morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-10-01
From: Shenandoah Tenting Area

To: Graymoor Monastery
Miles today: 17.5

My target for today is Graymoor Spiritual Life Center. The Franiscan Friars there are very hiker friendly. They allow us to tent on their athletic field, at no charge, where they have an outdoor shower, port-a-potties and picnic tables. My hike for today had some rugged little climbs and descents. When I was at the top of one of the higher climbs, I decided to take a break to have a snack and check to see if I had a cell signal. Well, I sat down on a big rock, ate a double fudge Zone bar and checked my phone. Sure enough, I was showing three bars on my cell signal. I went to my email. There was what I thought was a horse fly buzzing around my head. I took off my US Secret Service hat and swatted at it, to no avail. It just kept coming back, very tenaciously...then, there were two of them...then, there were many of them and they were not horse flies...they were yellow jackets!!! I looked down and realized they were coming out of the ground under the rock I chose to sit on. Before I could get away from them, I got stung five times. OUCH!!! Twice on my left hand, once on my left ear, once on my cheek beneath my right eye and once through my shirt on my left side. Needless to say, I made a poor choice of rocks to sit on. But, once I realized my plight, I moved swiftly out of the area, swatting and saying bad words every step of the way. During every day's hike, there is some challenge to deal with. Yellow jackets-5 To Sandman69-1. I got one bee and five bees got me!! Guess I lost this challenge... Since they opened the Graymoor, Spiritual Life Center, what many refer to as Graymoor Monastery, at Graymoor in 1970, the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement have offered people of many different religious traditions and all walks of life an opportunity to slow down and encounter the Spirit in their lives. The athletic field designated for hikers was located on the outer edge of the property away from the dormitories, convents, class rooms, office buildings and the church. It was very serene in the quiet bucolic setting. My little tent was the only one on the huge athletic field. It was nearly dark and I was all alone except for my neighbors across the street in the cemetary where dozens of the Franciscan Brothers were buried. Of course, their souls had long since left this place, hopefully, for a much grander destination. The quiet and solitude was gently interrupted by the ringing of the church bells as they echoed across the countryside. What a wonderful setting for my campsite. I slept well. Thank you, Lord, for another beautiful day in Your world.Sandman 69
Date: 2013-10-02
From: Graymoor Monastery

To: Bear Mountain Recreation Area & Hessian Lake
Miles today: 7.3

What a beautiful day I awoke to this morning. I broke camp and started hiking just as the sun was coming up. The AT took me through the Graymoor property and into the forest. But, I hiked for only about 20 minutes and I came to Hwy. 9. There, right across the road was a deli. Wow, it was like an oasis in the desert! I crossed the road, took off my gear, went in and ordered the largest breakfast they had. While I was dining, a nice young man came in and walked right up to me, introduced himself and told me he knew I was the hiker and he needed to tell me something. He had seen my gear outside and it is never hard to pick the hiker out of the crowd. We're usually the ones who look like homeless bums with somewhat of a unpleasant odor about us. He went on to tell me that bow season opened today in New York. He told me I needed a red, orange or bright colored hat or something that would make me stand out so the hunters would not mistake me for a deer. Well, I didn't have a brightly colored hat or anything brightly colored. So, I thanked him, finished my breakfast and hit the trail.It is common knowledge among hikers that animals, deer, bears, turkeys and mooses(is that the plural of moose?), use the same trail we hikers use. It only makes sense. So, many of the bow hunters place their tree stands in trees right beside the trail with a clear shot of the AT and anything that may walk down the trail. Something to think about, for sure. Since I didn't have on any brightly colored attire, I spent a lot of time looking up...and whistling. When was the last time you whistled? I could not remember the last time I did but whistle I did today! Having once been an avid hunter, I knew the bow hunters would be in full camoflage and hard to spot from a distance. So, I spent most of the day whistling and looking up. Hikers normally spend most of their time looking down to prevent tripping over rocks, roots, snakes, etc. I never saw a hunter except for one coming out of the woods. Guess the whistling kept them at bay.The trail took me down into the Hudson River valley to Hwy 9 and the Bear Mountain Bridge, a huge suspension bridge across the Hudson River. I walked the mile across the bridge and right into the Trailside Museum and Zoo. The AT actually goes right through the zoo. Hikers get free admission. Then, the AT goes through the Bear Mountain Recreation Area and by the Bear Mountain Inn. The Inn is where I decided to spend the night. It is an upscale hotel, unlike most of the hotels and motels I frequent on the AT. The king sized bed had six pillows which is about seven more than my little tent has. I had a nice dinner, two beers at $5.25 each and ended a nice day on the AT.Thank you,Sandman69
Date: 2013-10-03
From: Bear Mountain Recreation Area & Hessian Lake

To: William Brien Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 9.2
Weather: overcast clouds

