morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-06-02
From: Ground Hog Trail

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: overcast clouds

The wind blew most of the night and the rain stopped before dawn. I had a good night sleep but didnt want to get out of the warm sleeping bag into the cool morning air. I had just packed my long undies in my bounce box (always works like this) and put on just about all the clothes I had to stay warm as I broke camp. Just before I pulled on my backpack (which got heavier with a wet tent) I was passed by Sally from PA. She seemed cheerful enough and told me it was 40 degrees on the mountain. Again I thought about my long undies in the bounce box headed towards Daleville. I soon caught up with Sally and she was section hiking from Damascus to Harpers Ferry and told me she was from Pittsburgh, PA. "We be mates" I joked and told her I was from Butler, PA and my trail name was Keystone. I told her to look for me on trailjournals.com and she would read that we hiked together somewhere where the AT meets the Allegheny Trail. I asked if she had a map hanging from her pack and found out it was a bandana with the AT map from damascus to Harpers Ferry. Neat stuff. The trail was rocky and wet and the going was slow until the sun and wind had dried the rocks. Later that day as I passed Wind Rock I met a family from Kansas who asked if I had few minutes to answer their questions about thru-hiking. Usually the first is "have you seen any bears" and I said "no but I did see a rattleshake" and told them the story about the one on the trail to damascus. Often the question comes up "why are you doing this?" My favorite answer "my doctor said I needed to get out and walk more". Its a lot of fun answering questions about the trail and I told them story after story until it was time to hike. I made it to War Spur Shelter just as the sun was setting, one tired by contented hiker.
Date: 2012-06-03
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Audie Murphy Monument
Miles today: 23.9
Weather: scattered clouds

My tent dried in the pine straw at a tent site near the shelter so I got my pack weight down a little. I looked ahed on my map and my goal for the day was Niday Shelter but secretly it was Audie Murphy Monument. Why keep it a secret? Audie Murphy's Monument was over twenty three miles away and on top of East Brush Mounta1n over 1500 feet from the valley below. I got up early and out of camp before 7:00 AM and yes I still take time to admire the flowers, trail beauty and take photos. Along the way I took a photo of the Eastern Continental Divide. I saw a ruffed grouse pretend the "my wing is broken" trick to lure me away from her brood. It worked too as she led me North following the white blazes. Then suddenly her wing healed and she flew to the safety of the forest. I stopped to get water at the Niday Shelter and looked at the time and decided to press on to Audie Murphy's Monument. I packed extra water and headed up the mountain determined to make it to the monument before sunset. I thouht of the movie of Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier of World War II, of his courage, his willingness to risk his life time and again to protect the men he fought with. It was an inspirational hike up that mountain, one I'll never forget. I made it to the monument just as the sun was setting. The hikers had piled stones around the monuent to honor this hero. It was Sunday and I paid my respects, to pray and to reflect on the sacrifices our service men and women make.
Date: 2012-06-05
From: Pig Farm Campsite

To: Daleville, VA 24083
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: light rain

The storm blew itself out mid-morning and I was surprised that the wind had dried my tent. I was up at 5:15 AM on to my next goal to make Daleville, VA before the post office closed. It was an exciting five days on the trail. The hike to Daleville went faster than usual and I met Yoda and Quicksilver. Two fast hikers who planned to take not more than three months hiking the AT. Needless to say they left me in the trail dust. I arrived in Daleville before the PO closed and just in time to see the next rainfall. This time from my motel room I hope you enjoyed my exciting week as much as I did. It means a lot to me to be able to share my trail stories and photos with you. By my calculations I have completed 1/3 of the AT mileage in a little over one third of the time. If my luck, health, and blessings continue I should make it to the half way mark before the end of this month¢¦but then I¢m getting ahead of myself. Until we meet again take it one day at a time, one step at a time.
Date: 2012-06-06
From: Daleville, VA 24083

