morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-05-14
From: Quarry Gap Shelter

To: Pine Grove State Park
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: few clouds

Up early and walking by 6:30. We are excited because today is the 1/2 way point!! Ghost caught up with us and we walked together most of the day. It was nice to have someone to chat with-Santa can be quiet sometimes.We came to a steam crossing and found Gatorades cooling in the stream waiting for thru hikers. More trail magic!It poured rain on us again. We had the 15 straight days of rain, one dry day, and now two days of rain. Ghost said the DC area hasn't had this much rain since the 1880s. We stopped, put on our rain jackets and pack covers and kept walking. We knew we couldn't stay at our planned stop because of a wedding so once we got to the General Store we got out our books and figured out how to get out of the rain and into a dry bed.At the general store we met the hikers who left Kit Kats for hikers. It was great to be able to say thank you in person.Ghost and Mantis took on the 1/2 gallon challenge and ate their ice cream plus a burger. Santa and I each had a burger and split a huge order of fries. Then I had Doritos and some cotton candy and a soda.**Editor's Note: There's a tradition on the AT to eat a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting at the halfway point**Mantis kept hiking but Ghost, Santa and I came into town, took showers and had dinner. I had salad, prime rib and mashed potatoes. Santa had a steak sandwich, chips and fries. Ghost had salad and buffalo chicken wings. We are hiking out together tomorrow to Boiling Springs where we are spending the night indoors again. The forecast is for rain and record cold- it may snow.This part of Pennsylvania has been awesome (except for the rain) but in a couple of days we will be in "Rocksylvania" where boots go to die. That will slow us down a bit.Happy to be warm, dry and in a bed.
Date: 2016-05-15
From: Pine Grove State Park

To: Boiling Springs, PA
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night there was a wedding going on in the banquet room under our motel room. The celebrants were having a good time and our room was rocking from the music.We slept okay and were up early to pack and hit the trail.Today wasn't as easy as yesterday but the trail is still pretty sweet. Having Ghost with us all day was a bonus. The miles go faster when you have someone to talk to as you walk. We chatted all morning then the three of us walked 0.2 miles off the trail to a general store for lunch. Really awesome subs and tasty fries with Hawaiian Punch to wash it all down.More miles after lunch with the final two through farmland.It is supposed to be in the low 30's tonight so we decided to sleep inside. We called the hostel where Ghost had sent multiple boxes and they said they weren't open tonight. We saw flip flop hikers today who also called yesterday and were told they weren't open but when they called this morning, they gave them spots. It's pretty annoying because our B&B is much more expensive than the hostel. But our B&B has character! It's a Victorian and extravagantly decorated. I don't think there isn't an inch that doesn't have a figurine, picture or plant in or on it. Our hostess, Miss Kitty seems to be a wee bit eccentric.Off to dinner with Ghost. We had salad, pizza and bacon cheese fries.Took a hot bath and soaked my sore and weary feet. Long day tomorrow but easy terrain.
Date: 2016-05-16
From: Boiling Springs, PA

