morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-06-10
From: Thornton Gap

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Bama, Little Wing and I were up and at 'em this morning and in the Front Royal Quality Inn for breakfast at 6:00 am. Interesting side note: Front Royal is apparently the US center for training bomb sniffing dogs and their handlers. The hotel "dining room" had pictures of teams from all over the world that had stayed there.Bama and Little Wing left a box of goodies at the front desk for Banjoman and Rusch Hour (and anybody else) as they told Bama they would be staying at the Quality Inn tonight or tomorrow. Enjoy, y'all! If anybody else stays at the Quality Inn, check out the Martin's grocery store nearby.I drove Bama and Little Wing up to Thornton Gap and dropped them off at the Panorama Restaurant (now closed). The trail passes about 40 yards from the upper parking lot cul-de-sac. I was sad to see Bama go back on the trail again - it seemed only like minutes we had been together - BUT there is a mission here and she needs to get back with the program as soon as possible.Bama was hoping to make Gravel Springs Hut tonight, but I'm not sure where she ended up (no cell service on the Skyline ridge). More tomorrow she passes by Front Royal again and the end of the Shenandoah National Park.Bill
Date: 2006-06-11
From: Gravel Springs Shelter

To: Jim and Mollie Denton Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Bama enjoyed a perfect day yesterday with wonderful weather and good mileage. After a break at Elkwallow Wayside, she proceeded to Gravel Springs Shelter at AT milepost 942.1 - coming up on 1,000 miles. She is well, fit, in good spirits and has the "I'm gonna kick this trail's butt" kind of attitude it takes to finish.The shelter turned out a little nicer than Bama had previously heard. Big reunion last night: the rejoining of Bama and Banjoman and Rusch Hour! Bama said Banjo played for everyone last night and she went to sleep with music. Nice. She also saw other old acquaintances and met others: Just Judy, Mapman & Robin, Outbreak, Low Gear and Tatto & Pigeon. No current word on Oly, he's on his way to Harper's Ferry to exit the trail. Old Drum is uptrail somewhere. FINALLY, Little Wing saw her bear! A young one that she said was probably just out on its own.More later today. With any luck I will get to upload a crop of new pictures to TrailJournals by tonight.Bill
Date: 2006-06-12
From: Jim and Mollie Denton Shelter

To: Rod Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Bama says the Jim & Mollie Denton Shelter was the Ritz! Huge building, double decker and the cooking area was away in a covered pavilion, which also made it the cleanest she's been in. Good thing, there was quite a crowd there with Little Wing, Mapman & Robin, Low Gear, Just Judy, K'ache & Pi, Moose, Ghost, Hey Duke, Butterfly Skies and Boxcar. Banjoman and Rusch Hour were going to a motel in Front Royal.This morning she got a late start due to a rapidly passing shower system, but it let up after an hour or so and she and Little Wing took off as there was 18 miles to do today. Bama called from AT mile marker 972.8, the wooden bench at the edge of the Sky Meadows State Park and as we know, ALL benches are appreciated.After a good rest at Rod Hollow Shelter tonight - I hope - she will enter a stretch that is south of Snicker's Gap aptly called the "Roller Coaster" consisting of 10 successive ascents and descents in a 10-mile section, gaining almost 5,000 vertical feet.Chances are she will pass up Bear's Den Hostel (an AT mainstay) tomorrow night and go for Blackburn AT Center. She wants to hurry up and get to Harper's Ferry to knock out the ceremonial halfway point and probably do the picture and registry thing at the AT Conservancy Headquarters (the actual halfway point is at 1087.3 miles just south of Gartners and Holly Springs, PA).Update: Arrived at Rod Hollow Shelter. Bama met a guy there named King who had beer, cokes and candy for Trail Magic. He will thru-hike in 2010 and is getting in the mood. Wednesday, after leaving Blackburn, she will officially hit the 1,000 mile mark at the David Lesser Memorial Shelter.Bill
Date: 2006-06-14
From: Blackburn AT Center