To: Daleville, VA 24083
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I took a zero day in Daleville to get some rest and resupply. The grocery shopping was easy as Jack shipped me a food drop to the Post Office. This was part of my three month food stash that I had prepared and packed from January through March. Each food drop consists of six days of food separated into individual days with three meals plus snacks. I had to purchase an a new freezer to store it all until needed. I also use the zero day to clean up my gear and inspect for wear and tear and of course to eat. I met the maintenance man at the Howard Johnsons and he commmented "all you hikers seem to do is eat". Reggie took me to the post office and we had lunch. I had a feeling when I met Reggie he would be added to my trail family. Reggie is very proud of his five year old son and showed me a photo of his son in his football uniform. I asked how he was doing playing football and Reggie laughed and said "he crushes the opposition". I really enjoyed my time with Reggie.
Date: 2012-06-07
From: Daleville, VA 24083

To: Black Hourse Gap (Gods Rock Garden)
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: light rain

This was my first day of a seven day hike which consisted of two partial days and five full days. I carried food for all seven days and had no plans to resupply along the trail. I didn't weigh the food but it took up so much room in my pack that I had to strap my tent on the outside. Needless to say it was slow going hiking uphill out of Daleville. It was a warm humid afternoon but I took my time to get reacquainted with the trail after my zero day in Daleville. I was catching my breath after hiking up Taylors Mountain and heard my cell phone ringing. I was pleasantly surprised to see it was from Reggie and he was checking up on me and told me to keep in touch with him. He said he was planning a trip to Florida in July to take his son to Disney World. I had worked up a pretty good sweat that afternoon and even though it was a partial day and I was hiking slowly I managed to get some decent mileage in. I found a nice clear campsite close on Black Horse Gap but it was too close to the road so I kept hiking and found a nice level spot about a half mile above the gap. I went to inspect the possible campsite and notice I had about an hour before sunset. The campsite was flat enough but was covered with rocks. I remember thinking it looks like someone¢s rock garden and then laughed to myself. It was its God's rock garden. I got busy clearing the smaller rocks away for a spot for my tent and spread the vestibules over some of the bigger rocks. I kept both vestibule flaps open that night in case the critters that lived in those rocks wanted to come and go during the night and settled in to my home for the night. I was treated to a beautiful sunset at the end of of my first day back on the trail.
Date: 2012-06-08
From: Black Hourse Gap (Gods Rock Garden)

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: few clouds

I got a good night's sleep and didn't want to get up the next morning. By now I was more accustomed to sleeping on the trail and I don't get a full night¢s sleep during my stays in town. My first breakfast out of my food drop was a hot breakfast and I usually didn't cook breakfast so it all added up to a late start on the trail. I knew when I left camp at 8:15 AM that I would have a tough time getting my mileage in for the day. Plus I had all that food to carry. I began to rethink this grand Idea I had about no resupplying until Waynesboro. As I approached the downhill grade to Bryant Ridge Shelter I spotted a level clear campsite and decided it was close enough. I didn't get my mileage I wanted but I managed to get a few photos and met some interesting hikers along the way. I figured I could always make the miles up later in the week.
Date: 2012-06-09
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Matts Creek Shelter
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I was up at 5:15 AM and was determined to get an early start on this day. This section includes "The Guillotine" and I was really curious to see what the Guillotine looked like. Could it be some hapless hiker would lose his or her head if they weren't careful crossing under The Guillotine? Well you have to amuse yourself somehow up here. I met a hiker name Puma at Thunder Ridge overlook who had to stop his thru-hike last year when the hurricane hit NYC and he was called back to work. He told me when he went back to work after his hike his feet continued to hurt for almost two weeks. More to look forward to I thought as I wished him well. He asked "how far you hiking today Keystone?" I told him I was going to try to make it to Matt's Creek Shelter and he said "I'll see you there". Well I made it past The Guillotine but not quite to Matt's Creek Shelter. My feet were sore, I was over 20 miles and I spotted this inviting campsite on a ridge overlooking the beautiful James River. Home for the night I thought as I set down my heavy pack. I felt something crawling on my arm and notice a tick. After I dispatched the pest I thought about Lyme¢s disease and added another fear to my pack. I would have to be careful as the weather warmed up danger of ticks would increase. I lucked out and caught another spectacular sunset. That¢s two days in a row I thought, it felt good to be back on the trail.
Date: 2012-06-10
From: Matts Creek Shelter

