morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-05-10
To: Seely-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Date: 5/11Total Milage: 806.0Daily Milage: 14.0Back in the saddle again. After the usual confusion in packing and leaving D & Cic's house, Heather and I drove to the BBQ at Reed's Gap. Cic, Jerrie and D put on quite the feast! It was well attended by J-Bird, Burning Boots, and Hershey, Rockhound, Hoplite, Wildcat, Dharma, Team Champ, Talks with Trees, and atleast 4 other thruhikers.I only stayed until 11 AM - Heather drove Wildcat and I back to the trail and said our goodbys - I'll see her and perhaps Tally again in southern PA . Wildcat gave Heather and I some time to say goodby but waited on top of the first mountain and was good company during the hot (85 degree) afternoon hike.I had a wonderful weekend (thanks for everything D & Cic!) and enjoyed my visit with Heather immensely, 2 months has been a long time apart!My body feels the same - no more rested or recovered. No real pain except the continued pounding on my feet, so I am doing fine.I have got a 20+ mile day tomorrow so it is an early bedtime (9:30) to make up for the lost sleep over the weekend, and on the trail early tomorrow AM.
Date: 2004-05-11
From: Seely-Woodworth Shelter

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: broken clouds

Date: 5/11total milage: 826.5daily milage 20.5Tonight I am a sardine with very good timing! I'm sharing the shelter tonight with Kinloch, Slips, Fitz, Slim, Biscuit, Don (SoBo flip-flop) and one other hiker who's name escapes me att the moment.That is the sardine part - we're stuffed pretty tight tonght. The good timing? Two thunderstorms today. The first one hit while I was taking a break at Harper's Creek Shetler at 2 PM. I hung out for 1 and 1/2 hours and stayed perfectly dry. Talking with Kinloch and a cool day hiker named Dave. the second storm hit 30 minutes after I showed up at this shelter and has continued for 1 and 1/2 hours so far. The 6 guys here were kind enough to rearrange their sleeping direction to accomadate 8 instead of 6.It was a good 20 miler - hiking alone all day for the first time I started walking. I am on a section of trail I have done before, that didn't make the 3000 foot climb over the priest and three ridges any easier, but it did bring back some good memories of hiking with my bro & Heather in and around Shenandoah.The azalea and mountain laurel are in bloom and the woods are strongly scented, especially with the 80 degree humid weather. Unfortunetly, the poison ivy is everywhere as well, so I spend alot of time watching my feet as I walk. No itching yet, luckily.It is 8 PM and everyone's falling asleep. Slim and Biscuit are a bit younger as are Fitz and Slips - and it has been pretty obvious tonight. THey carry a digital sound recorder and named it "the windtalker" and use it exclusively to capture farts. I feel like I am back in a highschool locker room!Up early again tomrrow for a 21 mile day. Meeting D at 6 at the southern tip of th park.
Date: 2004-05-12
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Wintergreen Resort
Miles today: 21.1

Date: 5/12Total Milage: 847.6Daily Milage: 21.1It is 5 PM on a hot May day and I am baking outside the rockfish gap tourist information center. They have AC inside but I've hiked 55 miles and I reek! My brothers due to pick me up at 6, so for now I am just enjoying being off my feet.Tomorrow marks the beginning of my third month on the trail, one of the best experiences has been the actions of the residents of the towns bordering the trail. While I sit here waiting for my brother to pick me up, I have had 4 offers for rides into town! I've also had one guy trying to convert me to Baptist, but he was a nice guy.Later -Ok - this has been an absolutely surreal evening, at 5:30 I was dirty & stinky, at 6:30 I aws drinking a pilsner urkel and eating some exquisite appetizers including a truffle/liver moose. Dinenr was filet accompanied by chinese mustard greens, greenbeans & tomatoes in a vinegrette, fresh bread, some great rice and excellent shiraz. Jerrie & Jerry thank you for your hospitality and absolutely amazing dinner!My bro has been driving me all over Virginia for me. He and Cic took care of my next food drop as always and planned my next pick up on Friday evening - Thanks guys!
Date: 2004-05-13
From: Wintergreen Resort

