morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-03-27
From: Wattstull Motel

To: Wattstull Motel
Miles today: 0.0

Log entry: 56The Cartners and I had a great breakfast at the little diner downhill from themotel. We then headed into Buchanan and walked the streets poking our headsinto little antique shops and bookstores. Fireside Books had all of TomClancy's books, but hardcover editions. So I didn't pick any of them up. It'llgive me an excuse to come back. The Solemates and I spent time in the librarywhile the Cartners continued shopping the streets.After antiques we moved on to Roanoke (I think) where we I had my first hot meal at a Chick-fil-a (chick fillet). What a great place to eat, even better than Arby's. I had chicken nuggets and waffle fries.Then with full bellies we grocery shopped at the Super Walmart.We planned on eating at the Homeplace in Catawba since it was closed when wepassed through. To fill time we went to the movie theater and watched "ThePassion". It's hard to describe my emotions, you can't rightly call it "good".It painted a much clearer picture even though I've read or heard the storycountless times, watch it and decide for youself. After the movie we headed to the Homeplace. The Homeplace is generallyconsidered to be the best food on the trail. The food is served family styleand all you can eat. The downside is that it is only open Thursday-Sunday. The Homeplace is in an old house, the downstairs being remodled to be all dining area.The menu is simple, pick 2 types of meat, if you want 3 you pay an extra dollara person. We went with fried chicken, country ham, and roast beef. Thenout comes mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, beans, melt in your mouth biscuits withapple butter, and I am sure I am forgetting something.Dessert was cherry cobbler with ice cream, also all you can eat. Way too good,best meal on the trail, maybe. Back at the motel I called Uncle Ted and set up a place to meet next Saturdaywhen he comes down to Shenandoah for some camping over spring break.I then made a call to Uncle Larry to get his daughter's home phone number. Theplan was to spend a long weekend in Aldie, VA when I make it to Harpers Ferry. I called them to finalize plans because it looked like I was going to be thereover Easter Weekend. When I asked Matt (cousin Emily's husband) if they weregoing to be around for Easter, the reply, "Well we were thinking of maybeheading home for Easter, would you be interested in heading home?" I wasinitially very concerned that I would get too far behind schedule but the more I thought about it the better of an idea it sounded. The catch was that theywanted to leave Thursday around noon or so, so I would have to make it toHarpers Ferry by Wednesday evening. The sheer math looked like a headache butit would be worth the opportunity to see Mom, Dad, and the rest of thefamily. About 260 miles in 11 days, not too bad except that I figured I wouldhave at least 3 half days in there. Tomorrow I would get a late start and next weekend I had already set aside part of a day to see Uncle Ted andalso spend time with the Hensley crew. So I asked that the Lord be in all thedetails and quit worring about it.
Date: 2004-03-28
From: Wattstull Motel (Buchanan,VA)

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: broken clouds

Log entry: 57Start time: 1100End time: 1500Morning weather: Cloudy, coolAfternoon weather: Clear and mildEvening weather: Clear and mildBreakfast: Pancakes and sausage from the restaurant near the motelTrail description: A nice walk.People: The Cartners and the SolematesAnimals: The usualMoney spent: The cost of breakfastBiggest complaint: I think I should have pushed onto the next shelter 12.4 miles to Matts Creek, but I had a great evening in the shelter.Thoughts: After a great night of sleep and a hearty breakfast with the Cartners, we got dropped off at Button hill. It was hard to say goodbye, even if they weren't my own blood. Over the last 2 months the Cartners have taken me under their wing and made me feel like a "second son". Without them, the first half of my hike would have been much tougher.I hiked alone to the shelter, only because I was not sure if I would be stopping at Thunder Hill.Since at this time I didn't plan on getting to Waynesboro until Friday, Ifigured that I would enjoy the afternoon sunshine and not push on and hike intothe dark.
Date: 2004-03-29
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles today: 25.1
Weather: broken clouds