To: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Miles today: 22.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I was up bright and early again this morning and I was on the trail before 7:00 AM. My feet and knees felt fine but I took it slow going down the trail to Matts Creek Shelter. I may have written before I just let my body decide my hiking speed. I try to get in ten miles before lunch and sometimes lunch doesn¢t happen until after 1:00 PM. After that I coast the remaining ten or so miles to my next campsite. I didn't want to stress myself on multiple twenty mile days as I was a long way from Waynesboro. I met Puma at the Matts Creek Shelter and he told me to enjoy the view of the James River. I was hoping for some good early morning pictures of the river and I wasn't disappointed. It was a nice walk along the trail beside the river. Now that was a nice way to spend the morning. I took one photo after another of the James River and hope you enjoy them. My destination was Brown Mountain Shelter which is located along the Brown Mountain creek. It area used to be a small farm community and the remnants of their stone homes can still be seen along the AT. Well I made it to the shelter but I found no level campsites so I continued on the trail. The sun was setting and I wanted a home for the night but the creek bed offered no level dry spots. I needed to find one soon as I was slowly approaching U.S. 60 and didn't want to camp by the road and I didn't want to begin hiking up Bald Knob, especially at night. As I hiked along I noticed that some hikers had assembled the number 800 out of small stones on the trail. A bit of trail magic! I smiled to myself that I had just completed eight hundred miles of the AT. I didn't feel quite so tired after that and soon found my home for the night.
Date: 2012-06-11
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter

To: The Priest Shelter
Miles today: 22.4
Weather: light rain

I woke before dawn and got busy getting my gear together using my headlamp. When it began to get light I noticed a soft red glow in the East and remembered the ancient rhyme "Red sky at morning, sailor take warning" so this old sailor unloaded my backpack and repacked everything into plastic trash bags. I pack my sleeping bag in its own trash bag and open another inside my pack and load all my dry gear into it and pull the drawstring on the trash bag tight to keep any water out. My rain gear goes on top where its readily accessible. Sometimes these precautions are unnecessary but some of you may agree I have had my fair share of rain days. The sun never shown through the clouds that morning and around 9:00 AM I walked into the mist on the trail up to Bald Knob. I stopped and put my cell phone, recorder and camera in zip lock bags and put on my rain gear. The mist turned into a drizzle and by the time I got up to the top of Bald Knob the grass along the trail was wet. I took out my camera for the three photos on Bald Knob to let you enjoy the misty mountain scenes that I was treated to. The rain slowly increased in intensity and soon I was again walking in the rain forest. Hiking in the rain has its advantages as you don¢t tend to overheat but the slippery rocks and roots will slow the pace. I arrived at the Priest Shelter well before dark and filled up my water bottles from a natural spring beside the shelter. Mange was at the shelter and he asked if i was staying inside the shelter and I told him I had spotted some nice campsites about a hundred yards above the shelter near some huge boulders. I pitched my tent in a steady rain with occasional wind gusts. Inside my tent I partially opened one of the vestibules lit my alcohol stove and heated water for dinner. I had freeze dried spaghetti that night and it tasted wonderful. Once inside my sleeping bag I was warm dry and well fed. I listened to the rain on the tent for a while before I fell fast asleep.
Date: 2012-06-13
From: Camped along the trail