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

date: 5/15total milage: 867.6daily milage 20.0Another hot, humid, beautiful hiking day. D dropped me back at rockfish gap at 8:30 in the morning after breakfast, packing and saying goodbye to Jerrie, Jerry, and Opal and Cic. I met Condor immedieatly and we headed into the woods.Shenandoah is a pretty park. Nice trail, lots of flowers and a variety in vegetation. Ther's been a scarcity of water though - we fournd two stretches of 7+ miles without water today. I found the stretch of trail that D and I hiked last April - nice as always to recognise part of the trail!I'm camping tonight with Condor, Skyline & Sundance, and Lucky Dog - a thruhiker I have been following closely for weeks. Team Champ had dinner with us before walking on. Right now Condor is struggling massivly with the bear pole - not and easy system with a heavy food bag. Two whipor-wills are calling incessantly and its a wonderful 9 PM bedtime!
Date: 2004-05-14
From: Black Rock Hut

To: Wintergreen Resort
Miles today: 23.5

Date: 5/15total milage: 891.1daily milage: 23.5I'm back at Jerrie & Jerry's place after another pick up from my bro. today was hurried, trying to get as many miles as possible by 6 PM pickup to lighten the load over the wekend. That is the only downside of meeting family & friends on the trail - timing the miles.The hike was exciting - I saw my first bear! Actually my first 3, since it was a mother with two cubs. They were 50 feet from the trail, slowly walkingthe same direction I was, looking up occasionally and remaingi largely disguised behind fallen trees. I was hiking with a cool guy, I'd met before lunch - Hal a senior in college out hiking the park. We stopped to get some pictures (mine realy dont' show the bears) and then walked on, watching them for a few hundred feet. Whee!Pretty cool, walking and talking with Hal for 8 miles, it was really enjoyable. I also saw a bunch of deer, but that is a given in this park!My brother's been great, picking me up, handing me a cold coke and driving me upto 1 and 1/2 hurs away. Jerrie with the help of David, Cic, and Opal cooked up another msterpiece. Tender pork, perfctly cooked shrimp, some amazing potatoes au gratain, broccoli and fresh bread and salad followed by espresso and strawberry shortcake. YUM! Late night though, bedtime at 11:30 with a 6 AM wake up.
Date: 2004-05-15
From: Wintergreen Resort

To: Rock Spring Hut
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: broken clouds

Date 5/15Total Milage: 912.9Daily Milage: 21.8There is a serious thunderstorm blowing in as I write this - lets hope it blows by quickly! I haven't tented in the rain for weeks so I am considering myself lucky.David dropped me a the trail at 8:45 and I walked alone through pretty but unremarkable terrain for about 12 miles. Lucky Dog caught me from behind at that point we walked and talked away the next 5 miles, he is slightly older than me, from southern PA and excellent company. At the 17 mile marek we detoured to big meadows, one of the parck facikities for an ice cream, sandwich, and soda, meeting up with Skyline and Sundance there. I left 'em and walked another 5 to this hut, meeting up with Team Champ and a number of section hikers and weekend hikers including George (GA -->ME '03)In the mornign I was passed by a couple of ultramarathoners out for a little jaunt. They were trying to do 105 mils of trail over 24 hours. 105 MILES IN ONE DAY! And people think I am nuts!Saw a beautiful electric blue bird too - tuft on head, about 5" with a sharp yellow beak. Any suggestions? Never run across that one before!Rain's holding off pretty well - time to get some sleep!
Date: 2004-05-16
From: Rock Spring Hut

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 28.3
Weather: light rain

Date: 5/16Total Milage: 941.3Daily Milage 28.3!I am tired, the three other guys in teh shelter fell asleep while I was still shoveling food down my gullet. That was 1/2 hour ago. Now I am in my bag, toasty warm, watching the 400 lb. bear 10 feet away. That is the beauty of 3 sided shelters - the wildlife can snuffle at the picnic tables while the exhausted hikers sleep, hoping to see a bear sometime the next day. The irony kills me - but that is better than the bear doing the honors!I call out "hey guys - are you awake?" and the bear takes 3-4 quick steps away when only snores answer my inquriry he returns , 5 feet from 'Ursus the bear' a hiker from switzerland, who is still waiting to see a bear. I shine my headlamp at him - he ignores me - so I ignore him, roll over and fall asleep. 28.3 miles today - I was hoping that will be my longest day on the trail! It's the distance between the shelters and my 4 pm pick up from my parents that forced this mild insanity. Luckily I ran into Pooner at the 11 mile mark , good conversation with him (especially about volleyball and ultimate frisbee) made the miles slide by. Pooner told me the bird I saw yesterday was brobably an indigo bunting - sounds good to me!Only 10 miles left in the park - it feels strange to walk through a 100+ mile national park in 5 days. But the trail's been nice and meeting family and keeping a light food bag has helped. Also the at the shelter is Keystone Sargent, a 70-ish man from PA out for a 300 mile walk. It is great to see the older crew, always an inspiration to me especially when I am feeling tired.Mom and Dad have been sending me care packages throughout the hike and I am really looking forward to seeing them tomorrow. 14 miles, I am sleeping in!
Date: 2004-05-17
To: Quality Inn - Front Royal
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: light rain