Log entry: 58Start time: 0830End time: 1745Morning weather: Mild and clear, 40 degAfternoon weather: Clear and warm, mid 50sEvening weather: Clouds moved in as darkness settled over the land, got cool.Breakfast: PoptartsLunch: Kit-Kat BitesDinner: Lipton beef flavored riceTrail description: A very lovely day for a walk. Great views and a couple good climbs, but well worth the elevation gain. I especially enjoyed Fullers Rocks. Bluff mountain was neato too. Some very pretty stream crossings and hikes along the streams.Peopled: The Solemates in the AM only but they were still in their bags when I left; four young women up near Fuller Rocks but regretfully they were going to camp somewhere before Punchbowl Shelter; Cory Mccaffee and Karen atop Bluff Mt.Animals: Jake the german shorthaired pointer, (belonging to Cory), deer, birds, and squirrelsMoney spent: noneComplaints: Wonderful dayThoughts: I quickly and apparently quietly packed up my gear in the morning and the Solemates didn't stir so I left without saying goodbye.Fairly uneventful day mainly because everything went perfectly. The views weregreat, climbs manageable, and weather was pleasent. Just near the end of my day as I reached the top of Bluff Mt I was greeted byJake the dog. Jake was a beautiful liver colored german shorthair. Sitting ontop of Bluff was Cory and Karen. Cory is going to school down in the valley wewere overlooking, lawyer. He's a cool dude and was sharing the vista with hisgirlfriend, Karen. We chatted for a goodlong while and then moved on down themountain. They were parked on the Blue Ridge Parkway and stopped in at thePunchbowl shelter to let Jake drink from the pond.All in all, a perfect day on the AT.
Date: 2004-03-30
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: Seely-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 24.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Log entry: 59Morning weather: Cloudy, cold and threatening rainAfternoon weather: Rain off and until about 1500 where it became steady and foggyEvening weather: Cold and rainyBreakfast: PoptartsLunch: Don't remember what I ate but I ate it at Brown Mt Shelter. I think maybe yogurt covered raisens.Dinner: Lipton noodles I thinkTrail description: Hard to remember when you don't remember. Most likelydirt, rocks, hills, vistas, trees, and rain covered dirt, rocks, and trees. Also called mud, wet rocks, and wet trees.People: NoneAnimals: Deer, birds, and squirrels.Money spent: NoneBiggest complaint: Rain; the first time I had put rain gear on for a while.Thoughts: I remember the part around the Brown Mountain area was really neat. There were lots of ruins of the old community of freed slaves who lived along the banks of Brown Mt Creek. The last of them moved in the 1920s when they sold the land to the National Park Service. Besides that, the weather is about the only other thing worth mentioning when Ithink back to this day. And the weather was bad.
Date: 2004-03-31
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: light rain

Log entry: 59Start time: 0800End time: 1700Morning weather: Thick morning fog and steady rain, cold too, mid 30sAfternoon weather: Rain off and on. It picked up later in the afternoon as I got nearer to the shelter. Cold and windy too.Evening weather: Rain and cold, 38 deg all evening. Very foggy. Breakfast: PoptartsLunch: Tuna and Ritz Crackers (My first taste of tuna from the sea, not bad, not really all the good either. But I'll come back to it)Dinner: Lipton chicken rice with Ritz crackers.   Excellent. I mixed the rice with a little extra water and soaked it up with crackers.Trail description: A tough day. It began fairly easy but there was quite a bit of slippery rocks to contend with. The climb up the Priest, NOBO, was a breeze. I ate lunch at the Priest shelter and read about all the SOBO's from last fall (who) advised that the climb up the Priest was their first "climb" since New Hampshire. I will admit that what was all downhill for me was long, not all that steep, but long. Once I reached the Tye river I got to start my climb, which looked impressive on the profile maps. They weren't as bad as I prepared mentally for, but enough that I was ready to stop at Maupin.People: Tampa Mark out doing some dayhikes, he gave me a Sprite to chug, good guy.Animals: Birds and squirrelsMoney spent: NoneBiggest complaints: Weather wasn't very niceThoughts: The fog overnight has a way of getting everything not sealed in a ziplock baggie damp. The worst being my sleeping bag which is synthetic, so it still keeps me warm even when wet. Had I gone with a down bag with a cheap shell I would have been in a world of hurt. Goose down is generally believed to loose insulating properties when wet or damp.Wearing rain gear, for me at least, is a quick and effective way to drain theenergy out of me. You try to walk slow and not wear a lot of clothes underneath but the fabric still doesn't allow your skin to "breath". Mine works better than a PVC or plastic jobbie, but so long as I am carrying a pack, I am going to sweat.I did a fairly complete job describing my day in the trail description part andonce I got to the shelter for the night I decided not to journal because of thehigh humidity. So I read more of Patriot Games, what a good read.
Date: 2004-04-12
From: Home (Hamilton, MI)