To: Waynesboro, VA 22980, Rockfish Gap
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I was pleasantly surprised when I woke that there was no rain falling. A soft breeze was blowing and there were no rain drops hitting the tent from the leaves above. In fact my tent was almost dried out. I took stock of my remaining food and combined two breakfasts to load up on calories for my hike out. I was hoping for a view from Humpback Mountain but the sun hadn't shone through yet but I did get an interesting photo of a white blaze on the trail through the mist. Soon the sun came out and the trail was actually easy coming down from Humpback Mountain. I began to reflect back on this hike and I felt good about it. I stopped for an early lunch at the Paul Wolfe Shelter and enjoyed eating at the picnic table. I got a few photos of where we get our water, on of a steam and another from a spring. Once I got to Rockfish Gap I went to the visitor¢s center and they called a trail angel to give me a free ride into Waynesboro, VA. His name is Tom Brown and it was sure a nice way to begin my stay in town.
Date: 2012-06-22
From: Front Royal, VA

To: Spring Campsite
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: few clouds

I had my camera in plastic most of the day. I remember as the storm approached that wind began to blow branches down. The rain began to fall softly and I got out my rain gear. For the next few hours it rained so hard the trail became a small stream. I hiked through the storm and made camp in this clear area. The sky had a pink hue to it just before sundown. I also remember the next day that snails had covered my tent. It took me a full half hour to remove them all. We most all. I found some dead ones embedded in the screen the next time I set up camp. I entered in a shelter log that the snails had slimed my tent.
Date: 2012-06-23
From: Spring Campsite

To: West VA/VA State Line
Miles today: 20.4

When I first saw this sign I thought it was funny and I joked I'm up for the ride...until I got on the roller coaster. It was the first time since the Smokies that my hiking speed slowed down to under 2 miles an hour. At the end of the day my feet were blistered, my calf muscles sore and I was physically worn out but I "survived". Some section hikers user the roller coaster and devils racecourse to toughen up for the whites.
Date: 2012-06-26
From: Pogo Memorial Campsite

To: PA 233 campsite
Miles today: 28.0

This was my longest hike day to date. I missed a marathon day by less than a mile so I came up with a sun up to sun down hike. The rules are you start the hike when the sun peeks over the mountain and stop your hike when the sun sets. Funny part was during the day I forgot I was going for a hihg mileage day and started hitching into town for a burger. After 15 minutes of hitchhiking I remembered what I was trying to do and ate a quick lunch and resumed.
Date: 2012-07-08
From: Duncannon, PA. 17020

To: Spring
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: few clouds

I met up with Crooked Sticks in Duncannon. We had a beer at the Doyle Hotel and camped at the Riverside Campgound. I was in luck as the Billville Gathering was in full swing and enjoyed some trail magic. The next morning Crooked Sticks and I hiked for awhile.
Date: 2012-07-13
From: Port Clinton, PA 19549

To: Port Clinton, PA 19549
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I took a second zero day in Port Clinton to treat my shoes, socks, tent, ground cover and pants in Permethrin. There is the constant worry about getting Lyme¢s from infected ticks and after talking to two different hikers I thought it was time to take additional precautionary measures. While I was at the Cabela¢s store I took some photos of the animals on display. The wolf pack reminds me of a hiker that I admire with the trail name of "Scout".
Date: 2012-07-14
From: Port Clinton, PA 19549