To: Cove Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night at dinner our waitress asked where we were staying. When we told her she also said our hostess was a wee bit eccentric. She comes into the restaurant "dressed to the nines and likes her pizza burnt." When Miss Kitty, our hostess, showed us our rooms and explained the rules she reminded me of my grandmother. Very proper, liked things a certain way and didn't hesitate to let you know if you were doing something wrong. But she was very nice and polite to us. And we very much enjoyed our stay. Ghost is taking a zero day in Boiling Springs so he got to have breakfast with Miss Kitty. He said it was good and they had a great chat. He's going to fill us in on all the details when we next meet on the trail.Breakfast wasn't served at the B&B until 8:30 and we couldn't leave that late so we went to a cafe down the street. I had the hiker breakfast- 2 eggs, toast, home fries, bacon and 2 blueberry pancakes. Yum! Santa had an omelette, home fries and a bagel.Then we had to start walking. Rumor had it that this was an easy walk and it was! We walked about 3 hours, crossed a footbridge above SR11 and Santa noticed lots of businesses and suggested that we might want to take a break and eat. So we walked down to the road and walked past two traffic lights and found a diner. Second breakfast time- I had a blueberry waffle with whipped cream and Santa had a breakfast sandwich and home fries. Then we walked some more really sweet trail. It followed pasture land but was inside the forest so it wasn't too sunny and hot. We walked to the next shelter and stopped for our pepperoni, cheese and cracker lunch. We chatted with a trail runner who was taking a group of Boy Scouts on a 50 mile section hike and he asked lots of questions about the terrain we had just finished walking. Then we walked some more across meadows and cow pastures. You had to watch where you stepped!The trail then became the trail we know. There were more changes in elevation and our AWOL book warned us that the next section was really rocky. It was more rocky than what we have seen lately but it wasn't as rocky as what we have already done. But we have also been warned about the rattlesnakes so Santa is leading. We didn't see any rattlers but did see a garter snake. And I was brave We are at a shelter with 3 section hikers and a lady we think might have mental health issues- she's muttering and talking to herself a lot.We are excited to meet my aunt and uncle for lunch tomorrow. I am not sure what we are going to do when all these town food opportunities dry up. Or when we don't have as many meet ups with family and friends.It was wonderful hiking with Ghost the last few days. Chatting as you walk distracts the mind from the miles and aches and pains. But it was nice to be just the two of us again and we actually talked most of the day. Good conversations about our shared past and what's next for us.Off to sleep so we can get an early start tomorrow.
Date: 2016-05-17
From: Cove Mountain Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: broken clouds

We woke up to hear the lady in the bunk muttering and swearing to herself. She asked me if I ever "cussed out my daughter on the sidewalk". I am happy to say that I could answer no. She started to tell me the story but then just stopped. She was very busy rolling her own cigarettes with a small machine and large pouch of tobacco she had with her. We were happy to move on.Today we continued our new habit of eating our way up the trail. We walked 4 miles into Duncannon (the trail goes through the town) and stopped at a gas station for a second breakfast. Then we walked two more miles to where we were supposed to meet my aunt and uncle. We were early so Santa called them and they said they would be there in half an hour. It looked like rain so we went under the bridge near commuter parking to wait. Two thru hikers who are doing a flip flop hike came over to chat. We offered some advice on blisters and hot spots. I hope it helps because one of the guys was really suffering. Then Quick came by. We thought he was a day or two ahead of us but he slipped on a water bottle someone left on the trail and banged up his knee and ankle so rested it yesterday. Always good to see people we know and spend time chatting and catching up.Then Aunt Jean and Uncle Dick arrived to take us to lunch. It was wonderful to see them and catch up on family news. It was a little sad too because Dick looks a lot like my dad now and it made me really miss him. Jean brought a photo album of some trips they took with my parents and it was fun to look at them and remember how much fun my parents had together and with their families.After lunch it was time to hike again. We stopped at a beautiful shelter to cook dinner and visit with some people. We all had a story to share about the woman we met last night. We saw Bucky, a thru hiker, that we have met before, the two guys that are starting their flip flop hike and Frenchie, a flip flop thru hiker from Quebec. They were all staying but we wanted to get 5 more miles in to make the next two days easier.Off we went and the first four miles went quickly but then I tripped and aggravated my sore leg. I was not a happy hiker. And we kept hearing explosive type sounds and were speculating what they could be. I asked Santa why we keep walking towards the sound of gunfire or the sound of explosives. He didn't have a good answer.We got to the camp site and met a flip flop hiker already set up. It was fun to have someone new to chat with. He had texted his partner who lives nearby and the sounds we are hearing are from a weapons test site. I hope they don't test all night-explosive noise and helicopters do not make for a restful sleep.Happy to be in our tent tonight. The rain isn't supposed to start until 6am so maybe we will get up early and be packed up before it starts. One can always hope and dream!
Date: 2016-05-18
From: Campsite

