morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-06-24
From: Mile Mark 943,8

To: Front Royal Hostel
Miles today: 17.5

This morning, the AT went right beside Elkwallow Wayside. A wayside is what they call a roadside restaurant/store/picnic area combination in The Shenandoah. There are several and all of them are on Skyline Drive. This morning, I was the second hiker to arrive behind a hiker from Midland, Tx. Just a few minutes later, Groundhog arrived. Then came Jungle Jim and Brown Town. The wayside didn't open until 9. So we had plenty of time to catch up on trail talk. We ate well this morning. Then, one by one, each hiker hit the trail.My objective of Front Royal Hostel was only 17.5 miles. There were several ascents and descents but none were more than moderate in difficulty. The most difficult part was the weather. The past week was very humid and today was no exception. Also, most afternoons brought a summer rain shower or thunder storm. In this type of weather, clothes and some gear get wet and just do not dry.Other than the beauty of The Shenandoah, today was just a normal day on the trail and I arrived at the hostel around 4 pm.All for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-06-25
From: Trico Tower Trail

To: Front Royal Hostel
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: moderate rain

Mike,the owner of the hostel and a '95 thru hiker, dropped me off at Trico Tower Trail and I slack packed 17.5 miles back to the hostel. A gentle hike and a pretty day. When I arrived back at hostel about 3:00, there was no water. So, no one could take a shower. Something was wrong with the pump. There was a real nice 4-H camp a few miles away so Mike called and asked if we could come over and take showers. They were gracious enough to let us. Mike took Uncle Buck, Stretch and me for showers and while we were showering, he went back for another load of hikers. His shuttling continued until everyone got a shower. Mike is a great guy. He did everything he could to make a bad situation better. Thank you,Sandman69
Date: 2013-06-26
From: Trico Tower Trail

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 19.8

This morning, Mike dropped me off at Trico Tower Trail and I hiked north for Bear's Den Hostel. It was a hot sunny day and the hike today was definitely challenging. There was a 13.5 mile stretch called The Roller Coaster. We had heard horror stories for weeks about how tough this section was. By the name, you can guess what the terrain was like. Up, up, up and down, again and again and...again. To make maters worse, I was running low on water. Well, not actually running low on water but I was out of purification tablets. I could either drink straight from a stream or stop and boil water to purify it. Drinking straight from the stream is like playing Russian roulette. All sorts of scary health issues can develop. Stopping to boil water just takes too long. So, I just used the water I had and rationed myself. I would take a swallow about every half hour. With the heat and my exertion climbing in conjunction with my sweating, I probably needed at least a pint every half hour. Dehydration on the trail is a very dangerous thing. I have actually gotten dizzy a few times from not drinking enough. A hiker must hydrate when they may not seem thirsty.Well, I was struggling with The Roller Coaster and the lack of water. On the next to last mountain climb, I seriously considered backtracking to the last stream and boiling some water. If there is one thing a hiker hates, it's backtracking! Of course, we don't like passing out from dehydration either. So, I just took a swallow of water and practically crawled up the mountain. And. can you believe it, at the top of this mountain was a gravel road and...TRAIL MAGIC!!! There was a young father and his three young sons doing that wonderful, selfless, generous thing we hikers call trail magic. They had a cooler full of ice cold cokes, a gallon of vanilla ice cream and a gallon of chocolate. Well, I've said it before, God looks out for children and old fools and I ain't a child. I'm not sure if I had three cokes or two but they were plum awesome and sooo cold and wet! Think I had about a quart of ice cream too. I will be forever grateful for fine folks like these.After my break and refreshments, I thanked my new friends profusely and bid them farewell. Then, I marched up that last mountain with a big smile on my face and arrived shortly at The Bear's Den Hostel. My day was done and it ended well.Thanks to all you fantastic folks who practice the tradition of Trail Magic.Sandman69
Date: 2013-06-27
From: Harpers Ferry, WV