To: Lost Spring Campsite
Miles today: 18.7

I was able to get out of Port Clinton early, amazingly early for me. I had arranged for a ride from the hotel to the post office and while I was having breakfast I got to talking to another hotel guest and he explained he was going to pick up some hikers. We had a good time talking about bear sightings and close encounters with snakes and he offered me a ride to the Post Office as he was going right past it. I called my other ride up and told him I wouldn¢t' be needed his services and caught a ride with Captain Burke to the PO. With my bounce box and food drop shipped to Delaware Water Gap all I had to do was hike there myself. On my hike out of town I photographed some interesting spray paintings of the AT on the bridge. The rocks were steadily building as I hiked. I reached the Eckville Shelter too early in the day to stop so I reset my planned stop for Dan's spring, approximately 3 1/2 miles further up the trail. When I got to a blue blaze that I thought led down to the spring I took it but wasn't sure if this was Dan's spring. Another hiker was ahead of me and several times during the decent I was tempted to turn back but after one half mile I plodded one. "Keystone I found water" the other hiker called out but it didn't appear to be moving so I replied "I'm going a little further. Well it turned out to be another half mile and I found a stream crossing the logging road. I followed the stream about a hundred yards back to its source and found an old springhead surrounded by stones. I called it the lost spring and camped on a level spot close by. The sun had set and I put on my headlamp to clear a tent site of sticks and rocks. It was almost 10:00 PM before I was ready for bed but I felt a sense of accomplishment that I could find good water in a drought and a suitable campsite in the dark.
Date: 2012-07-15
From: Lost Spring Campsite

To: Grassy campsite
Miles today: 18.0

This morning I had a mile hike back up the mountain just to get back to the start of the trail. It wasn't until 7:00 AM before I was on the AT again but at least I had plenty of water. I hadn't gone one half mile before I saw the sign for Dan's Spring. If I had just kept hiking a bit longer I thought. What way to start a section but then I did have plenty of water to start my day. I had marked the Bake Oven Shelter on my planned stop for the day but when I got there it was too early to stop. When I reached Lehigh Furnace Gap a trail angel had left water os I filled up my bottles and pressed on. I could hear thunder in the distance and when I spied a nice level grassy area close to the trail I glance at my watch. It was only 6:15 PM and I was tempted to get in another hour but the thunder sounded closer. I stopped pitched my tent and was cooking dinner when the storm hit. i was surprise how fast it had traveled. The lightening flashed, the thunder boomed and the rain came down in sheets for over an hour. Now I was happy I had stopped and I ate my dinner nice and dry in the comfort of my tent.
Date: 2012-07-16
From: Grassy campsite

To: Powerline campsite
Miles today: 20.0

The sound of the birds singing woke me and I could still hear the rain drops hitting my tent. The rain had stopped but the trees were wet and each breeze would send more drops cascading down upon my tent. I was warm in my sleeping bag and was tempted to go back to sleep but each time I closed my eyes I thought about hiking. ¢White Blaze Fever¢ I smiled to myself as I rolled out of my bag, only one way I know to treat it. I didn¢t like the thought packing a wet tent. I didn¢t need any more weight on my back while navigating the rocks. I dried my tent as best that I could and strapped it to the bottom of my pack and was on the trail by 7:30 AM. A bit late to start my hiking day and I wasn¢t looking forward to hiking this section. It would take me through the Palmerton EPA Superfund Site. The results of a century of zinc smelting had devastated the Blue Mountain and I wasn¢t sure if I wanted to view the results. The Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers Companion guide writes that the scramble up the denuded rocks is among the most challenging on the AT south of New Hampshire. But then I¢m getting ahead of myself. Before I get to the scramble I had to cross the Knife¢s Edge. Hope you enjoy the photos. I was planning to camp at Delps trail but I was low on water. The hike was mostly in the open and it was hot and sunny and I was drinking twice the water I normally do. My best choice was to hike a bit further and reach water at the Leroy A. Smith Shelter. A 20 mile day was not high on my fun to do list for that day but I made it to the shelter and springs just before sunset. I drank my fill from the spring there and collected a gallon of water before I returned to the trail to find a campsite. When I reached a power line on the trail I noticed that a survey crew had cleared a section large enough for me to pitch my tent. The gentle breeze coming out of the valley and the beautiful view of the late evening sky made it a definite home for the night campsite. Once inside my tent I reviewed the photos of what I had seen that day. The sound of a lone Barred Owl calling from the nearby forest reminded me of the forests and friends I had left far to the South.