To: Harper's Ferry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: mist

"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."         Sir Edmund Burke, English statesman.First and foremost, I guess I should say a few things. I got word that some guest book entries sounded threatening due to the incident on Ivy Creek Overlook in which I threw the marijuana and "pipes" of 3 youthsover the look out. I have not read my guest book yet and have not been able to evaluate them. But to be safe it sounds like Dad will be holding journals back for a few days.No doubt I peeved a lot of people. What should I have done? As soon as I smelled the smoke, saw the baggies in the car, and was solicited, I should have said, "no thanks", got the tag number, physical description of the occupants and vehicle, noted the direction of travel and contacted the local authorities. That would have been the right thing to do.What I did was a dishonor to the men and women who put on blues, a gun, and a badge. By saying "I'm a cop" when in fact I am a cadet/criminal justice student, I overstepped boundaries that are earned by completion of an academy, hiring by a force, and day after day of sticking their necks out to ¢Serve and Protect¢. Again, 1000 apologies.In conclusion, no more cowboy stuff. I am sorry and will bear the responsibility for my actions. "Life is about choices" and what is done cannot be undone."Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me"So who wants to hear about my day?
Date: 2004-04-14
From: Rocky Run Shelter

To: Devils Racecourse Shelter
Miles today: 20.2

Log entry: 75Start time: 1000End time: 1800Morning weather: Damp and cool, spit rain off and on til about noonAfternoon weather: Cool and cloudy, 42 degEvening weather: 40 deg and cloudyBreakfast: Chocolate CIB and 2 fudge rooundsLunch: Grandma Reuschel's chocolate chip cookies, Payday bar, Snickers Dinner: Lipton chicken fried rice with pouch chicken in tortilla wraps, very good. Also hot Jello, watermelon flavor, and hot chocolateTrail description: Flat, muddy, and in spots rocky trail today. Maryland has some cool rocky outcroppings and after the heavy rains of the past few days there are many little waterfallsPeople: A couple with 2 German Shepards and also Weather carrotAnimals: The tails of some deerMoney spent: NoneComplaints: Missing home, heavy bootsThoughts: Overnight fog meant that nothing dried overnight. Oh well. I woke for the first time at 0845, much later than I wanted to but lack of sleep from the previous night caught up with me. After enjoying a nice breakfast I packed up slowly and was on the trail by 1000. Hardly 10 minutes into my day I ran into an older couple from the area. They had 2 gorgeous German Shepards. Each were from kennels in Germany where police dogs are bred. I think that besides 10 horses I will also have ten dogs.Very shortly after meeting those folks I crossed Fox Gap where much to mysurprise there was a Michigan history marker. Back in the Civil war a regimentfrom Michigan won some sort of decisive battle here. The 7th regiment I want to say. Leave it to Michiganders to be the heros...On the way up to Washington's monument I ran into The Weather Carrot, aperrenial Appalachian hiker and is gearing up for the PCT which he leaves forshortly. Nice guy, I wish I would have asked how he got his name. The Washington Monument was pretty cool too, what a lot of work. I stopped briefly at Pine knob shelter to eat some cookies and then pushed on. On the way to Anapolis rocks I ran into "the girls", as they call themsleves, 4lovely young ladies out for a section hike. I think they were lovely, "trailcurve" and all.Another bite to eat at Ensign Cowell shelter then the final push to the shelter. In betwen there were a couple dicey stream crossings but I made it safely across dry and happy. The streams and springs were all runing extra high, at least the trail wasn't flowing like yesterday. Some very cool cliffs and outcroppings known as Raven Rock Clifs were thehomestretch before the 0.3 blue blaze down to the shelter. If you carry on past the privy a few hundred yards you see the "racecourse". But I am not sure why they call it that because it is just a big boulder field. I had a great dinner but am too tired to write about yesterday anymore tonight.Love you and miss you Mom and Dad. Can't wait to hug you both again.
Date: 2004-04-22
From: Hertlein Campsite