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: light rain

Bears Den Hostel is a very old, ornate and well preserved hunting lodge from the early 1900's. I liked everything about it except that where we hikers bunked, in the basement, there was only one bathroom and it was shared by about a dozen hikers. Every time I went to the bathroom, another hiker occupied it. I had to wait my turn for nearly two hours before I could shower. The second level was a huge kitchen, dining room and palatial living area with lots of neat vintage pictures on the walls. The third floor was a very plush B&B with private bedrooms and more bathrooms. Of course, we lowly hikers were not allowed up there with the aristocrats unless we agreed to pay $125 per night. All of us opted for the $17 basement bunks and they were just fine except for one thing. The young man bunking next to me had the most foul smelling feet that I have ever had the displeasure of smelling. To say the lad had stinky feet is a gross understatement. The smell was so bad that it made my eyes water. If the Olympics had a category for stinky feet, this guy would win the gold medal, hands down. I mean world class stinky feet. Please excuse my digression.They actually turned us loose in the kitchen to prepare our own breakfast which consisted of pancakes. Well, I have never made pancakes except the frozen kind that you put in the toaster. There was a young lady hiker, Indigo, and her mom, Cake, who got up first along with me. I watched Indigo mix the batter, pour it on the skillet and flip the flapjacks like a pro. I didn't want to look like a fool so, I said "let's make a deal, Indigo. You cook me some pancakes and I'll wash our dishes and clean up the mess". Indigo agreed and made me a nice stack of pancakes that were delicious.Today, I was dropped off in Harpers Ferry, WV, to slack pack the 20.4. Miles back to Bears Den. Excuse me while I shout a big hahlaleuia!! I am out of Virginia for today. Virginia is a great state but, it has more AT miles than any of the other 13 states the AT goes through. Over one fourth of the 2,180 miles of the AT are in Virginia and, at times, it seemed that we would never get out of the state. On this day, however, I would walk back into Virginia to the Bears Den. I left Harpers Ferry, hiked across the Shenandoah River bridge, had a pretty steep climb out of the valley and made my way back to the Bears Den. The remainder of the hike was gentle and I was glad.Thank you to all the warm and friendly Virginia folks I had the pleasure of meeting. I love your beautiful state and I shall return. But, I WILL NOT be walking the next time.Sandman69
Date: 2013-06-28
From: Harpers Ferry, WV

To: Crompton Gap Shelter/Campsite
Miles today: 0.0

This morning, I was dropped back at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harpers Ferry, WV. Hello West Virginia, goodbye Virginia. At the Conservancy, I had to register as a thru hiker and get my picture made for the records. I also joined the ATC. The staff there was very helpful in answering my questions. With the admin stuff completed, I hit the trail again. It was another hot sunny day. As I walked through the historic village, there were lots of tourists meandering about, taking photos, etc. I walked down toward the river and across the foot bridge over the Potomac River into Maryland. The AT was only in WV for a whole 2.7 miles. Once in Maryland, I hiked with Badger, a young man from Tennessee, as we climbed up out of the valley. We reached Crompton Gap Shelter/Campsite around 5:00 and decided to call it a day. Steel Matt, Saw Grass & Milk Shake, husband & wife, were also camping there. We spent over a month in Virginia and today, we were in WV &Md within a few hours.Ciao for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-06-30
From: Crompton Gap Shelter/Campsite

To:  Ensign Cowall Shelter
Miles today: 20.7

Broke camp around 6:30 am, and headed deeper into Maryland. Steel Matt hiked out about a half hour ahead of me. Then I left and caught up with him in about an hour. We hiked together all day. There was a restaurant offering an AYCE, all you can eat, Sunday brunch. AYCE restaurants attract hikers like street lights attract bugs at night. Old South Mountain Inn mentioned in our guidebook that hikers should shower before coming. Imagine that! Well, there was a bath with showers for free in a campground a few hundred yards before the restaurant. We met Frog, from Michigan, at the bath house, too. None of us had soap or a towel. I had a trial size bottle of shampoo and split it between the three of us. So, we "shampooed" our bodies in the shower and used the drip dry system. Then, we put on our only other set of clothes which were clean, fortunately. The brunch started at 10:30 and we arrived at 10:20, fresh and sparkling clean if a bit wrinkled. The Old South Mountain Inn is on the National Historical Register. The brochure said George Washington was known to dine here. Well, on this day, Frog, Steel Matt and Sandman dined here and DINE we did! It was a very elegant restaurant with fresh linen tablecloths, real butter and huge silver trays and serving bowls. No, our pretty young hostess did not seat us way back in an inconspicuous corner. She seated us right in the middle of the huge dining room and we ate and ate and...ate. Every single morsel of food was divine and the service was sublime! The hostess even let us plug our phones in to charge. Needless to say, we all already had a warm place in our hearts for Maryland.After we left, we took off our clean clothes and put our nasty ones back on. Frog was so stuffed he decided to go back to the campground and take a nap. Steel Matt and I hiked on to Ensign Cowall and hit the bag. What a day!Adios y'all, Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-01
From:  Ensign Cowall Shelter