The continental breakfast at the Bear Mountain Inn went way beyond "continental". Waffles, eggs, freshly cut fruit and lots of other goodies. After breakfast, I walked out of the Inn and right on to the Appalachian Trail, around Hessian Lake and began my ascent up Bear Mountain. At the summit of Bear Mountain is the Perkins Memorial Tower. I dropped my pack and climbed the stairs to the top of the tower. On a clear day, one can see the the New York City skyline from the tower. Today was not a clear day and it was not visible.My hike brought me to the William Brien Memorial Shelter. My plan was to sleep in the shelter...until I arrived at the shelter. It was literally more like a dungeon than a shelter. When I looked in, a large mouse or small rat came running out. I don't blame him for not staying. I wouldn't sleep in such a nasty, slummy place either. And, I didn't. Mr. Brien would not be proud of his namesake shelter. I pitched my tent, had my dinner and said goodbye to the world for this day.Sandman69
Date: 2013-10-04
From: William Brien Memorial Shelter

To: Buchanan Mountain
Miles today: 13.7

Today's itenerary included a few sweat producing little climbs. Among them were Fingerboard, Island Pond, Arden and Buchanan Mountains. They were mere mole hills compared to the mountains of Maine and New Hampshire but, they were tough enough to bring on some heavy breathing and a little perspiration. It is probably a good thing that I had gotten accustomed to looking up into the trees for bow hunters. During my hike, I walked under the first active hornet's nest I have ever seen. It was hanging directly over the trail and the hornets were flying in and out of the nest doing whatever it is that hornets do. I did not disturb them and they did not bother me. We peacefully co-existed long enough for me to get safely by them and down the trail. Over and out for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-10-05
From: Buchanan Mountain

To: Anywhere in New Jersey
Miles today: 14.0

The condition of the Appalachian Trail in New York was underwhelming, to say the least. There were lots of issues regarding excessive tree falls, several uninhabitable shelters and even the white blaze trail markers were not prevalent enough to insure correct navigation in some places. Simply put, I was ready to evacuate New York. In fact, I made myself a resolution that I was not going to spend another night in New York regardless of how long I had to hike to get to New Jersey. I was unfamiliar with the trail conditions in New Jersey but, one thing is for certain, they had to be an improvement over New York!! The New Yorkers I met were warm and friendly folks but, the AT trail conditions in NY were deplorable in some instances. So, I hiked until I reached the NJ border and about 200 yards beyong that, I pitched my tent and called it a day. Ciao for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-10-06
From: Anywhere in New Jersey

To: Vernon, New Jersey
Miles today: 9.1

My goal for today is Vernon, NJ, and it's just a little nine mile hike. My nephew, Todd Aaron and his fiance, Amanda, are being married in North Carolina and I am planning to attend their wedding. I was hoping to finish the AT before leaving for their wedding but, trail conditions, terrain and weather prevented it. I will leave and return to complete the final 140 miles from Vernon to Port Clinton, Pa. Friends and past clients of mine, Ken and Paula Kuzicki, live in Vernon and I want to stop to visit them before I leave, too. The hike for this day started in the rain. There was one fairly difficult climb up Wawayanda Mountain. After that, it was all downhill right into Vernon. But, the descent was through a huge rock scramble for the last mile or so. Rock scrambles in the rain are no picnic. When hiking on wet rocks, a hiker must be very careful. A wet rock can never be trusted. I negotiated my way down through the rocks, without incident, and by the time I reached the highway in Vernon, it was no longer raining. I made my way to the Appalachian Motel which would be my home for the night.When I arrived, I called Ken to let him know I was in town. He came over and brought me a wonderful sub which I devoured in a few minutes. We chatted for a while and he invited me to come and stay in his home. I thanked him for his generous offer but I declined. I don't like going into someone's home off the trail for obvious reasons. I was muddy, wet and smelly by the time I reached Vernon so, there was no way I could enter anyone's home under such conditions. Ken said he would come and get me the next day and we could go to the Mountain Creek Spa together. Mountain Creek is a world class ski resort in Vernon with mountain biking, zip lining and lots of other activities going on during the off season. Not long after Ken left, his son, Kenny, came by to visit and he brought me some delicious pizza. Kenny is also a friend and past real estate client. We talked until duty called and Kenny had to leave. He is a Vernon police officer and he got a call on a domestic squabble he needed to go straighten out. As promised, Ken came and picked me upthe next day and we went to the spa. What a very nice treat it was. We did the sauna and steam bath and then we chilled in the hot tub for a while. The indoor pool was next followed by an hour or so in the heated outdoor pool. It was raining and a little cool outside but the heated pool made it so relaxing and cozy. Then, we went to Ken's home. Paula showed me around their beautiful home. Then Ken and Paula took me to Frank's Italian restaurant where we met Kelly, Ken and Paula's daughter, and her boyfriend, Jimmy, for dinner. What a nice dinner it was. The food was divine, the service was excellent and the conversation was even better.After dinner, we went to Kelly's home for dessert. Jimmy showed me around their beautiful home, too. What a nice and totally relaxing evening it was. Thank you, Ken, Paula, Kenny, Kelly and Jimmy for your magnigicent hospitality! It was indeed appreciated.Ciao for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-10-19
From: Vernon, New Jersey

