morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-08-22
From: Fort Montgomery, NY

To: Fort Montgomery, NY
Miles today: 18.3

We were happy to be back hiking, and the day gave us more and more reasons to love the trail.It began with a chipmunk jumping into a shallow hole. Only it forgot to tuck in its tail. As we approached, the chipmunk spun about in its hole causing its tail to turn round and round in the leaves. Absolute adorability.Later, a passing driver invited us into her house where her husband fed us cake and ice-cold watermelon. For 700+ miles we've talked about how delicious watermelon would taste on a hot day like today - a day the weatherman described as having glorious sunshine.Hank commented that the overall moral taught by the trail is that "people are nice." I couldn't agree more.
Date: 2008-08-23
From: Fort Montgomery, NY

To: Fingerboard Mountain
Miles today: 11.3

The shadow was huge, pterodactyl-like. We looked up to see what it was: a black vulture. It soared close to us, such that we could see the shiny black eye on its midnight grey head. We watched it coast into an air column, circle higher and higher in the rising warm air, and then coast down into another one. Never once did it flap its great wings. Earlier in the day, while we'd been atop Bear Mountain, dozens of black vultures circled above us. The hike had been strange because the trail followed a road heavily used by motorcycles. We arrived to a summit crowded with motorbikers, packs of cyclist, and families - lots of families, huge families. I was not surprised to see the throngs of people on a tourist site less than an hour's drive from NYC and on such a bright, sunny weekend as today. I was, however, a bit overwhelmed.
Date: 2008-08-24
From: Fingerboard Mountain

To: Monroe,NY
Miles today: 12.1

I wanted to enjoy the woods, but my body would not allow it. I recognized that it was a beautiful day. Hank and I sat on a large rock staring into the tall trees that rose up like columns on the Parthenon. We silently munched on gorp and listened as a small doe came up behind us. We were motionless and downwind. She only became aware of us when we literally said, "Hello." I knew this was a cool moment, but I could not appreciate this moment with the deer, not the lakes loaded with lily pads, nor the brilliant red of cardinal flowers. I was too miserable. Every step left me pained and exhausted. My body was weak from another sleepless night due to digestive tract problems caused by an unexpected relapse into the illness that sidelined us earlier this week. I felt terrible. I took two naps, stopped for a million rest breaks, and benefited from a super-supportive husband, yet I could hardly move forward. By mid-afternoon, we bailed at the next road and called a taxi so that I could retreat to a hotel. As we waited Hank asked me, "Is this the low point of your trip?" "I hope so," I answered. "Because I don't think I could keep hiking if I ever felt worst than this."
Date: 2008-08-25
From: Monroe,NY

To: Monroe, NY
Miles today: 0.0

I reckon' you're mighty tired of reading about my being sick. I am certainly tired of being ill! The continuation of my illness merited a trip to the hospital. Fortunately for me, it was the happiest ER on the planet - full of laughter and chatter. Hank served as my personal entertainer. A volunteer tucked me in with heated blankets. A handful of nurses hooked me up to IVs, sampled my blood/urine/stool/, fed Hank turkey sandwiches, drowned me in ginger ales, and joked that we were crazy to be hiking. The doctor checked in on me often and sent me off with meds, which he said would get me back hiking soon. Back hiking soon...I certainly hope so!
Date: 2008-08-26
From: Monroe, NY

To: Monroe, NY
Miles today: 0.0

Happy birthday to me! I followed the advice of my father, my in-laws, my nurses, the doctor, pretty much every body and gave my body another day for recovery. I was super fidgety, but it was a smart move because just walking to the store and back made me weak. So... I enjoyed birthday in bed! Hank had red roses delivered to me - the romantic rascal. He also gave me an entry so that I can tackle the world's longest Vertical climb this fall. My Sear's Tower Climb website link is http://216.235.201.218/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=398&srcid=405&frsid=3766, if you are interested. Hopefully tomorrow, I will be writing about tales from the trail .
Date: 2008-08-27
From: Monroe, NY

