morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-07-15
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I took a zero day today because I need to pick up my bounce box at the DWG post office tomorrow. I had intended to spend the day relaxing and updating my journal entries on the web, but the day turned out to be anything but relaxing.About 10.00 I was sitting at a table in the church hostel working on my journal when a parishioner came in and began trying to fix a slow leak in an overhead pipe in a corner of the hiker bunkroom. Unfortunately he didn't check to see if the pipe was pressurized before turning the end cap. The cap was blasted off the end of the pipe and water pressure prevented him from putting it back on again! Gallons of water were shooting half way across the bunkroom and flooding the room. Director and I spent the next 2 hours catching as much water as we could in trash cans and dumping them outside as fast as we could run. Meanwhile the would-be plumber and other parishioners tried to find and turn off all the water valves and electricity. Finally they were able to reduce the water pressure enough to where we were able to connect a hose to the end of the pipe and at least divert the water outside the building. Not long after that someone found the water main valve at the street and shut off all the water, solving the problem.The bunkroom was flooded so we couldn't stay there but fortunately our gear really wasn't affected. I called and found a hotel room in Stroudsburg but no ome could drive us over there so Director and I walked across town to the outfitter who had a $2 shuttle to Stroudsburg in the afternoon. By 3 PM we were in our room in Stroudsburg. We then walked to the nearby supermarket, and stopped at an outfitter along the way. Back at our room we repacked food and gear. I then went across the street to an Irish pub for a stout and to work on my journal. Director joined me an hour or so later for dinner. Back at the room I continued working on my journal until I fell asleep.Another interesting day on the AT!
Date: 2007-07-16
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: scattered clouds

The rocks of PA have turned into the rocks of NJ. But, I have now entered state #8 and have traveled nearly 1,300 miles up the trail. I seem so fortunate to have made it this far when so many other hikers have left the trail or been forced to drop out for reasons beyond their control.Director and I got up, had breakfast and waited for the shuttle from DWG Outfitters to bring us back to the DWG church hostel. A new batch of hikers had arrived including Sven & Uff-da, Popeye & Lightweight, Big Brother, JB, Cheeks & Steps Small, and a southbounder with a dog I hadn't met before.Sven had spent a week in Duncannon at the Doyle quite sick with symptoms that sounded like Lyme's disease. He had been tested at the clinic and given the usual drug regimen for Lyme's treatment and was feeling good enough to get back on the trail again. I was glad to see him on his feet again and it was good to see Uff-da again. I had hiked thru the Smokies with them and really enjoyed their company but they had quickly gotten quite a ways ahead. I saw them again in Damascus, VA during Trail Days but hadn't seen them again since VA. Concern for Lyme's is common on the trail and a number of hikers are being treated for it.Sven's doctor in Damascus had recommended some additional tests but he was having trouble communicating with the doctor or setting up the tests from the trail because he didn't have a cell phone. So I spent several hours letting him use my phone and providing occasional suggestions for questions he might ask and things he might consider.I finally left DWG about 1.00 PM, much later than I had intended. It was a bit spookey walking across the long Delaware River bridge alongside the very busy I-80 traffic. Trucks were whizzing past from behind just beyond arms reach and I could feel the bridge sway and bend as they roared past.The hike up to Sunfish Pond was hot and rocky in spots but not too bad. It is a beautiful small and shallow pond with a very rocky shoreline. It is the first glacial kettle pond on the AT for northbound hikers. It was a very pretty pond and I stayed for a while and took a number of photos.Just beyond the pond I caught up with Big Brother whom I hadn't seen since Duncannon and walked with him the rest of the afternoon. We arrived at the Mohican Outdoor Center about 7.30 PM and ordered sandwiches for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. We then joined the group of hikers tenting a short distance away. Hikers already there were JB, Director, Popeye & Lightweight, Way and Radar. JB had carried in a few beers and I had carried in some food that JB had ordered in DWG, so I gave him his food, charged him a 2 beer Sherpa fee, and we both were happy about the deal!A bear was hanging around the tenting area and we saw it a number of times thru the evening and the next AM, but it never caused any problems.All in all it was a very enjoyable 48th birthday on the trail!
Date: 2007-07-17
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Gren Anderson Shelter
Miles today: 20.9
Weather: clear sky