To: Waynesboro, Pa-Days Inn
Miles today: 9.8

After only 22.8 miles in Maryland, I crossed the state line into Pennsylvania. Maryland was good to me. The AT was as close to easy as I have seen in my 1,060 miles of hiking it. No vicious climbs, several nice parks and the marvelous restaurant, Old South Mountain Inn, right on the trail.Since there were lots of turns right through Waynesboro, and I needed to resupply at a grocery store, I decided to call a shuttle driver instead of hitchhiking to the Days Inn. So, I called the shuttle driver listed in our guidebook. Shuttle drivers are volunteers in AT towns who transport us for a nominal fee, much less than a taxi, from the trailhead to off trail sites such as grocery stores, motels, restaurants, etc. My driver today was Dennis Sewell. When he answered the phone, I asked him if he could pick me up at the trailhead below Penn-Mar park. He said, "sure, Sandman. I'm a black guy and I'll be driving a gray Dodge pickup". I said, "great, Dennis, I'm an old white dude and I'll be watching for you". Dennis picked me up promptly. What a nice and engaging man he was. He had two pretty little grand daughters with him. He dropped me at Walmart and the three of them waited while I shopped. Then he dropped me at the Days Inn. When I checked in, there were only two rooms left. Gettysburg was only a few miles away and they were commemorating the 150th anniversary of The Battle of Gettysburg with reenactments, parades and guest speakers during the week of July 4th. It was a big deal, deservedly so.As soon as I got to my room, I showered and washed my filthy clothes in the tub with bath soap. I made calls and did some journaling while waiting for my clothes to dry. Then I took a walking tour of the area. The area was a little odd to me. The motel and other businesses were mixed together with very old but well maintained row homes. The architecture of the homes was very interesting. And, right across the street, was Pappy's Pub, my dining and watering hole for this evening. A "Cheers like" neighborhood bar. I thoroughly enjoyed the friendly atmosphere, the food and, of course, the libations. At 7:30 the next morning, Dennis picked me up and returned me to the trailhead. I leave yet another nice town in my rear view mirror with pleasant memories. Thank you, Dennis, and thank you, Waynesboro,for making my short stay a happy one.Bonjour, y'all,Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-02
From: Waynesboro, Pa-Days Inn

To: Quarry Gap Shelter/Campsite
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: light rain

Today, all systems were good. My feet felt good, the weather was nice and the terrain was pretty gentle. I hiked alone. Just a few hours into my hike, I spied a snake moving gracefully across the trail about 30 feet in front of me. Thus far, I have seen three snakes and all of them were black snakes. This one had designs and clearly was not a black snake. He was across the trail and out of sight by the time I got to the point where I had seen him. Suddenly, I heard the unmistakable sound of a rattlesnake. I have heard this sound only once before in my life. When I was playing golf with Mike Bohlander in North Myrtle Beach. The rattler had coiled himself into an attack position and was rattling nonstop. Well, the hair was standing up on the back of my neck and my heart was racing. But, I was able to stop shaking long enough to take some good photos of Mr. Rattler, which I will post in my journal when I get home to my computer. Several of my trail friends had seen rattlers on the AT and I was hoping to see one, too. Now, I had seen one and ONE was enough! According to a ranger I showed my pictures to, he was a timber rattler. A nice specimen too, at about four feet long and probably four inches in diameter.My encounter must have given me an adrenaline rush because I finished my day at Quarry Gap Shelter/Campsite with 20.4 miles for the day, a better than average day of hiking.At the shelter, I met some nice folks. They were Codger & Trash Bag, husband & wife hikers from Memphis, Tn. Also, Pantry, a lady from Maine. Quarry Gap was the nicest shelter I had yet seen on the AT. It actually had a hanging basket of LIVE petunias on both ends of the shelter ( You would have loved it, Kim) The shelter was also spotless and maintained in excellent fashion. Obviously, the folks who maintained Quarry Gap Shelter, wanted it to feel homey and inviting. A big "thank you" to the gracious souls who achieved these high standards.Aloha for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-03
From: Quarry Gap Shelter/Campsite