Date: 5/17Total Milage 954.7Daily Milage 13.4There is always a huge feeling of comfort in seing my mom & dad . Today's pick up by them was no different. I'd hiked through the final beautiful ten miles of Shenandoah, was feeling great, loving the hike and looking forward to getting clean and eating well. Then I hit the wall, rather I got nailed by 3.4 miles of mud & rocks, poison ivy, and hungry bugs. By the time I got to the road, I was slightly shy of serene. As I said, it was great to see Mom & Dad!We got some good hangout time, we had mexican and beer, did laundry, essentially giving them a taste of my normal town visit. One of the great things was teh first Dunkin' Dounuts on the trail! Coffe and Doughnuts and a bunch of time on the fome with family, friends, and Heather - Great stuff!The hight point of the hike was today - literally and figeratively was hanging out on the rocks about 4 miles into the hike and looking down on the peaks of the mountains below emerging from a sea of clouds. I felt all alond on the mountain. The fact taht I hiked 80% of the park probably contributed.
Date: 2004-05-18
From: Quality Inn - Front Royal

To: Dick's Dome Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Date: 5/18Total Milage: 969.8Daily Milage 15.2Today was a great time, breakfast with Mum & Dad, followed by a stop by the outfitters. I replaced my superfeet insoles with shock doctors - multi-density foam support - they felt great! I replaced my petzl tikka head lamp (It's been flickering and weak dispite new batteries since GA) With a lighter black diamond 2 LED lap. I also added a two-liter platapus water carrier to my pack to help me handle dry spots on the trail in the increasingly hot weather. the bright light paid off - I spotted a tick in my tent and killed it! I am finding an average of 3 - 4 ticks per day. As mom and dad dropped me off at the trailhead we ran into a motorist witha blown out tire. My dad changed it with my help while mom chatted with Dorothy. Nice to be able to help others - so often it goes the other way out here!First three miles out of Front Royal wer as miserable as teh the 3 on the other side. Tons of poison ivy. At the first shelter I had a wonderful surprise of running into Skyline and Sundance, Lucky Dog and Einstein. We hiked the next 3 together and Lucky Dog split off. He'd done the section to Harper's ferry earlier this year so he was off to the symbolic 1/2 way point. Hichting for home for a few days with his wife, the rest of us headed on.We timed the next shelter perfectly, avoiding a 20 minute thunderstorm and hanging out with a section hiker - #1 of the Spice Twins. He was from Providence, RI and shared some of his asian crackers & awesome tortolini (sp?) & mushroom soup with us. Thanks #1!Post-Rain we ampled the 4+ miles to this shelter hooked back up with Hoplite and met up with Pele & Moon Pie as well as a few more section hikers. Thunderstorms rolling through again - I am getting used to them. Easy week now, starting with 16 tomorrow.
Date: 2004-05-19
From: Dick's Dome Shelter