To: Swatara Gap
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Nice night in a sweet camp site. It rained overnight but we were dry in our tent. It was supposed to start raining at 6 so our plan was to get up early and pack up the tent before the rain started. But when we woke up at 3:30am it was already raining so we slept in this morning.The hike was on reasonable terrain today. The ups and downs were easy but the rocks are starting to creep in. They are preparing us for the really rocky part coming up soon.We met a lot of flip flop hikers today. Some of the men are amazed that I can hike faster and farther than they can. But I have been hiking for 1181 miles and they just started. Most are curious and ask for our most important piece of advice to share. We both say start low (miles) and slow.The shelters are oddly spaced this stretch of trail. We tented last night and planned to tent tonight. But the camp site in our book was near I81 and in a state park where you can't camp. So we walked another mile and went into town (we would have had to walk another 9 miles and that wasn't happening). So dinner was two sandwiches, curly fries and an orange cream shake at Arby's. Santa had two sandwiches, loaded fries (his new town favorite) and a Mountain Dew. Then we went to dollar general for snacks for tomorrow's hike.Meeting all the new hikers made me think about perspective. At the beginning of our hike we purposely hiked 8-10 miles a day and if we were at a shelter or tent spot at 3 we stopped for the day. The other day we stopped at a shelter for a snack and chat at 3:30 and then hiked another 7 miles. We used to hike 1 1/2 miles an hour and now we routinely hike 2 1/2 miles an hour.A blog friend commented that other hikers she is following have met some unsavory people on the trail. Santa and I have been fortunate to have only met two people who have made us uncomfortable. When you think of how many new people we meet each day, that is such a low percentage. But we are careful and hike together and always stay close to each other. Plus one of our hiking buddies is a retired CHP officer .Only 10 miles to hike tomorrow and then a much needed nero day.
Date: 2016-05-19
From: Swatara Gap

To: Pine Grove, PA
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: overcast clouds

We were up at 6, ate breakfast in the hotel, and were back on the trail by 7:10. We are only doing 10 miles then going back into town to resupply and rest our feet. We have been in town quite a bit to eat and sleep but we have been going in after hiking 20 miles. This was a much needed rest day.Our bodies are doing pretty well except for our feet. We got new shoes, are rolling our feet on a tennis ball at breaks and we are rubbing each other's feet in an attempt to have them feel better. We are both nervous about the famed Pennsylvania rocks coming up and the effect they will have on our feet.We hiked with Heath Bar most of the ten miles today. He's our age and retired from Wuebec. When we met him two days ago we thought he was a flip flop hiker. But he started in Georgia and got hurt so took some time off which is why we just met him. He had started with a friend but his friend really missed his wife so he went home. Heath Bar is divorced and two of his kids are in college and one in boarding school so he felt it was a good year to hike. He's really fast and I wouldn't have been able to hike with him all day. It was nice to chat and hike today and to meet someone new. We discussed American and Canadian politics and the general trail gossip we all indulge in when we get together.Finished by 11 and came in to eat, pick up our package for our girls and an extra special box of brownie treats from our sister-in-law Martha. Thank you!I took a bath and nap while Santa set up the tent to dry and did laundry then we sorted out our plan for the week and our food and went to dollar general to get a few things.Ghost texted us that he was at a shelter 2 miles from town. I sent him a picture of the sign that said "hot food, cold beer" so he came into town for dinner. Brightside did a 27 mile day so he stayed at the shelter and ordered pizza (a special event at this one shelter).We are trying to get in consistent 20 mile days to meet family, friends and then my sister. Hard to judge what we can do because we don't know what the rocks will do to our hiking speed.Off to sleep because it's supposed to rain and we want to get an early start.
Date: 2016-05-20
From: Pine Grove, PA