To: Campsite at mile 1104.9
Miles today: 24.6
Weather: light rain

Today, an important milestone was achieved. I made the halfway point of the AT and beyond. There is a country store right on the trail at the halfway point, Pine Grove General Store. A tradition on the AT is the "Half Gallon Challenge". What it entails is eating a half gallon of ice cream at Pine Grove General Store in celebration of hiking half the AT. Well, when I arrived, two trail friends were there, Rome and Trig along with Trig's faithful dog, Gromet. Rome, a pretty, young lady from Vermont, who is petite at about five foot nothing and weighs in at about 100 lbs with a BIG rock in her pocket. As you probably know, it's nearly impossible to find a true half gallon of ice cream anymore. So, Rome ate a one and one half quart of ice cream and then ate another pint to win her half gallon challenge. No, I have no idea where that little lady put all that ice cream. Unfortunately, Trig did not win her challenge. She nearly made it through the one and a half quart of her chocolate chip ice cream when she called it quits. Trig is a pretty, young lady and a small lady too but, not as small as Rome.Now, anyone who knows me, especially my lovely bride, Anna, knows for sure I would NEVER have a problem polishing off a half gallon of ice cream on any day. But, I must confess, it was a hot day and I had over seven miles left to hike. So, instead of embarrassing my fellow hikers and eating the half gallon in three or four minutes, I opted to eat a pint of strawberry cheesecake and gladly accepted defeat in the challenge.At the store, I also met Davy Crockett and Atlas, two other thru hikers. I ended my day in my little tent after logging 24.6 miles. It was a good day.That's it for now.Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-04
From: Campsite at mile 1104.9

To: Allenberry Resort Inn & Playhouse
Miles today: 12.4

Today is our country's 237th Birthday. The United States of America, the longest running experiment in Democracy that the world has ever known. In recent years, our image may have lost some of it's shine but, with all of our problems, we are still the best country on Planet Earth! Happy Birthday America!!Although today was a holiday, hiking the AT was still on my agenda. A fairly light day with a few hearty ascents but only 12.4 miles to my objective of the Allenberry Resort Inn & Playhouse in Boiling Springs, Pa. One of the nicer hiker friendly hotels on the AT, it was basically a dinner theater, featuring The Full Monte, and a nice hotel with a restaurant, bar and pool scattered over a campus of several manicured acres. My plan was to have a few beers in the bar and then have dinner. After showering, I drifted down stairs to the bar and it was full of hikers, most of whom I knew. Saw Grass & Milk Shake, Rome, Steel Matt and Simba and Bob Sled, who I just met this evening. The bar tenders placed large platters of cheese, crackers and fruits out for our enjoyment. We all relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. In fact, the bar tenders gave us so many goodies that most of us didn't even order dinner. We were hoping there would be a local fireworks display but there were none. Lots of fireflies entertained us but that was it.Early the next morning, it was back to the trail. A hot, sunny day it was but the hiking was mostly flat and easy compared to other states.God Bless AmericaSandman69
Date: 2013-07-05
From: Allenberry Resort Inn & Playhouse