To: Sam Moore Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Date: 5/19Total Milage: 985.7Daily Milage: 15.9What kind of hiking machine have I become? I think of a 16 mile day the way that most people think of walking to the mailbox. Ho-hum today's 16 mile day was wet. It is still wet - we've had thinderstorms, drizzle, sprinkle, rain downpour, torrential downpour, and gental mist. And MUD! Don't get me going about the MUD (Mindless ups and downs).Scary thing is that it was a great day! I've been in a good mood the whole time, no views, few flowers, no hundred dollar bills by the side of the trail. (Ed note - now if there was 100$ bill every couple of miles, there may be more people hiking the trail!) But there were cicadias. I've been heraring for a month how bad the cicadias are supposed to be this year. 'Til today I hadn't seen one. Now I've seen thousands, heard thousands, and accidentally stepped on several.Cicadias are such evil looking creatures. Irradecent wings, black body, and neon red eyes. Very cool. They emerge through holes in the soil, climb a tree/bush/plant, cling to the bottom side of a leaf and molt through the exoskeleton. The leave their former brown exoskeleton clinging wher it was and crawl or fly elsewhere making weird 70's science fiction TV show noises. The kept me entertained. (Ed. note - great he is entertained by creepy UFO sounding bug...great...)Hanging out with 'The Duke of Earl' (GA --> ME '93, and he is only 33 now!) and a couple of section hikers from Ohio, Romeo & Julitte. 16 mile days make for getting into camp early, 4 PM today. That means I get dry, eat for 3 hours, and dry to go to bed before dark, good stuff!Today's hike took me through "the roller-coaster" a section of trail with 8 PUDs (Pointless Ups and Downs) Each around 500 feet high. Nothing too exciting - the mud was harder to deal with than the hills.
Date: 2004-05-20
From: Sam Moore Shelter

To: David Lesser Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Date: 5/20total milage: 999.8 (you'd think he'd have walked .2 more miles! - Ed. note)Daily milage: 14.1The last time I camped out with my bro was 400 miles ago, the last time I camped out with my dad was my cub scout troup's "operation zero" around 1984. I don't remember the last time (if ever) I camped out with both, but this evening has been enjoyable. As Ultralite (AKA Romeo) just said "this is the smelliest slumber party I've ever been too!" Alas, things can't be perfect all the time!Today's hike was fairly nondescript, hiddin in the fog and light rain most of the time. I met Sarah, the kind caretaker of the Blackburn ATC center then met up with my parents and bro at 2 PM. We said good-bye to Mom and walked 3 miles to the wonderful shelter where we're spending the night. There's a great sleep area, porch, benches, pavillin with bench swing and more. The water source is half-way to hell, but what else are you going to do with your time when you show up at 4:30?Dad did well today, he'll be as strong tomorrow over the 9+ miles we have planned. Enjoyed talking volleyball with Ultralite and Malboro Man (Juliette). I miss playing and coaching! Einstein is sharing the shelter here as well.Two-tenths of a mile to my 1000 mile mark and then the unoffical half way point in Harper's Ferry. Big milestones and I am glad to be doing them with my dad on his 61st birthday.
Date: 2004-05-21
From: David Lesser Memorial Shelter

To: Quality Inn - Harper's Ferry WV
Miles today: 8.8

Date: 5/21/04Total Milage: 1008.6Daily Milage: 8.8It was a nice day of hiking with my Dad and Green One, some rain, some thunder, lots of poison ivy, some rocks and great company. Obviously, great company is far more important than the rest!My dad twisted his ankles but did well over the 9 miles. Green One's packing up his hiking gear for a while - he is done with it for now.I got to sign in at the ATC (Appalacian Trail Conference) HQ and have my picture taken for their thruhiker book. Number 104 of the year through Harper's Ferry. We had a poor dinner buffet at the Hilltop Hotel Resturant and a real good couple ames of Scrabble with my bro, then me & Mom beat Dave & Dad by one point in the finale.Dry and clean again, I am glad my dad survived his birthday on the AT!
Date: 2004-05-22
From: Quality Inn - Harpers Ferry WV

To: Rocky Run Shelter - MD
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Date: 5/22Total Milage: 16.1Daily Milage: 1024.7this morning's breakfast was teh low point of the day. Quality Inn, Harper's Ferry WV- Don't do it! The good stuff? Walking the bridge over the Potomac with Mom & Dad was the best. Glad Mom had a chance to walk a flat section of the trail with me - She's (always) been one of my biggest supporters! Walking out oftown with Rockhound again was real nice too. Saying good-bye to my family was tough, but I am looking forward to walking on a bit less of a schedule.Again, nice walking through a cicadia infested woods. We're entering a 100 mile flatter stretch and should make some good, easy miles as long as the rocks todnt get too bad on the trail. I'm carrying a full (6 day) foodbag for the first time in two weeks, I've been spoiled! Crossed into Maryland today - after 5 weeks in Virgina, West Virginia is gone in 17 miles and Pennsylvania is only 25 miles away, good stuff!Met Swiss Miss yesterday and again today, hiked with Alpro (sp?) breifly and met traillite. Lots of weekend and day hikers as well.I ordered a replacement pair of Merrell Chameleon Ventilators today - the other pair started losing the heel padding after 300 + miles, too soon! REI should due a warranty return and I'll get the new pair in Boiling Springs, 83 miles north.Enjoying the dry day so far, hope it holds overnight!
Date: 2004-05-23
From: Rocky Run Shelter MD