To: Harpers Ferry, WVA - 5th State
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Bama, Little Wing and Just Judy left the Blackburn Center this morning. The volunteer caretaker is a former thru-hiker named Redwing, married to another thru-hiker, Hopeful who is expecting their first child soon. Since Bama's an early riser, she was thrilled that Redwing got up and fixed coffee early. She got to drink out of a real coffee mug! Many thanks to Redwing and the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) for the Blackburn At Center and their hospitality.Bama called me about six miles out of Harpers Ferry and noted that she had just passed THE 1,000 MILE MARKER!!!! HOOOOOOOAHHHHHHH!!!!! The trail hasn't been too bad today, but there is still a lot of boulder hopping.She arrived at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy office in Harpers Ferry about 12:30 pm and had her picture taken for the thru-hiker album. Bama was now offically thru-hiker #317 of the class of 2006. Hard for me to believe only 317 folks have made it this far since March, maybe a lot started in April. Bama ran into Oly and his son, Matt, who had driven in from Indiana to pick up Oly and take him home. Oly's goal was 1,000 miles and he did it! He insisted on taking Bama and Little Wing out for lunch and they all had pizza. Bye, Oly and Happy Trails!! This time, they really won't see him again on the trail.She and Little Wing will share a room at the Hilltop House Hotel. Old Drum is also staying in the same hotel. The hilltop is pretty swanky, but there are older sections and rooms where they put hikers. No TV, but there is a rare phone (not usually available for thru-hikers). The furniture is old - sorta antique - but it's a very homey, comfortable place and inexpensive. Tomorrow - Zero Day!Bill
Date: 2006-06-15
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Bama and Little Wing were up early and enjoying the free coffee at the Hilltop House Hotel and were off at 6:45 to the laundromat to do clothes. They had breakfast at a neat little place - sort of like Wiesie's in Waynesboro. Then a trip to Wal-Mart and the outfitters for some shopping. They ran into Banjoman and Rusch Hour who were just in from their zero in Front Royal.Bama is very impressed with the natural beauty of Harpers Ferry, and of course, Thomas Jefferson was right about the view. At "Jefferson Rock" in the middle of town, he is said to have written to a European friend that the view from here alone was worth the voyage across the Atlantic. Bama said it was and this was also on the list of "someday visits." Very quaint little town at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomic rivers with cute little houses, antique shops and a patina of history. She also saw Rusch Hour and his girlfriend, Chelsea, at the Hilltop House Hotel. Chelsea had written Bama at her Trailjournals guest book and they were happy to meet. Big hugs!Robin and the grandchildren arrived from Washington, DC about 11:00. Everyone was excited. They went to lunch for pizza and messed around town - especially Bama's favorite past time - treasure hunting at the thrift store. They also visited the ATC office to see all the AT stuff. Unfortunately, the visit was all too short and Robin had to get back to Washington before it got too late. Bama REALLY appreciated the visit; she never expected that they would actually be able to get together until after she had finished the AT. Thanks to Todd and the United States Air Force!Tonight is repacking night and tomorrow back on the trail. The plan is to get to Rocky Run Shelter.Bill
Date: 2006-06-16
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Dahlgren Backpacking C-ground, MD - 6th State
Miles today: 17.3

This morning a quick breakfast in the room and out on the trail - town time over. Bama started out on a 3-4 mile packed gravel trail on one side of the river with railroad tracks (the old canal tow engine) on the other side. Birds singing, quiet and beautiful. Bama is really taken with the town.She also passed by a number of historical sites and Civil War battlegrounds and took a little time to take in the monuments. The trail into Maryland is relatively flat, but still rocky. As she leaves the southern piedmont, she will pass farther and farther north into the ancient glacial valleys with more and more rock. She ran into a lady hiking with her four children, two of them twins and all of them redheads except Mom. Mom was tiny, not even five feet tall and she called themselves Halfpint and the Four Ounces. Now that's cute!She passed by the Rocky Run Shelter, since it was a nice clear night and hiked on a few more miles to the Dahlgren Backpacking Campground at AT mile marker 1026.7. Not sure what to expect, they arrived at a really nice area with six designated campsites, each with its own picnic table (a plus!), and bathhouses with flushing toilets and hot showers (double plus!!). No one was there to manage it and their was no charge (triple plus!!!). Thanks to the Maryland Department of Natural resources for maintaining this site! Bama was among the first there and had her pick of sites. A little later, a couple more hikers showed up, Pootz and Brainfreeze. They said Banjoman, Mapman and Robin and others had stopped behind her at the Rocky Run Shelter. Much later after everyone had their showers and were all set up for bed about 40 Boy Scouts showed up with their leaders. Bama talked to the leaders for a while, having been one herself while her son Chadwick was working his way thru Scouts all the way to OA and Eagle. Maybe the kids will eventually settle down enough to let her get to sleep ;-).Wonder what tomorrow will reveal?Bill
Date: 2006-06-17
From: Dahlgren Backpacking Campground