To: Wawayanda shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

Back on the trail! Slow steps. Gentle. Always gentle, so as not to over work the fragile state of my recovering body. The gentle climbs up and over the dynamic Cat Rocks and over the rocky ridge overlooking Lake Greenwood left me exhausted. I collapsed into my sleeping bag, which Hank had so sweetly set up for me in the shelter. The cool night air was rich and refreshing to my lungs. The dreams came quickly. The sky was black when were were awoken by the calls of a barred owl perched immediately overhead. In the dark, we relaxed to our personal performance of the baritone's aria. Far off in the distance, another owl returned the call. Ours responded back four times and, then, flew on. The dreams engulfed me once again.
Date: 2008-08-28
From: Wawayanda shelter

To: Unionville, NY
Miles today: 16.9

For months I had waited - patiently, not so patiently. For eight hundred miles we hiked high in the hills and up in the mountains and enjoyed their avian delights. Not today. Today the trail dipped us down to the birding spectacular that is the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. There the forest's "cheeseburger" calls of chickadees were replaced by the wetland's piercing piping of lesser yellowlegs. Killdeers shrilly called themselves by name as they chased each other on and off the mudflats. Dozens of great blue herons stood still as statues at the water's edge. Occasionally, one rose up for a brief flight: its massive grey wings turned in large strokes and its long legs dangled. The heron's dissonant squawk sounded prehistoric, jurassic. Beyond the shy blue-winged teal and the legions of canada geese, two unfamiliar dark figures probed in the water. They looked like...with their curved bills...no, they couldn't be...here? on the AT?...but they surely look... Hank and I debated their identification and longed for our spotting scope. We turned to find another two immediately to our left. No lenses were required; the naked eye could confirm they were indeed glossy ibises. We were ecstatic.
Date: 2008-08-29
From: Unionville, NY

To: Deckertown Rd
Miles today: 9.0

In every great journey, there is a Tom Bombadil. He comes unexpectedly, cares for the weary travelers, and sends them back out on their way strengthened and empowered. Tom Bombadil did not make the movies, but he was quite instrumental to the success of the hobbits in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Our Tom Bombadil has been no less important. Our Tom Bombadil is actually three men: the mayor of Unionville and his two friends. Yesterday, we stumbled in as beaten and exhausted as only this trail can make a person. As we showered and enjoyed a home cooked meal, they washed our clothes and gifted us with advice for the trail and the life beyond. We slept soundly in their home. So today, when Hank slipped on a rock and busted his right ring finger beyond recognition, I knew just who to call. Hank's finger bent in the most terrible, unnatural direction, but we both remained calm. We knew we had friends on their way. A rescue at the newest road, and Hank was in the hospital within the hour. The good news was that it was only dislocated - terribly painful, but fixable. The good news was the extension of the invitation to stay. God bless the Tom Bombadils of the world.
Date: 2008-08-30
From: Deckertown Rd

To: Unionville, NY
Miles today: 14.1

"Today is all about speed," Hank said as we ran down a field white with Queen Anne's lace. A giant black racer - the biggest we've seen on the AT at 1.5+ m - flashed across the trail and disappeared into the virginia creepers who's red leaves signaled the first signs of fall. When we finally took a break, Hank admitted to me what I had already expected - that he was attempting to hike his turn at Speedgoat Karl speed. Speedgoat Karl is the ultramarathon winner trying to set a men's AT speed record this year; the women's record was broken about ten days ago by athlete Jennifer Pharr Davis. Having read about Karl, Hank and I were looking forward to seeing him run by us. We came across his RV support crew, and they treated us to cold beverages and nice conversation as we all waited for him to cross. What a treat it was to meet such an athlete! Seeing Karl was not our only inspiration. We were also energized by a new lifer (Blackpoll warbler), a new newt record (125), and a reunion with our good friend ET who we had not seen since Maine. On a particularly beautifully grated downhill section, we ran. It was a short sprint, but it felt like flying.
Date: 2008-08-31
From: Unionville, NY