To: As Far As I Can Go
Miles today: 18.1

Goodbye to the easy living and back to the forest and the mountains. The mountains on the AT in Pa. are only hills compared to those in the southern states. Many Pa. mountains are below 1,000 feet above sea level. In Ga, NC, Tn and Va, it is rare to find mountains under 1,000 feet. Most of them are in the 2,000 to 5,000 foot range and several are 6,000 feet plus. The climbing is a lot tougher down south and downright brutal in some areas.Now, the mountains may be a little wimpy in Pa, but the ROCKS are murderous. They will kick a hiker's butt and torture a hiker's feet. A lot of AT thru hikers refer to Pennsylvania as "Rocksylvania". A misstep on these rocks can easily end a hike. The closer to NJ the AT gets, the more prevalent and intimidating the rocks become. However, rocks are not an issue hiking out of Boiling Springs. The terrain is very flat for the most part. In fact, we experienced a new type of terrain around Boiling Springs...CORN FIELDS! We hiked through and around what appeared to be thousands of acres of corn fields and some soybean fields. It was a hot, humid and sunny day. The sun is rarely a factor on the AT because we are usually hiking in the shade created by the canopy of the forest. A few pastures, balds, utility rights of way and now corn fields, are about the only exceptions. Getting back into the forest is a welcomed sight today.Toward the end of today 's hike, it begins to rain . I didn't even stop to put on my rain gear. Since I was already wet with sweat, the rain was refreshing. After hiking 18 miles, I had enough for this day. I pitched my tent beside the trail and the soft pitter patter of the rain falling lightly on my tent, took the Sandman to dreamland.Thank you,Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-06
From: As Far As I Can Go

To: Duncannon, Pa
Miles today: 7.5

It's only a 7.5 mile hike into Duncannon which is located by the Susquehanna River. Duncannon is one of those towns we like because the AT takes us right through the center of the town. As I come into town, I stop at the first store I come to, go in, buy a Coke and a bottle of Gatorade and inhale both in a pair of minutes. Then I mosy farther into town. After a few more blocks, I come to the VFW. I'm a war vet but not a member. It is a little after 10:00 am. I remove my pack, straighten myself up a bit and go into the Duncannon VFW. There is standing room only at the bar. Most patrons are drinking beer or cocktails and a few are drinking sodas. Drinking alcohol at 10:00 am??? I guess it is indeed 5 o'clock SOMEWHERE! Well, I sided with the soda drinkers and had another Coke. Never could understand how some people drink alcohol so early in the day. All the folks I met were very nice and hospitable. I finished my Coke and decided to leave before the war stories started. I had already overheard a few and planned my escape before they became pervasive.The Doyle Hotel is the objective for most hikers who plan to stay in town for the night. I walk several more blocks and come to the Doyle, in the middle of town. The guidebook says it's only $25 per night. What a deal, right? Well, when I arrive, there are several hikers sitting on the porch. The front door is locked and will not be unlocked until 11:00 am. Are you kidding me??? The occupants have an exit door opening onto a balcony but it's only for exiting, not entering. As I scrutinize the building, I learn that the Doyle Hotel is one of the last surviving Anheiser-Busch hotels. It is 108 years old and it looks every day of it. No, it ain't The Ritz. One of the employees arrives and he must wait until 11:00 to enter, too. I learned from him that the rooms have no TV's and no A/C. There is only one common coed bath on each floor. I had no problem staying at the Doyle except one. I wanted to watch the Daytona Sprint Cup Race tonight and that would not be possible at the Doyle except in the bar. I choose not to watch my sports in bars because that is all I can do...WATCH. Not much of hearing anything because of all the talking, shouting, laughing, etc.My only other viable possibility was The Stardust Motel, five miles out of town. I called The Stardust. The owner answered. I asked him if he had a room. He said yes. I asked him if it had a TV and A/C. He said yes. Then, he said, "you must be at the Doyle". I said yes. He said, "I'll come and get you". I said, "come on". When we pulled up to The Stardust, I almost asked him to take me back to the Doyle. This was the worst looking place I had ever stayed, on the AT or anywhere else. It made the Budget Inns look like The Taj Mahal. But, it did have a TV and an A/C. So, this was home for tonight. And, I did enjoy watching the race in my cool room.Adios y'all,Sandman69
Date: 2013-07-07
From: Duncannon, Pa

To: Duncannon, Pa
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I haven't had a zero, day off, in over two weeks. So, I decide to take one today to wash clothes, buy food for the trail and try and catch up on my journaling.There is a restaurant about 200 yards from The Stardust, The Ranch House. I have done all of my dining there since being at The Stardust. I highly recommend it. The food is excellent, it's reasonably priced and the service is superb.Auf Wiedersehen,Sandman69