To: Port Clinton Hotel
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Log entry: 82Start time: 0745End times: 1515Morning weather: Foggy but warm. A little rain overnight but not enough to get things too terrible wet.Afternoon weather: Muggy and warm, mid 70sEvening weather: Rainy and coolBreakfast: Strawberry Poptart, Rice Krispie treatLunch: Honey roasted peanuts, beef jerky, cookies, peanut butter crackers.Dinner: Bacon cheeseburger and a huge platter of fries at the restaurant below the Hotel. The biggest hamburger I have ever seen and the most fries for 3 dollars as well. I really can't put it into words.Trail description: As far as elevation goes a very flat day. Smiley has an altimeter on his watch which records elevation gained and lost and the gain (climb) was less than 2000 feet. On even a typical day it is usually at least 3000 of climb. Some rocky stretches but nothing worth complainng about. I guess from Port Clinton on the rocks get pretty bad.People: Smiley, the guy at the outfitter Vern I think.Animals: The usual, on a seperate and equally uninteresting note I think I saw some Lily of the Valleys poking through.Money spent: About $160 at the outfitter, $20 for dinner and lodging. Biggest complaints: Feet are still busted and there weren't any (boots) at the outfitters.Thoughts: I awoke for the first time at 0100 to rain hitting me in the face. I quickly put my boots inside my bivy as well as the zipping myself inside. Either the rain only lasted 5 minutes or that was all the longer I was awake.I slept through the 0630 alarm but nature called at 0645 and I got up. We made our way north not stopping until Sand Spring where we ate lunch. We were both tired and out feet ached so we relaxed for an hour. Then north.The next stop was Phillips Canyon Spring where we cameled up. The spring wasflowing hard but no one had been down there for a few months so Smiley and I dug out the leaves and sticks until there was a nice, clear pool. Good deed, check.The rest of the walk was flat until the drop into Port Clinton. About 900 feetin less than 0.7 mile. Our first stop was at the outfitters where I was looking for a shelter. The next month or so up until New Hampshire looks a bit much if I shelter hop and Iwanted something to weather the rain. The first option was a tarp tent to beused with my bivy. But that still isn't perfect so I went with a hammock. Smiley loves his and the outfitter recommended it too. I can't wait to try it out.After the outfitter I hit up the Peanut Store and got some lunch supplies forthe next couple of days. The Peanut store is the only place in Port Clinton toget anything that resembles food, except for the restaurant in the Hotel. ThePeanut store is across the street from the hotel by the way.After that we made our way to our room which only had a double bed. The otherrooms were all full. I said I would sleep on the floor and Smiley agreed to itand also didn't ask me to pay for the room. So I instead bought dinner.Dinner was great. I am now full and tired sitting in the basement waiting forthe laundry to dry. Going to call it a night as soon as the clothes get dry.
Date: 2004-04-27
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