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 28.2
Weather: clear sky

Hank was a bit grumpy because everyone swore we¢d see a bear in New Jersey, and today we left the state with our black bear count still at zero. He observed that the only bears he¢d seen on the trip had been in gummy form. Though some rumors on the trail have been true (bugs in Maine, nice people everywhere), I have found much of the gossip to be inaccurate. For example, I had heard that eventually the climbs become easy. This is simply not so. For me, the ups are always, always a workout. We heard that we¢d get bored. Bored? Bored of what? The trail is ever-changing. Every day something different blooms or fruits in the woods. The white-throated sparrows and dark-eyed juncos of Maine and New Hampshire have been replaced by turkey vultures and blue jays in the mid-Atlantic. Big blue stem and Indian grass have begun flowering on the mountain tops. The trees are different. The people are different. The weather is different. With what would we get bored? Myth busted. Tomorrow, tomorrow we will test the validity of the horror of Pennsylvania rocks.
Date: 2008-09-01
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Smith Gap
Miles today: 23.7

Were this a spaghetti western, Gaia would have drawn her gun, squinted her eyes, and laughed as she shot bullets at my feet. ¢Let¢s see how you dance!¢ she¢d say. As it was, mother nature simply used rocks, tons of them, from big boulders to tiny evil sharp pointy guys. There was no hiking today, only dancing. Two steps sideways. One step forward. Shuffle. Stumble. Turn. Leap. Repeat. My dance card was full: slate, granite, limestone, and a sparkly pink fellow I¢m told is called quartzite. The rocks went on for miles and miles, as far as one could see. My dance partners left me blistered and exhausted.   For better or for worse, they¢ve all set up dates for tomorrow.
Date: 2008-09-02
From: Smith Gap

To: 309
Miles today: 25.9

¢This is heartbreaking,¢ Hank said as we turned the corner into even more ugliness. The mountain on which we were hiking suffered the misfortune of poor location, specifically, being down wind from the zinc industry. As a result it was destitute. Blackened trunks of dead trees stood like tombstones. The dry ground sends up dust with every step since it has no vegetation to keep it in place. The few trees that remained were small in size or had stunted branches ¢ like hands that grew straight from the shoulders.I was glad the trail ran through this place. It was a reminder of how lucky we are to have the trail and the beautiful corridor through which it typically runs. It was a reminder of how important it is to move forward with industry, technology, and our daily lives in an ecologically responsible way so that we do not have to mark our maps ¢waste area.¢All is not lost. A massive revegetation effort is underway to reclaim the mountain. I applaud their efforts; we must not give up.   But it also emphasizes the importance of protecting what we already have because this mountain will never again be as it once was.
Date: 2008-09-03
From: 309

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 26.7

The Persians suffered defeat. The Greeks emerged victorious. Soldier and sprinter Pheidippides ran to Athens to deliver the news from the Battle of Marathon. The landscape was mountainous. The weather was hot. Pheidippides burst into the Assembly, exclaimed ¢We have won,¢ collapsed on the floor, and died.As we booked it over the rocks and climbs of western PA the story of Pheidippides bounced in my head. It was a marathon day: 26.2+ miles. We had a deadline to make it to the post office before it closed. We pushed ourselves. We worked our bodies.At four o¢clock, we became nervous. We could likely make the remaining miles before closing, but the buffer would be thin. So I transformed into a pack mule and loaded up all Hank¢s stuff into my backpack. I was slow and steady into the town.Hank sprinted on. The landscape was mountainous. The weather was hot. Hank burst into the post office, retrieved our package, collapsed on the floor¢¦and drank a coke with a friend from the area.Oh! Apparently during his sprint Hank had to hurdle a turtle. Isn¢t that fun to say! ¢Hurdle a turtle¢
Date: 2008-09-04
From: Port Clinton