To: Port Clinton, PA
Miles today: 26.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a day where we made a dumb novice hiker mistake. There was water at the shelter and we didn't want to carry it and then there was a spring and we didn't want to carry it and we were staying at a camp site near a spring so we just moved on. Unfortunately the spring was dry. So we sat down to figure out what to do- should we just camp and get water 10 miles down in the morning or walk 10 miles tonight to a water source or walk 4 miles into town. We quickly decided to go to town. There was no way we could make dinner without water and none of our snack foods sounded good without having a drink and we couldn't walk 10 more miles so off to town we went.We were communicating with Ghost and Brightside and they were in Hamburg and wanted us to come in and share a room with them. But we got to the town off the trail and it was 8:30 and getting dark so we found the Port Clinton Hotel, got a room and went down for dinner. The waitress was a bit surly about serving us so close to closing time but the good was plentiful and good.Our room was interesting. Santa took the side that was lower and I took the higher side just like when we tent on a slanted surface. There was a shared bathroom and it was a little gross. But we were inside, dry and ready to go hike tomorrow. Plus I got to watch Say Yes to the Prom Dress before I fell asleep.
Date: 2016-05-21
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

After the disaster that was Friday and sore aching feet, we were happy to have a short 14 mile day today. We hiked the morning on our own and chatted about stuff and then sat for our customary lunch of pepperoni, cheese and crackers with the added bonus of potato chips from dinner last night. And Quick came along and stopped to chat. He has a nasty head cold so took a short day yesterday to rest. We hiked with him a bit and caught up on hikers we all know. Then he went on ahead and we came across Bucky who we haven't seen since Holly Springs when he took a zero with his visiting girl friend. Bucky is a mechanical engineer in his late 20's who wasn't liking his job so quit to hike the trail. His family is from New Jersey so his dad came out to hike with him. It was a great day to hike with sprinkles instead of rain and not too many rocks. Santa walked with dad for a bit and chatted while I walked with Bucky and then we switched. It was nice to have someone new to talk to as we walked along the trail. Bucky's family left a cooler of drinks and a cooler of snacks as trail magic for hikers. So appreciated!We got to the shelter early and saw Quick there. It was early and he was going to hike on but we got to talking about the book he is writing in his head as he hiked and he ended up deciding to stay. Brightside came in and a new hiker named Fizz. It was awesome to see Brightside because we haven't seen him since Harpers Ferry though we communicate via text and Facebook. Bucky and his dad came in so now we have 6 bunks and 7 hikers. Santa and I decided to share.I didn't take my Aleve pm early enough and couldn't get to sleep before the snoring started. And I felt too confined between the wall and Santa and it was really dark and I had a panic attack. I woke Santa up and he thought I had to go to the bathroom so we went outside to pee and stood in the rain discussing how I was going to make it through the night. I listened to my iPod and read a book until I fell asleep. It was not a fun night and I told Santa that I wanted to be done hiking and go home. We decided that I shouldn't make any decisions until I felt more rested. So I am thinking and trying not to make any rash decisions.
Date: 2016-05-22
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Andreas, PA
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: light rain

So the night wasn't good but I woke up determined to hike and enjoy it. I was nervous about the enjoying part because rumor has it that the rocks were about to get nasty. We were the first ones up but didn't get moving until someone else woke up but we were still packed up and on the trail at 6:30. Brightside soon passed us and we were wondering if Quick went into town with Bucky and his dad for breakfast because Quick usually passes us...quickly. But Quick decided to stay and sweep out the shelter.The rocks from the Eckville shelter to the Allentown Shelter were as awful as rumored and they were wet because it was raining. I fell 4 times but mostly just my pride was hurt with some minor bumps and scrapes. It's really frustrating because I am usually good on rocks but not today.After the Allentown Shelter it was beautiful trail again and we did 12 miles by 12pm.We were meeting Santa's Uncle Woody and Aunt Ginger's friends, Jim and Nancy who we had met in Oregon this summer. They live 20 minutes from the trail and generously offered to host us. They picked us up at the road crossing and we went to Pizza Hut for lunch then back to their house for showers and laundry. Their daughter Shari came over with her three boys and we went to cabelas to look for new shoes for me. I have only had this pair for 12 days but they are falling apart and contributing to my foot pain. They didn't have a great selection but I needed new shoes so I bought a pair. I hope they work out. While in Cabelas we saw Cabot and Hobbes. They are a day or two behind us so they should catch up when we visit with my sister this week.Back to the house where we had T-bone steaks, baked potatoes, green beans, salad and apple pie. Then off to Wegmans for a quick resupply.We will hit the trail early tomorrow because the rocks are supposed to be bad and they slow us down. Lately we could reliably do 20 plus miles a day but the rocks can make that questionable. The important thing is to do them safely even if it does slow us down. We are all aware and talk about how one fall can end your hike.
Date: 2016-05-23
From: Andreas, PA