To: Ensign Cowell Shelter
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: few clouds

Date: 5/23Total Milage: 1040.4Daily Milage: 15.7Did I mention that I am in Maryland? Up, my only whole day hiking in MD! Tomorrow's PA! Walked an easy 16 miles today with Rockhound. Hoplite caught up at lunch and the crew was together again! Also met Sugardaddy en route camping with a huge crew of hikers tonight: Rockhound, Hoplite, Einstein, Traillite, Swiss Miss, Fireball and also section hiker Rising Star and Dave & Rich.Haryland's high point is 1880' there are no big hills, that is good stuff! Instead we walked through senic areas and battelfields, we did have an encounter with some nasty rocks as well - shades of PA rocks about 7-10 days in the future.Had an absolute laugh riot over lunch with the guys. There is such a variety out here, hiking a week alone, then surrouned by more than I can handle the next day. Now it is just winding down, Rockhound journaling, Hoplite using his pocket mail, the rest just chatting. Nights are getting hot too - the sleeping bag is useless. The silk liner is too hot at the moment. Good new is taht the bugs aer stil mostly behaving - staying out of the way most of the time.
Date: 2004-05-24
From: Ensing Cowell Shelter

To: Tumbling Run Shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: light rain

Date: 5/24Total Milage: 1058.1Daily Milage: 17.7No more kindness, politeness and careing people. No more biscuits, fried chicken and awesome high-fat food. No more routing for the confederates, I am in Pennsylvania - I am in the North! I crossed the Mason-Dixson line today, hiking with Rockhound and Hoplite. Rockhound's psyched to be in his home state. Hoplite is psyched 'cause, well he is always psyched! And I am one state closer to New England and people who understand what weing a Red Sox fan really entails.Great hike today, cooler, but still hot and humid weatherwith a few rocky areasthe 18 miles just flew by. We saw a bunch of other hikerson the trail including Warren Doyle (Google him with the phrase "Appalachian Trail") and his wife. Camping with the guys tonight, Condor, Einstein, Happy, BJ and Alabama, and just a ton of cicadias! More are emerging every minute and crawling up my tent. I know they aren't harmful, but the scratching as they crawl up the sil-nylon is a bit annoying. I'll take pictures in the morning of all the exoskeletons as the metamorphisis continues.I received a bunch of mosquito bites last night, so I will be tenting outas much as possible in the foreseeable future. Tough to sleep wellwith that many hikes anyway.We're passing thoguh small state parks almost every day. Having lunch, buying soda (soda!) and hanging out at comfortable picnic tables Pen-Mar today, Caladonia tomorrow, Pine Furnace on Wednesday - The half-way point! Hope tomorrow's 19 miles will be easy.We took a wrong turn down an old road instead of the AT today for a while with Einstein. 2/3 of a mile each way, perhaps - but it was annoying. That is my first real wrong turn since Blood Mountain Fiasco in March.The breeze is picking up - should be a good sleeping night. I took some of my coolest pictures of the trail today - a 1 and 1/2 foot garter snake trying to eat a larg toad - can't wait to see them at High Res!
Date: 2004-05-25
From: Tumbling Run Shelter

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: broken clouds

Date: 5/25Total Milage: 1077.7Daily Milage: 19.6This shelter is divine. Even if it hadn't resuced my slightly damp self from an impending thunderstorm it would still be one of the nicest of the trail: 8 bunks, great deck, table, new, clean and dry! Don't forget dry!Since none of the lightning strikes were within 1000 feet, life is, again, awesome!Walked with Einstein, Rockhound & Hoplite again today. We didn't talk much - just hiked and hung out for 2 hours at Caladonia State Park. It was cooler, sunny and beautiful. The padding it the heal of my shoe is wearing thin, but I should have a new pair waiting for me 30 miles up trail.Staing with Condor, Alabama, and one section hiker tonight. The ari is cool and it should be a great night for sleeping assuming the bugs don't get frisky.Rockhound is off the trail tomorrow through 6/2, so I'm enjoying my last time with him for a while.Tomorrow is my half-way point and some great level and downhill trial - should be great!