Today was a very nice day with great views to the east over NW New Jersey ridges, lakes and forest.From Mohican Outdoor Center it was a ridge walk up to the Catfish Fire Tower, a dramatic red and white steel structure that must have had a fine view over northern NJ. Unfortunately it was locked at the bottom and thus off limits to hikers. Just past the Middlebrook Blairstown Rd I stopped at a small pond that was filled with lily pads in full bloom. There were lots of bullfrogs sitting on the pads and around the shoreline and I had fun sneaking up on them for photos.The rest of the morning and middle of the day was mostly in the forest with few views, although the trail was never very far from the edge of NJ's dramatic Kittatinny Ridge east side. In late afternoon we came along a nice series of open meadow stretches with fine views to the east over Lake Owassa and Culver Lake. Both were large lakes ringed with summer homes and vacation spots. The many motor and sail boats on both lakes showed that a lot of folks were out on the water and enjoying the fine summer day; just as we were also doing far above them.Late in the afternoon I stopped at Culver Fire Tower but was again dissapointed to find that it was closed at the bottom to visitors. The fine weather would have provided great views. So instead, Director and I traded photos of each other sitting on the picnic table beside the base of the tower. Earlier that morning I had past a fire truck heading up to the Catfish Fire Tower and stopped to talk to the engine crew. I learned that most of the fire towers in NJ are actively manned by crews during the summer fire season. This is very different from CO, where few of the towers are manned any more and most fire detection is done by aircraft.This was the best weather day I had had in NJ so far, and one of the best weather days in what seemed like weeks. I camped with Director, JB, and Big Brother near Gren Anderson Shelter and took advantage of the bear box to store food instead of hanging a bear line.It rained hard during the night and it soon became apparent that I had "chosen poorly" where to pitch my tent. by the middle of the night my tent's floor was floating several inches off the ground on a pool of water. I had pitched in a small depression that funnelled water in from a few feet all around the tent and was sleeping in a pool of water. Surprisingly, the tent floor held the water at bay and I didn't really get wet. By morning, the water had seeped back down into the ground, leaving only a muddy patch of bare ground where we had all camped.
Date: 2007-07-18
From: Gren Anderson Shelter

To: Murray Hostel; Goldsmith Rd
Miles today: 18.4

So much for yesterday's fine views; today was another humid day with air so thick you could cut it with a knife but couldn't see more than a few hundred yards in any direction. It felt like it was raining most of the day, though it rarely actually did until mid afternoon. My pack cover stayed on my pack the entire day, but the inside was just as damp as the outside in spite of my best efforts to keep my gear dry.I was barely able to see the High Point monument as I got near this famous trail side trip. Because rain looked imminent and there were no views to be had anyway, I passed on going over to the monument and continued on down to High Point Shelter. I arrived at the shelter just minutes before it began to rain - hard. A hiker I had not met before was sleeping in the back of the shelter, waiting for a break. It was Unicycle Pirate, a young guy with long legs who was going light and covering big miles in short times. However, I learned later that he had a habit of taking lots of long breaks during the day so his actual progress up the Trail turned out to not be much different from mine.I waited a least an hour in the shelter and the rain appeared to be breaking, so I packed up and headed on up the Trail. My goal was the Murray Hostel, just off the trail along the Goldsmith Road. Apparently Murray was a former thru hiker who had built a small shelter on his large farm and allowed hikers to stay there for free. It had a solar shower in the back and lots of grass for tenting space. I arrived in mid afternoon and called it quits early, wanting to take advantage of what sun there was to dry my gear. Because I was the only hiker there, I took advantage of the many clothes lines and hung out nearly everything I had. While my gear was drying I took a shower and just sat and enjoyed the late afternoon. Big Brother showed up a while later, and Unicycle Pirate came in a bit after; finally Sven and Uff-da arrived just before dark and tented on the only level ground they could find, near the privy.We all commented on the NJ humidity. Even though the sun was out it might as well have been raining, and nothing dried in spite of a nice evening breeze. At least there were no bugs and the temp was pleasant. I haven't found any mold on my gear yet, but with this kind of persistent humidity, it might not be long before it shows its ugly head.
Date: 2007-07-19
From: Murray Hostel; Goldsmith Rd