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

Log entry: 87Start time: 0945End time: 1800Morning weather: Sunny, breezy, warmAfternoon weather: Mostly sunny, warmEvening weather: Cloud cover, 42 degBreakfast: Vanilla CIB, OCP, Falcone "cookies" with honeyLunch: Candy bars, ritz crackers and peanut butterDinner: Cheddar potato soup with Ritz crackers, cookies and cream pudding, lemonadeTrail description: The rock density was about average, the climbs mild, descents uneventful, views much the same.People: Chris and Chris in the morningAnimals: A new species of snake. At first I thought maybe a timber rattler in the yellow phase but the tail showed no signs of a rattle. Even if immature the tail would at least be off color. I have never seen a copperhead but this seemed too yellow. As I stared at it and took picture it eventually grew tired of being looked at and semi-coiled up. Then it puffed out its head and neck cobra style and made a loud hissing noise. I figure that will give it away to someone. My Dad will get a photo up as soon as he gets one. Money spent: NoneBiggest complaints: My head just wasn't in it today. Feet hurt mildly all day.Thoughts: Besides the snake, today was uneventful. The weather was perfect. The sun bright and the wind just strong enough to keep the sweat off you.The only real issue today was that my heart wasn't in my hike. Today it waswork. Even though the terrain was rocky but overall favorable, it wasn't funlike it has been.Part of it was missing contact with Jacob and Tricia. And even Smiley though Ididn't know him long. It isn't that I'm lonely, just the day-to-day monotony isgetting to me. It would be nice to have someone around who is going through thesame thing.When I look and see that I have already done 1300 miles, I can't believe it. Itseems like yesterday I left Springer. 860 miles to go, that seems like such asmall number, but to my busted feet it might as well be a thousand mile bed ofnails. What really eats at me is the fact that today I quit 5.8 miles short of my goal.I wanted to push onto Mashipacong shelter but my feet would have none of it. Iam a goal oriented, achievement seeking type of person. When I decided overbreakfast to shoot for Mashipacong, that was today's objective. Even though Ihad no reason to make it there other than because I said so, I still feel like Ifailed today. I take my goals so seriously I think it is a character flaw andweakness of mine. But I am not sure how to resolve the issue. I am not sure if I want to resolve the issue. I guess I have 863 miles to figure it out.
Date: 2004-04-28
From: Gren Anderson Shelter

To: Pochuck Shelter
Miles today: 25.4

Log entry: 88Start hike: 0830End hike: 1900Morning weather: Cold, clear, my thermometer said 36 at 0830 and a guy a the state park said it got down to 34Afternoon weather: Clear and cool and breezy, 45Evening weather: Clear and comfortableBreakfast: Fudge Rounds and strawberry CIBLunch: Candy bars and iced animal cookiesDinner: Jerky stroganoff and french vanilla pudding with hot chocolateTrail description: Rocky for a while but after leaving High Point state park you wind through pastures and fields. The mud was welcomed relief to achy feet. Sadly though there was almost a mile of road walk on State Line Road which killed my feet. There was no grasy shoulder to walk on. The trail left the road and went through a wildlife sanctuary which was perfectly flat for another couple miles. The worst climb was up to the shelter which was compounded by the fact that I was carrying 5.5 liters of water.People: Some dayhikersWildlife: Lots of animals today: wild turkey, deer, squirrels, ducks (quackers), canadian geese (Ca-na-da!), muskrat, woodchuck (varmit, varmit cong, gopher), and the 2 stray dogs at the shelterMoney spent: NoneComplaints: Feet are not improving, hamstrings even a little soreThoughts: I forgot to mention last night that I had set up my hammock and was spending my first night in it. From reading all the shelter entries talking about bears milling around the shelter I thought it best to eat at the shelter and put my food in the bear box and then hang my hamock a ways away, so I did. It turns out that it was way too cold of a night to sleep exposed in a hamock but I lived throught the night.The morning was the coldest I have been in well over a month. My feet hung in there throughout the day, finally breaking down on the longroadwalk.I am pretty tired so I am going to keep today's short again. I plan to send this one home tomorrow (Thursday) from the ice cream shop on NJ94 when I passthrough. It will be my last update for a while since my Dad is coming to see mefor the weekend and they leave Thursday evening. But when he returns Monday hewill have an inboxfull of updates.My company here at the shelter are 2 strays. One is a pup and has a tag but whenI try to read it she bites at my hand. While I type I am also puffing on a sweet cigar sent to me along with othergoodies from my pal Emily back home at GVSU. This is kinda a "done with therocks" party and the burning in my lungs almost makes me forget about my achingfeet. Almost.