To: Ensign Cowall Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: few clouds

Bama had a really good day, the weather is hot but clear with no rain. She commented that she is enjoying the historical monuments and areas as she passes thru what was a very active region of fighting in the Civil War. She did a lot of boulder hopping today and got as far as the Ensign Cowall Shelter around 2:00 pm and decided that was enough.She saw Kilgore Trout and his cousin and young son who had joined him on the trail for awhile. The shelter is very near MD 77 and the local pizza shop will deliver pizza to where the trail crosses it. But Bama decided she didn't want to walk the 2 miles to the road and back and decided to have her usual dinner. Not much else to report today.At this point in Wingfoot's handbook, he notes that, "On a hike from Georgia to Maine, a thru-hiker will climb and descend a total of ninety-one miles, the equivalent of going from sea level to the summit of Mount Everest and back more than sixteen times!"Bill
Date: 2006-06-19
From: Deer Lick Shelters

To: Quarry Gap Shelters
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Another steamy day in Pennsylvania and back to a few decent sized hills - sweat, sweat, sweat, says Bama. She and the gang that's been together for the past few days headed out with a threat of thunderstorms from the west. The rocks of South Mountain are the oldest on the Pennsylvania Trail, and are steep and rugged. Bama ran into a section hiker named Teddy Bear and found out he is the trail maintainer for the first mile of the AT approach trail from Amicalola Falls State Park. Naturally, he was interested in whether Bama - and others he encountered on the hike - had started from Amicalola. When she passed by the Tumbling Run Shelters, there were signs on the two shelters that said, "Snoring" and "Non-snoring." Bama thought that was really funny given her experience for the last three months.According to Wingfoot's AT Guide, this area has a number of double shelters and maybe it's the proximity to urban areas, also seems to have a great number of shelters less that ten miles apart. Lots of choices.Bama headed toward what she hoped was a big treat today. Just past the Rocky Mountain Shelters is the Caledonia State Park where thru-hikers are allowed to take showers and if desired, swim in the park pool. The sky was still looking a little threatening when she got there and was in the middle of her shower when the thunder and lightning hit. Of course, they closed the pool and by the time the rain passed and the pool reopened, the temperature had dropped and it was still cloudy and she decided against the swim. But the bath sure was nice.When she arrived at the Quarry Gap Shelters, there was Trail Magic - sort of. There were two shelters connected with a patio deck and picnics tables, landscaping all around, rhododendrons, potted plants and flowers everywhere and very, very clean buildings and a spring flowing beside the shelters. Bama said this time she really meant it, this was the best shelter on the trail they had seen yet. The local AT club and the volunteers are to be congratulated on their hard work. It was appreciated!The rain passed far beyond and so far, the good weather luck has held out. Still no infamous days of wet, sodden hiking. Tomorrow, a 17-mile day in the heat to hit the 1083.8 mile marker and the actual halfway point just before the Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The park has a store and the famous half-gallon ice cream challange. Bama said she'll probably stay at the shelter.Bill
Date: 2006-06-20
From: Quarry Gap Shelters