To: Stealth Site
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: clear sky

Wonderful night sleep in a comfy bed, delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, toasted bagel with butter and a banana then Nancy drove us back to the trail on her way to a golf outing.Today was a tough day with lots of rocks, little water and high temps (in the 80's).The climb out of Lehigh Gap was scary. I am a crier and I cry a lot for different reasons but today was only the second time I have cried because I was scared. It was insane climbing that mountain of rock. It sprinkled and thundered but we didn't get a real rain or storm. If I had known what the climb was beforehand, I am not sure I would have done it.My new shoes are good so far. Nancy called Merrell and they are going to send me new shoes to replace the ones that fell apart after 12 days. The kid at Cabellas wasn't sure they would because I am a thru hiker but 12 days is a little soon for $140 shoes to break down.We are happily in our tent at a stealth site tonight. We ate our hot meal at lunch time at a shelter and filled up with water because water is scarce in this section. So dinner was easy- pepperoni, cheese and crackers. There are two people hanging in their hammocks at this spot.We met a German girl named Moonshine today. She is a flip flop hiker who started in Harpers Ferry. She has heavy leather boots and is really suffering from blisters. She is planning to get trail shoes soon. Moonshine got her name because she tried her first moonshine on the trail- a cherry/orange blend. She's a cheerful hiker and whistles as she walks.
Date: 2016-05-24
From: Stealth Site

To: Kirkridge Shelter
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: broken clouds

The hikers last night set up their hammocks across the trail to the campsites which was annoying. We found a good spot but tripped over their rain fly lines on our way through. And they slept in this morning so it was hard to be quiet as we were bushwacking around their inconvenient set up.The hike this morning was great! Nice trail and we made great time. We did the first 14 miles before noon so when we went through Wind Gap we decided to go into town for lunch. Our plan was to go to the sports bar a mile from the trail for a burger and soda but of course it wasn't open yet. But a nice lady picked us up within 5 minutes of our hitch to town and brought us to Burger King. This was our first visit to BK or a Macs since we started the trail. A Whopper with cheese, fries, multiple sodas and a chicken sandwich later I was done eating and we sat around and rested.Then we went out to the road to hitch back to the trail, BK was about 2 miles from the trail, and the third car that passed us stopped and gave us a ride.The afternoon started out great and then we hit some long stretches of rocks. We did fine on the really tricky and somewhat scary sections and I fell on the stupid rocky trail part. Fell right on my knee. For a minute I thought I broke my knee cap it hurt so bad but I can walk (did 5 more miles) but it's bruised and swollen and it hurts. So frustrating to do this again. I had 2 falls before PA and now I seem to fall everyday. It's probably because I think about stuff as I walk and should pay more attention to my footing. But walking 10-12 hours a day only thinking about foot placement gets boring.When we got to the shelter it was full but we have a nice tent site. Claire and Rob, the Berenstein Bears, are here and we haven't seen them since Harpers Ferry. It was nice to catch up with them and on the news of other thru hikers. We had a chuckle about a mutual friend, Ghost, who loves town food as much as we do. We haven't seen a lot of the hikers that started in Georgia in awhile so it was a nice change. We first met the BB the night before Front Royal when we went into town the next day because of the rain and 40 degree temps. They are a brother and sister pair from Weston, MA which isn't far from where we live. They are fast so we probably won't see them again but they are nice kids and we enjoy chatting with them.Only 17 miles to meet my sister and have our first zero since Harper's Ferry! So excited!!!