To: Fort Snyder Marker
Miles today: 14.7

2175 miles. Two thousand, seventy five miles. That number of miles has to be spelled out. All the way from Katahdin Peak in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia. Through state after state after state. Trudging up the mountain. Going down the mountain. Struggling up the mountain, breathing hard. Stumbling down the mountain. Do this over and over and over. Gee - it's raining. Now it's hot and humid. Now raining again - make that downpour. Ouch - darn mosquito. Ouch - slap - another darn mosquito. Ouch, slap, slap, double-slap, run - darn swarm of mosquitoes. Ouch again - wait that's not a mosquito; run again to get away from the horde of black flies. Feeling woozy, blood supply .. getting low, ..must eat to replenish insect feeding trough. Oh no - the jerky is fuzzy.Poison ivy branches stretch to apply their toxins to exposed skin. Rocks invite ankles to do the twist. Splah! There's another spider web in the face. Yikes - going cross-eyed looking at the spider now sitting on my nose. Advice - hike with someone tall and make them lead.Finally, the mountain top view - reward for the effort. Hmmm - the insides of clouds are rather ..grey. Maybe the next mountain top - another cloud.Poor feet. Poor, poor, pitiful feet. To hike the entire trail takes 5,000,000 steps. That's a lot of steps and a lot of blisters.I'll not be hiking to Springer Mountain. There is a good reason why I'll not be hiking to Springer Mountain. You see, I'm Andrea's dad. Andrea didn't have a journal entry for this and a couple more days so I thought I'd fill the space.All the challenges and obstacles above were conquered by Andrea and Hank. Their spirits are still high and they are having a great time. And why not. They both love nature and have seen lots of wildlife, an incredible diversity of plants, trees, and wildflowers, and numerous birds including some they've never seen before. They love the beauty of the land and have hiked and camped in some of the most beautiful places in this country. They love people and have discovered how kindness and friendliness is a much more common virtue than the nightly news would seem to indicate. And they love each other and what better way to enjoy an adventure such as this than with someone you love.Jim Sorrow
Date: 2008-09-07
From: Duncannon

To: Boiling Springs
Miles today: 25.7

A grand day. Bright beautiful skies, mild temperatures and a topographic map so lovely I was inclined to take its photograph.Fueled by a pancake breakfast enjoyed in the company of our friends Spoonful and Skeeter, we powered over the first mountain. The air was refreshing and fun to breathe. Just as we reached the ridgeline a bald eagle began to cry. Now to be such a handsome bird, the bald eagle has a surprisingly weenie call. Must be why so many movies show a bald eagle but then play the sharp intimidating call of a red-tailed hawk. Tis the prerogative of movie magic I guess.It was the first eagle we have heard on this trip. We were making good time and were happy.We broke for lunch on a shaded stone bench with a picturesque view. The Cumberland valley was absolutely charming ¢ big pastures, farms with silos, rolling cow-fields. It looked like something you would find pictured on your organic yogurt! I was thrilled that the lovely view below was our hiking itinerary for the day. We checked our watch; we were making great time.Down the mountain we found ourselves in green pastures dotted with rolls of hay. Along the path sulfer butterflies fluttered about the lavender clover blossoms. We were making fantastic time.We followed a lazy creek and watched cedar waxwings snatch insects from the air. In the shade of the windbreaker trees, we passed fields of wheat, soy, and corn. We heard the gentle hoots of a great horned owl across the field. We were making amazing time.Farm after farm after farm. We hiked into our destination. 25.7 miles in less than 8 hours. We were mighty proud.
Date: 2008-09-08
From: Boiling Springs