To: Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 13.5

Today was a wet walk across mostly flat and wet ground. It rained much of the day, and the trail was crossing wide flat valleys, including the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. There were long stretches of bog bridges that were wet and slippery but greatly appreciated because without them I would have been leg-deep in black mud for much of the morning. At one of the river crossings I stopped on the bridge in mid stream and got the feeling that I was crossing a swamp deep in the MS delta.I spent several hours walking only a few miles through the Refuge. The Trail followed around the margin of a number of large impoundment ponds, affording me some great views of a wide variety of water birds, including mute swans, great blue herons, green herons, and a lone bittern! Although I didn't make many miles, this turned out to be a very enjoyable afternoon of birding. There are few wetlands along the Trail because it is located mostly along ridge tops and mountain crests where wetlands are few and far between. The Refuge was welcome change of pace for me, and provided a number of new species of birds that I was unlikely to see again during the remainder of my hike. The long new raised boardwalk crossing through the Pochuck swamp was very impressive. Again, I enjoyed the change of pace of walking through a swamp while also not having to worry about getting my feet wet. It was raining much of the time crossing the swamp, but at least the rain kept the famous mosquitoes down to nearly none. JB and Director grew tired of waiting on me as I birded along the boardwalk so I quickly lost them as they continued on towards NJ 94 and the Vernon Hostel where we planned to spend the night.When I got to NJ 94 I tried to hitch for about 30 minutes, unsuccessfully, so I began walking the 3 miles in to Vernon. Finally I got a ride and was dropped at the Episcopal Church Hostel, finding Tennessee Jed and a few other hikers already there. I spent the remainder of the afternoon doing laundry, walking to the supermarket and post office, and looking for a good spot for dinner. We all ended up at a nearby steak joint for dinner and brews, that topped off a very different and interesting day on the trail.
Date: 2007-07-22
From: NY 17A

To: Bear Mountain Bridge
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

Today was one of the best days on the trail - good weather, nice views of the New York City skyline, and good friends to share the day with. I hiked the first 6 miles of the day with JB, Big Brother and Tennessee Jed. It was mostly over rocky open terrain. At one point we had several great views of the NYC skyline and the broad expanse of the Hudson River stretching off in the diatance. The Empire State Building was prominent on the horizon, along with 2 spans of a large tower bridge.At the Palisades Interstate Parkway I turned left and walked a half mile to a tourist information center where I waited for Jason and Lisa, my neighbors from CO' to arrive. They were in NJ to visit Lisa's family and wanted to visit me on the trail. After a great lunch they had brought with them, I dumped the contents of my pack into the trunk of their car and Jason and I headed up the trail. Lisa drove around to Bear Mt park to meet us on the far end. They had brought my new pair of boots with them from home so I gave them my old boots and will hike the rest of the trip in the new ones. I wore them to work for several months so hope they are well broken in. This would be my first slack pack of the trip. Unlike many other hikers around me I have not taken advantage of opportunities to slack pack but today is different, it would allow a nice visit with good friends while still getting a few miles in on the day and giving them a taste for life on the trail.Jason and I hiked up onto West Mountain where occasional openings along the ridgetop provided nice views of surrounding hills and valleys. The route up and over Bear Mt looked to be very steep, rocky and tough but turned out to be a lot easier than expected because of an extended road walk.Near the top of Bear Mt Jason and I stopped on a rock ledge to look at the view. He called Lisa's cell to see where she was. She didn't pick up for a while but we could hear her phone ringing from up the trail. It was pretty comical. The view from the observation tower on top of the mt was nice but it was very crowded with sunday visitors and we didn't stay long. Lisa and I then walked the trail thru the Bear Mt park and around the zoo to the bridge where Jason picked us up.We had a very nice dinner together in Ft Montgomery and they dropped me off at a nearby hotel before heading back to NJ.
Date: 2007-07-23
From: Bear Mountain Bridge

To: Graymoor Monastery
Miles today: 6.4

I woke up to a steady rain and the weather channel predicted light rain all AM becoming more intense and steady in the PM. I didn't want to take a zero so decided to go in spite of the weather. You know the saying "if you don't hike in the rain you won't make it to Maine". Just before I left the room Sven and Uff-da came in along with Coco. They saw the weather forecast and decided to zero.I headed across the Bear Mt Bridge about 9.00 AM in a steady light rain and gusty wind. I stood in the middle of the bridge and was impressed by how wide the river was and how deep the river valley was. It was truly an impressive sight looking up and down river. As beautiful as it was I presumed there were regular suicide attempts from the bridge based on the regular signs posted along the bridge walkway with suicide prevention hotline numbers.I had hoped to take the side trail to Anthony's Nose for the great view up the valley. But the low hanging clouds made it pointless.The rains continued and I continued up the trail. The trail was getting very soggy and water was running nearly ankle deep in places. I took an unnecessary detour about half a mile up a road following old blazes from a former route that had not been blacked out. Once I got back on track again I sloshed up the trail to the Graymoor Friary and up the side trail to the ballfield pavillion. Near the ballfield I snuck up on 5 hen turkeys with 11 poults that were foraging near the edge of the road. They were soaked too so I didn't feel so bad. When I got to the pavillion it was empty of hikers on this rainy afternoon, but the register was full of folks I knew passing thru. I ate a late lunch, looked at maps of the trail ahead, watched it rain on the ballfield, and quickly got very cold from the mist blowing thru the pavillion. It was not a very enticing place to stay but there were no shelters or tent sites within 15 trail miles I could reach in the afternoon.At that point I decided to hitch into nearby Peekskill and get a hotel where I could dry out and relax. I ended up at the Peekskill Inn, a fancy place with a wonderful view up the Hudson River, and the only hotel in town. After spreading all of my gear out to dry on every available surface in the room I napped the rest of the afternoon. I had a nice dinner in the hotel restaurant and went to bed early. This was a very unusual day for me. It was the first time I had come off the trail due to bad weather, and then spending the afternoon doing nothing productive. It was great!
Date: 2007-07-25
From: RPH Shelter