To: Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: overcast clouds

It seems like every time I go home, it is harder to leave than the previous time. Afterall, HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS. HOME is where love, comfort and contentment dwell. HOME is the second most emotion evoking word in the English language. The word HOME even has a sweet sound to it, soft, comfortable, inviting. HOME is a place where everyone knows you. A place where you are protected from the thorns and unpleasantries of the outside world. A place where you are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. At HOME, you can leave your problems on your door step until you are ready to deal with them. Yes, HOME is definitely where IT'S at. (The most emotion evoking word in the English language is MOTHER.)Around noon, I arrived back at Fonzarelli's, where I turned in my rental car. My friend, Ken Kuzicki, was there to pick me up. He invited me to spend the night at his home and it was a very tempting offer. But. I had stayed at home longer than I planned and I was anxious to get back on the AT and finish the final 140 miles of my thru-hike. Ken dropped me at the trailhead across from Heaven Hill, we said our goodbyes and I hit the trail. It was nearly 1:00 and this would be a short day of hiking. But, I felt like each step was progress toward the finish line. And, realistically, it was.When darkness was nearly complete, I was in the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. It seemed like a perfect place to camp for the night except for one thing. There was a large lake and it was full of Canada geese. They were making a racket quacking or whatever that sound is they make. But, I decided to camp anyway, hoping they would quieten down eventually. I cooked my Knorr's Noodles with Broccoli and Cream Sauce, devoured it quickly. Then, I retired to my tent, crawled into my sleeping bag and called it a day. Fortunately, the geese did get quiet. Then, I began hearing the soft, soporific pitter patter of light rain falling on my tent. How nice, I thought. The sound of the rain will gently deliver the Sandman to sleepy town. Wrong!! Within minutes, an owl started hooting right outside my tent. It was so loud that it seemed to be right on top of my tent. Well, it took a little longer, but the owl eventually hooted me to sleep and the end of another day on the AT.Over and out,Sandman69
Date: 2013-10-20
From: Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge

To: Mashipacong Shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: clear sky

When I awoke, the rain was gone. I broke camp, had breakfast and was on the trail by about 7:00. It was still dark and I hiked with the aid of my headlamp until the sun came up. Then, I hiked hard and fast for about five hours until my left knee started hurting. Guess I hiked too hard and fast. I took a break so I could put my knee brace on and take a few ibuprofen tablets. Well, guess what, the knee brace was not in my pack. Thinking back, I realized I had left my brace in the motel in Maryland, where I had spent the night on the way back to the trail. That was NOT good news. With the aching knee, my progress slowed considerably.A few miles later, I met two local hikers going in the opposite direction. Their names were Bull Moose and Sleep Walker. Bull Moose was a plumber and Sleep Walker was a carpenter and both were really nice guys. Bull Moose had actually thru-hiked the AT and I think Sleep Walker had, also. We chatted for a while and Bull Moose asked me if I needed anything. I told him about my knee hurting and leaving my brace in the motel. He had braces on both knees and said he would give me one if they weren't too large. Bull Moose is a big man and I knew they would be too large for me, so I declined his offer. He asked me where I was planning to camp for the night and I told him Mashipacong Shelter. Then, he told me he would call his wife, ask her to find a drug store and buy me a knee brace. When he got home, he would bring the brace to me at the shelter. I thanked him profusely and started digging in my pocket for some cash when he said, "no, I don't need any money, just pay it forward". What a guy!! He then told me he would also get me some water because most of the water sources in the area were dried up due to a lack of rain. Can you believe that? Just another example of the generosity of so many hikers on the AT. I mean I had just met this man five minutes ago.By the time I arrived at the Mashipacong Shelter, I was fried. My knee was talking loudly to me and I was short on water. It's a good thing the terrain gave me a break today with very little climbing. There was another hiker there when I arrived. Can't remember his name but he worked in NYC and he was a programmer for Bank of America. He was just out for an overnight hike. I asked him if anyone had dropped anything off for me and he said no. Well, about a half hour later, Bull Moose comes striding into the camping area with a gallon of water in one hand and a bag in the other. And, of course, the bag contained the knee brace he had promised. Again, I offered to pay him and his response was the same, "no, just pay it forward, Sandman". "Thank you, Bull Moose, you are a wonderful person".Sayanora for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-10-21
From: Mashipacong Shelter