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: overcast clouds

After the 100,000 mile mark things began to fall apart on our car. At first it was small things. The hubcap, a door handle. Every week something else broke. The back seatbelt, the gas cover, the stereo face. Looks aren¢t everything, and we drove it around anyway. Eventually, the internal workings followed suit. Now the poor old girl waits for us to return so she can die with dignity in a scrapyard.I wonder if the human body isn¢t similar. After 1000 miles it declares, ¢Nope! That¢s it!¢ and begins to fall apart.The blisters. Oh the blisters! Our feet have not looked so terrible since the wilderness. There are many, so many but the one on my right heel is the showstopper ¢ a throbbing bulbous yellow white creature highlighted by a ring of angry red. It is bigger than a quarter. A quarter! I kid you not ¢ I compared them.Poor Hank fairs no better. His feet were so horrid he had to hike in his Holeys. They are rashed from chaffing. His big left toe cannot bend for the sake of a giant blister at its base. His pinky toes, his poor pinky toes are purple ¢ rich ugly purple ¢ with pain.Every step hurts.
Date: 2008-09-09
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Rocky Mountain shelter
Miles today: 22.9
Weather: light rain

I¢ve only been on tv once ¢ in a news story about leeches on a local cable channel. The excellent sound bite from my interview was ¢Eeew. Gross.¢ A long drawn out ¢Eeew. Gross.¢ in a tone that tightroped hillbilly and valley girl. An ¢Eeew. Gross.¢ that cycled all day, every thirty minutes because the dinky little channel only had the one show to play.So today as we hiked from Caledonia State Park and were welcomed by a huge camera on a giant arm, I was nervous. Our name had been passed around and ended up on the computer of an associate producer who makes documentaries for a major cable network. We agreed to participate.This was the real deal: fancy equipment, close ups, repeat shots, casual interviews, formal interviews. All in all it was very fun and very awkward. Mostly awkward. And I worry about my soundbite.
Date: 2008-09-10
From: Rocky Mountain shelter

To: Pine Knob shelter
Miles today: 32.9
Weather: clear sky

The equinox may be days away, but this morning was the first morning of fall. The chilly temperatures required us to hike in our long sleeve. We breathed the cool, crisp air deep into our lungs. The trail was decoupaged with the earthtones of fall leaves. Our foot steps sounded softly in the log shadows cast by a golden wheat sun. The woods smelled like fall.To celebrate the crossing of the Mason-Dixon line, we ate pizza with our friend and fellow Carolinian Spoonful. The north was beautiful, the people nice, and the hiking fun, but we were pleased to be back South. Indeed, there is no place like home.We hiked late into the evening. Hank watched a grey fox dash across the trail. He described it to me: ears laid back, a puffy tail tipped black and held out straight behind it. The sky was a rich oranges; it looked like fire behind the trees. It made the canopy shine even more brilliantly golden.I love hiking in the fall.
Date: 2008-09-11
From: Pine Knob shelter

To: Harper's Ferry
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Ladies and gentle men! Welcome to to the match. Today we have an exciting match up, an exciting match indeed. Just entering the ring, a long time interest of Andrea's and a hobby for Hank who was himself a member of the History Book Club, we have encounters with HISTORY! And in the second corner, the fuel of the AT hike, passion of both our hikers, reigning champion of the trip, it's encounters with NATURE! There's the starting bell. Oh!And History comes out swinging with a visit to the stone milk-jug-shaped Washington monument from which our hikers could see the once bloody battlefield of Antietam. 2 points for History and this day has hardly started! Wham! Nature retaliates. Our hikers walk through woods thick with paw-paw trees. The smell of fresh fruit is thick and sweet. Andrea finds a ripe paw-paw and gets to taste the rich, mango like flavor for the first time ever. Nice point Nature! Here comes history. A walk down monumenty road up to Gathland State park takes our hikers through an old Civil War camp and past ruins of two hundred year old barns. History scores again. Oh, but our hikers follow the C&O Canal path along the sounding rapids of the Potomac River. To their left the canal is bright green with duckweed, one of the world's smallest flowering plants. Three soft, grey wood ducks look out from the stillness. The memory of their swimming is kept in the duckweed. 2 points Nature. Very nice! The points are tied. Only a mile left folks.Our hikers cross the Potomac and hear a cry - an Osprey! Nature, takes the lead. What an upset! Our hikers cross into Harper's Ferry and are greeted by a covered wagon. The entire town is preserved in its pre-turn-of-the-century state as a giant museum. Andrea instantly declares that she loves this place. History wins! History wins!