. The area had excellent camping. It was a cool dry evening and I slept well. The birds woke me up at first light just before 5 am. This helped me get on the trail by 6:15am. It was good hiking in the cool of the morning. Rocky terrain, short climb and views of the river into town. Ingrid booked me a room at the Dear Head Inn. I was motivated to get into town to enjoy the comfort. Thank you Ingrid! The Dear Head Inn is an interesting place. Comfortable rooms with Jazz music and a resturant starting on Thursday. While I enjoy jazz I was happy to have a quite evening in a comfortable bed on Wednesday. My hiking pace was rapid today and I covered20 miles by 2pm. Along the way I met a flip flopper, "Smoke" from Evergreen, CO. It turns out he was a neighbor of my brothers who lives in the same town. It is a small world. It was enjoyable to hike with him for several miles. Smoke has an aggressive plan and I wish him well. The shoes I bought in Boone, NC finally gave out after ~ 850 miles. The soles separated from the uppers. It made negotiating the rocks more challenging. I was hoping my shoes would last until next week. Ingrid planned to bring me another pair. I was lucky to make it into town on wounded shoes. Even more fortunate there is an outfitter in town with a good selection of hiking shoes. The old shoes are now in the trash. I'll be breaking in the new ones tomorrow. Dinner and happy hour at The Sycamore down the street finished my evening. I met a few hikers there. It is always nice to reconnect with hikers that you haven't seen for awhile. Delaware Water Gap is a friendly hiker town with a popular church run hostel, good food, outfitter and friendly people. And for me a comfortable room for the night thanks to Ingrid. A welcome retreat.
Date: 2015-06-11
From: Delaware Warter Gap

To: 1309.8
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: light rain

My plan was to enjoy a little comfort at the Deer Head Inn for as long as possible before heading out. That included a second breakfast at the Village Farmer and Bakery. I head a "sandwich" of French Toast,with homage bread, egg and sausage covered with maple syrup. Yes, it was delicious. I didn't mind the late 9am start. I was clean, well rested and had a new pair of shoes. I left PA and entered NJ crossing the Delaware River and quickly entered the Worthington Stste Forest. The trail immediately takes you along a beautiful mountain stream with wild trout. The sound of the rushing water and cool breeze it brought was refreshing. I had not had an experience like this since Virginia.NJ is beautiful. The AT takes you over interesting terrain with nice views, water and wildlife. Glacier lakes, interestingly rock formations, bogs, beaver ponds, springs and streams. "Disco" who I was hiking with and leaped frogged most of the day saw two bears. "Tom Collins" saw two porcupines at our camp site. I saw a black snake and a deer. The hike today was an outdoor classroom in diversity of terrain and wildlife. Lunch was at the Mohican Outdoor Center. They offered excellent service, good food, supplies, lodging and showers at reasonable prices. Thank you Katie for you excellent customer service. It was a sunny and hot day. Temperatures reached 90. The late start had me hiking through the hottest part of the day. I'll avoid that in the future. I had the pleasure to meet a group of hikers from a local YMCA camp and an Outward Bound Course. They were both delightful groups. It was great to see them experiencing the outdoors. NJ was a pleasant surprise. My experience prior was the Newark airport and surrounding area. Now I'll think of NJ differently.
Date: 2015-06-12
From: 1309.8

To: Glen Anderson Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The weather cooled off and I had an enjoyable nights sleep. It was an early start at 6:15am to beat the heat. The forecast was for a high in the 90's. The heat really takes it out of me so I hydrate with electrolytes before I start and again at lunch. The cooler morning temperatures and low sun made for pleasant hiking. NJ has been enjoyable. A variety of trail conditions to make it challenging but not too much. Rewarding views and interesting landscape. My new shoes feel great. The shoe design rather than a boot is allowing my feet to breathe more reducing swelling and pain. The shoes are still stiff enough to give me the support I need. It was a blessing for my old boots to wear out while I was in town. The new shoes feel better than the old. The AT comes close to many communities. Today I stopped by Gyp's Tavern located on Kittatinny Lake. It is a local town tavern with regular clientele and good bar food. Guy's welcomes hikers and offered good service. It was a perfect stop for a burger and beer sitting on their patio overlooking the lake. It was 12:30p when I finished lunch. It was difficult to break away from the shade, beer and lake. My goal was to go another three miles and possibly six. It had gotten a lot hotter when I went back to the trail. A combination of the heat and heavy lunch convinced me to stop early. I'm happy that I did. The shelter has a nice spring close by. I resupplied with water, washed my clothes and cleaned up. There is nothing like the feeling of clear cold spring water on a very hot day. I was joined by a local, "Snores". Retired, he wanted to see if he could help with anything. He brought a very cold Budweiser, Pepsi and an apple. I enjoyed each and grateful for this unexpected kindness. Snores was good company sharing his local AT wisdom. I'm looking forward to seeing Ingrid next week and enjoying a zero day. It's always great to see her.   Ingrid is bringing me resupply. Many things have worn out or need to be replaced. I will be better prepared and lighter for the last part of my journey. I'm hoping my plan to zero with Ingrid will put me back in the bubble with Obsolete and Ox. They've been great hiking companions and I hope to do more miles with them. The plan for tomorrow is a longer day, 21 miles. I hope to get on the trail earlier to miss the hottest part of the day.