To: Near Buttermilk Falls Area
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Today's hike started out with a little climb and descent. Then, I had a fairly strong climb up Sunrise Mountain. What a beautiful day it is. A crisp, cool, sunny fall day in Jersey. Next, was another nice little climb up Rattlesnake Mountain. Today was about as easy as it gets on the AT and I appreciated the break. I made my home for the night just past Buttermilk Falls. I prepared my dinner of Knorr's Garlic Shells and a peanut butter & jelly tortilla. I said goodnight to the world and hit the bag. Another good day ends on the Appalachian Trail.Ciao for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-10-22
From: Near Buttermilk Falls Area

To: Delaware Water Gap, Pa.
Miles today: 20.9

Another beautiful day dawned and I really felt frisky. It was 30 degrees when I crawled out of my bag. So, I got started as soon as I could in an effort to get warm. Maybe I'll try for 20 miles today. That's a good day for an old dude like me. As soon as I finished my breakfast of Strawberry Cream Quaker Oats and my Tutti Fruitti, Double Cross Latte, I was off and running.My hike started off with a mile long descent down Rattlesnake Mountain. This was followed by a mild climb up an unnamed hill to the Catfish Lookout Tower. I sat down on their picnic table to take a quick break when I heard someone shouting. I looked around and did not see where the voice was coming from. Then, the phantom voice said, "up here". It was then that I realized it was the ranger in the tower shouting down to me. He was a very jovial guy and we carried on about a five minute conversation, shouting back and forth to each other.A few miles later, it began raining. Not a wicked rain but hard enough to get me wet. So, I decided to stop at the Mohican Outdoor Center to take a break and wait for the rain to stop. The center was manned by a ranger. I asked where the grill was and he said, "you're in it". I said I'd like to order some food. He said it was closed because this late in the year, they had very few hikers. Guess that is why I was the only person there besides the ranger. They did have Cliff Bars and sodas. I bought some of both and relaxed in the large conference room in an easy chair. On "Q", after I finished my snack and Coke, and relaxed for a while, the rain ceased and I was on my way again. About 10 miles later, the trail took me into the town of Delaware Water Gap and The Pocono Inn, where I spent the night. It was the nicest motel I had ever stayed in for the money, $55.00, except for the Fontana Lodge in NC. There seems to be a positive corelation between the number of pillows on their beds and the quality of the motel. My bed had four pillows. This was a good thing since I am a "pillow hugger". I had two for my head and wrapped my arms around the third one while I wrapped my legs around the fourth. Yes, I slept well after hiking 20.9 miles on this day.The end of another good day on the AT.Sandman69
Date: 2013-10-23
From: Delaware Water Gap, Pa.

To: Wind Gap, Pa.
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: scattered clouds

My target for today is Wind Gap, Pa. It is a pretty easy hike except for the ROCKS!! The AT in Pennsylvania is notorious for the rocks. It's like there are very few challenging climbs or descents in Pa, so the AT gets even by inundating the trail with rocks, rocks and more ROCKS. Pebbles, stones and boulders of all shapes and sizes. And, they absolutely torture my feet. There was a pretty long descent down into Wind Gap where I came to Hwy 33, a very busy four lane highway. As I was walking down Hwy 33, somehow I stepped into a round piece of wire on the side of the road, got my feet tangled up and... BAM!!! Down I went right there on the roadside with millions of cars zooming by me 8 or 10 feet away. Yes, I felt like an idiot!! Trying to get up off the ground with a 35-40 pound pack on one's back is not a very graceful site. But, I did...finally. I checked myself out and found that I only had one bloody knee from the fall. It was so shocking when I hit the asphault that I was sure I had broken something but, I was lucky once again. Thank you, Lord! I had not fallen in the mountains and rock scrambles for several days and then, I fall flat on my face on a nice level roadside...how embarrassing!!There was an underpass going under the busy highway and on the other side I came to the Gateway Motel. Just looking at it conjured up visions of the Bates Motel in the 1960 movie, Psycho. When I rang the service bell at the motel office, I halfway expected Anthony Perkins to appear in the doorway. But, alas, it was an ancient and stooped Indian lady who did not speak very much English. I asked her if I could see the room I would be renting and she gave me the key to room #4. It was worse than I expected. I had become very indiscriminate regarding motels and hotels in the trail towns but, this one was the worst one yet. Holes in the wall, cigarette burns on the once red carpet and an almost overpowering scent of a very foul and sweet room deodorizer. I didn't even want to think about what odor it must be masking. The room looked like one of those that "Ladies of the night" rent by the hour for a rendezvous with their "dates". But, I pulled back the bed covers and sheets and could not find any bedbugs. So, I took a chance. And actually, I got a pretty good night's sleep. I think I would have been more comfortable in my tent, though.And, that wraps one of my remaining few days on this thing we call the Appalachian Trail.Ciao for now.Sandman69