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: broken clouds

This morning at 1:00 am there was a rude awakening, a really bad thunderstorm! Luck had Bama snug in her dry shelter and glad for it. By morning all was clear and cool. She kicked in into high gear at 6:30 am to make Pine Grove State Park and the trail was relatively flat and no boulders to speak of. She made great time and did her 17.3 miles in six hours flat, averaging almost three mile an hour ¢ not bad!CONGRATS! Bama officially passed the geographic halfway point between Springer Mountain and Mt. Katahdin! I am so proud of her!When she arrived at the camp store, she stopped and talked to Cohiba and Otter and exchanged trail chat. She had lunch and checked to see about staying in the hostel. Many of the ¢gang¢ were staying in the campground. When everyone caught up, some decided to try out the famous ice cream challenge. Here are the rules: you buy a half-gallon of ice cream and finish it. Period! If you do, they give you a VERY small wooden spoon. The challenge turned into a speed contest among Banjoman, Slick Bee, Indiana, Identity Crises, Wild Bill and Kilgore Trout. Indiana won! Bama wanted to try it, but had already eaten and decided against it.The hostel opened later in the day and Bama joined Little Wing and Indiana for soft beds, showers and a chance to do laundry. Bama said the hostel was very nice and had this HUGE porch to relax under. This evening back at the campground store , Bama had a great dinner of cheeseburger, fries and milk. Slick Bee had his backpacking guitar and he and Banjoman were going to jam at the campground. Can life on the trail be any better than this?Tomorrow, on to the Alex Kennedy Shelter.Bill
Date: 2006-06-22
From: Alex Kennedy Shelter

To: DarlingtonShelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Yesterday, Bama said that she was doing more boulder hopping ¢ but ¢hopping¢ isn¢t really the right word ¢ more like climbing or scaling. Some boulders were the size of cars and had to be negotiated by whatever means.The Alex Kennedy Shelter last night was OK, but not as nice as the recent others. However, there still the same great group she¢s been with at night for over a week now. Banjoman and Kilgore played their guitars and sang for everyone. This morning there was a warning rumble of distant thunder and this was going to be a long day, so Bama was on the trail at 5:45 am. She and Little Wing walked thru huge fields with corn on one side and soybeans on the other ¢ beautiful! What a difference a day makes! The farmer had bush-hogged a clear ¢path¢ right on the trail. No boulders today, so far.They reached Boiling Springs, PA at 7:15 am and had to wait until 8:00 for the outfitter to open up, so they went to J.C.¢s Country Time Caf© for breakfast. The food was wonderful and J.C. couldn¢t have been any nicer. They had coffee with real cups, hot bagels with ham and cheese on real plates with silverware (it doesn¢t take much to impress a hardened thru-hiker)! While they were eating, a thundershower blew thru and had stopped by the time they finished. Again, they were saved by the weather luck. Next was a trip to the Post Office and the Outfitter ¢ again, the people were very friendly and accommodating. Bama said Boiling Springs (http://www.boilingsprings.org) is a beautiful town with pretty little houses; an old mill; a huge natural, spring-fed lake and quaint businesses. In the 1700s it was an iron town and had evolved after the industry moved out in the late 1800s to a tourist town. Today it¢s all about outdoor recreation and the AT was routed thru town in 1990. Bama loved it!After breakfast and errands, it was time to get moving ¢ lots of miles to go. Bama called me back from the middle of an immense field of wheat and was just enthralled. As she hiked thru the different fields, she encountered blueberries, blackberries and Mulberry's along the trail. Delicious! She said this was one of the prettiest mornings yet. On to Darlington Shelter tonight . . .Bill
Date: 2006-06-23
From: DarlingtonShelter