To: NY 20
Miles today: 18.3

There was a heavy dew last night so my tent was packed up wet. It was a relatively quick 5 mile walk to NY 52 and the Mountaintop Deli where I had planned to resupply for the 3 days walk into Kent, CT. It was a small but busy place and I found most of what I wanted. I spent about an hour and a half there all together after buying and repacking supplies and eating lunch. Lunar and Grits were the only other hikers there.By 11.30 I was back on the trail again. I hiked the 4 miles to Morgan Stewart Shelter then had lunch of the sandwich and iced tea I had brought from the deli.Later in the afternoon the trail went along the shore of a very nice small lake called Nuclear Lake. Apparently it was the site of some cold war nuclear experiments but repeated tests of the area have found no sign of contamination so it is now part of the trail right of way. A number of hikers have been swimming in it and they din't seem any the worse for it. The area also had a large number of intersecting stone walls whose history I couldn't help but wonder about.When I got to Telephone Pioneers Shelter the water source was dry so I continued on another mile to the West Dover Road. A house near the trail allows hikers to get water from a spigot in their yard so I filled up all my containers and walked back to the trail.At this trail crossing is the Dover Oak. It is supposed to be the largest oak on the AT. It is a white oak that measures more than 20 feet in circumferance and is estimated to ne over 300 years old. I couldn't resist having Lunar take my picture in front of it for Peter Deahl. The lower branches arch completely over both lanes of traffic on the nearby road. It isn't terribly tall but is an impressively broad tree.I hustled another mile up the hill then found a suitable level spot in the woods to camp and called it a day. Another interesting day on the trail.
Date: 2007-07-27
From: Mt Algo Lean-to

To: Stony Brook Campsite
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was a relatively short day of hiking and a day to resupply in Kent, CT. The hardest part of the day was putting on the very wet stinky hiking clothes from the before. They hadn't dried at all over night and were getting pretty rank. Because of weight, no one carries more than one set of hiking clothes and most hikers do not carry any 'town clothes' so when clothes are still wet in the morning there is no choice but to put them back on again and go.I left the shelter about 6.30 AM and was in town at a cafe for breakfast by 7.30. I ate with Lunar and Gritts, a slim 62 year old iron worker with a full white beard who is from southern GA, and a good old boy. The outfitter and laundromat didn't open until 10.00 so we weren't in too much of a hurry.I ended up doing laundry, resupplying at the supermarket, going to the post office for my mail and drop boxes, repacking my pack, then back to the post office to mail off my bounce box and mail another box homwe to Brenda. Finally I wwnt to the outfitter for stove fuel and to get a replacement water filter housing. They had both so I left happy.I had intended to stay over night in Kent but decided against it due to how expensive the only 2 hotels in town were. If you want to see how the upper crust lives, go to Kent, CT. I talked with Laurie and she wanted to try to meet up on her way up to VT with the boys so we arrainged to meet at an Inn in Salisbury, CT on Sunday night. If I stayed over night in Kent it was unlikely i'd make Salisbury by Sunday night.It was another humid day and I just couldn't seem to drag myself out of town so I didn't get on the trail until 4.30 PM. It didn't help that the weather forecast is for humid days with rain for the next 4 days in a row. The climb up to Caleb's Peak was steep and my nice clean clothes were soon wet and smelly again. Even though the temp in the woods never got above 70 I dripped constantly all 7 miles to my campsite. There was a nice view of nearby ridges from St John Ledges. Western CT appears more hilly than I had expected. The walk along the Housatonic River was nice and pleasant, but rather buggy. Wnen I reached Stony Brook Campsite I set up my tent and got in as quickly as possible after dinner to avoid donating any more blood.