To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Bama called on the way to Darlington Shelter after stopping at the Scott Farm ATC Center. No one was there but it was a nice place to get fresh water, cool off and relax. Later on up the trail, more Trail Magic! Trail Angels, Jumpstart and Family left drinks and snack to enjoy.Darlington Shelter was newly built and had the additional feature of a number in individual bunks (most shelters have one or two levels of broad, flat sleeping decks). They had been recently painted white ¢ nice touch, but it seems natural wood would have made more sense given how dirty things get.Bama was lucky and got there in time to snag herself a bunk. Folks just kept flowing in, the usual gang and others, until the shelter had 19 hikers tenting and in the shelter. Banjoman and Kilgore played and sang in the shelter to everyone¢s enjoyment. Then, later in the night, the heavens opened up and there was a huge thunderstorm ¢ lightning, wind and downpours. It was not a good night for sleeping ¢ the crowd, folks up and down for the usual potty breaks, storm and the ripping bunks (The painted bunks, plus the humidity and rubber-like coating on the sleeping pads caused them to stick together. Every time someone moved, their sleeping pad made a noise Bama said sounded like somebody ripping off a length of duct tape). Then there was ¢The Big Crash.¢ When you stay in a shelter, you have to suspend your food-sack from special hangers to keep the mice out of them. There weren¢t enough hooks and there were too many bags on one hanger. At some point, the hook gave loose and all the bags crashed to the floor of the shelter, sounding like a tree had just fallen on the roof of the shelter.Bama and Little Wing decided to get up early, skip breakfast and coffee and hit the trail at 5:30 am to get to Duncannon for breakfast. When they were negotiating their way out of the dark shelter, they saw someone on the floor who hadn¢t been there last night. It was Cash, an old trail acquaintance. Poor Cash had hiked into the shelter last night at 1:00 am, in the dark and in the middle of the storm. Bless his heart! Bama told him to go get her bunk so he could get some decent sleep. Leaving early, Bama said, was a big mistake. First, it was dark. Second, the trail was rocky and difficult underfoot. Third, the rain had turned what little dirt there was to slippery mud. The trip to Duncannon ended up being mostly downhill and very steep in places and the mud and rocks made for very slow going. A nice bed in Duncannon at the Doyle Hotel will be nice.Bill
Date: 2006-06-24
From: Duncannon, PA

To: Peters Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: overcast clouds

After the rough and slippery trail into Duncannon, Bama was thrilled to see the town ahead, plus there was more Trail Magic! Trail Angel Mary Perry, left a note on the trail with her phone number offer a ride to any hiker that needed a ride while in town - wow, that was nice! Bama & Little Wing arrived at 10:15 am, and they had lots to do. They were out of food, needed to go the the store, do laundry and check into the hotel. Duncannon has no outfitter and few stores for supplies - only a small convenience store and laundromat, but it does have some good restaurants and excellent service from the nice Mutzabaugh's Market folks, who offer a free shuttle from the Doyle to the store to thru-hikers everyday. The Doyle Hotel was built in 1900 by Anheuser-Busch and there is talk that the current owners will renovate it soon. Mary gave them a ride to Harrisburg, the nearest outfitter. After everyone's needs were met, they go back to the Doyle Hotel - which doesn't take reservations - to find that all the double rooms were taken and they had to settle for the few single rooms left. But the rooms are cheap and everything worked out - Bama got a neat one in one of the Victorian corner turret rooms. Bama had a wonderful lunch at the Doyle, BBQ and freshly made french fries, which she said were wonderful. There's one bathroom per floor, no A/C or TV (Bama did have a small fan). After shopping, laundry and stuff there was R&R time and then dinner at the Doyle. Headstand was the Trail Magic provider and bought several hikers dinner. Bama's fried chicken and french fries were very good (isn't it great that when you're thru-hiking you can eat as much of everything you wish?). The bar downstairs is legendary among hikers for socializing, trail tales and time killing. Bama and Little Wing joined in until it was time for bed. This morning and a nice breakfast at Goodies in Duncannon, Bama was out on the trail at 9:00 am again to points north. Given the vast changes in the terrain (the infamous Pennsylvania rocks), she's not sure how far she'll get today.Update: Bama made it to Peters Mountain Shelter; she said it was a very nice older shelter with two stories (double sleeping decks) and it has a porch. On the way there across the muddy rocks (it rained again last night), they crossed a road and met a woman, named Ruth, sitting in a car reading a book. Bama, Little Wing and Old Drum chatted with her for a while and learned that her husband was hiking south to surprise their son, Sleepy the Arab, who was hiking north. Ruth offered them some Trail Magic and shared some delicious nectarines. Thanks, Ruth!They got to the shelter about 3:00 pm and were braced for the steep and difficult 1,000 feet hike down to the spring for water. But more Trail Magic! Mapman, Robin and Headstand had gathered some water jugs from the shelter and filled them when they were down there earlier. What a treat! Thanks, Mapman, Robin and Headstand! Needless to say, a lot of lifelong friendships are formed on this six-month AT odyssey.Bill