morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-06-11
From: Pass mountain hut

To: Tom Floyd shelter
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: clear sky

The first 7 miles today was hiked with purpose. This Camp store in the park was only one tenth of a mile off the trail. The entire game plan for the morning was to stop at the store for Blackberry shakes and cheeseburgers. It wasn't nearly enough to satisfy my Hunger so after having that for breakfast I followed it up with a banana, a milk with Carnation Instant Breakfast and a gigantic Danish roll. I was still hungry but the prices are outrageous at these stores in the national parks so we figured we would try to eat some of our own food. Shortly down the trail I came across a young couple from Sweden doing Trail Magic. It was round two and I ate and drank everything they offered me period for the first time ever on the trail it's 12 noon and I believe I am completely full. It feels good.    The Good Fortune I received the first half of the day took a 180 degree turn in the second half of the day. Although the mountains were smaller today they mostly face the sun and it was very hot. I then got information from two different elderly couples that stayed at the shelter we all plan on sleeping at tonight that there is no water. Many streams have turned into a trickle or nothing at all. We are all loving the fact that it hasn't rained on us in some time but we're paying for it at the water sources. I am heading down to the shelter now and I'm sure some of my friends in front of me did not get that information. I hope they didn't arrive at the shelter dry or it's going to be a long night.      The picture you see today was of a horse stable literally 10 feet from the trail. It's amazing some of the things you see when you pop out of the woods for a brief moment.
Date: 2016-06-12
From: Tom Floyd shelter

To: Dick's dome shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: broken clouds

No one was at the shelter last night so our tight gang of seven have the whole place to ourselves. I had packed in 18 hot dogs from the store at lunch. They were a nice night cap after we ate our regular supper and worth the extra weight for the last 12 miles of the day    As we left the shelter this morning everyone decided that we would go into Front Royal after an easy 3-mile downhill hike. Saying goodbye to Shenandoah National Park this morning was with mixed feelings. The Abundant wildlife and the trail magic was fantastic but the amount of people in the park made it feel like you weren't actually on the thru-hike.This morning a new town record was set as we got a ride within 1 minute, ate breakfast and were back out on the trail in under an hour and a half. A truly perfect town stop where I can still do 20 miles today. Today's picture is a bog Bridge in the middle of the dry dusty tundra we are walking on. I went to wash up at a stream yesterday and realized my entire body turn to mud wherever I got it wet. We are covered in dust. If it doesn't get too hot this afternoon I'm going to hike right up until nightfall. The next shelter 5 miles ahead has a solar power shower, the only one of its kind on the trail and I'm looking forward to a noon wash up.   Okay the solar powered shower was out of service so the stop there was brief. It seems like everybody in our group was picking a different destination today including myself who decided to stealth Camp alone for the 4th time on the trail. I'm planning a very early departure tomorrow morning as I would like to get my 17 miles into the famous Bear Dens hostel a short time after noon.
Date: 2016-06-13
From: Dick's dome shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

5:00 am. start. Still dark and chilly but would like to get a full afternoon at the Bears Den. Time to hit the trail. The trail was much harder than expected. We hit the famous 13 Mile stretch called the roller coaster. Nine straight up and downs of about 400 feet each. I was really exhausted when I arrived at the Bear's Den. I was immediately informed that nothing was open until 5 accept the showers. So I charged the phone while taking a shower and spread out all my gear to dry in the afternoon sun. A few of my friends just arrived and they want to head back out and do another five or six miles. I think it's a great idea. I feel energized and cooled off so I will not be staying here tonight. Heading back out and hiking until dusk. That way I am sure to get into Harpers Ferry tomorrow and have my picture taken at the ATC which is the unofficial halfway point of this journey. Unbelievable to think I will be there tomorrow. I thought it would be a more emotional moment when I walked by a 1000 Mile Marker today but it was on a very steep incline of the roller coaster and I was exhausted. Didn't even take a picture which I now regret but needless to say it's done. 1000 miles under my belt. Feel pretty good about it.   The other large number for the day you will notice in the left-hand column of the homepage. Over 50,000 views since I stepped on the trail. Thanks once again for all your words of encouragement and support as well as just following me along on this trip. It really does push me some days knowing that so many people are waiting to see what the day in the woods has in store for me.      It's now 5 o'clock and I just saw Pebbles who is one of the hikers in our little group. She looks pretty beat up at the moment. Fell face-first today. Also bruised both shins pretty badly and ripped her shoes to shreds. Thank God we're all going into Harpers Ferry tomorrow. She's going to need a new set of hiking shoes and a couple days of quality rest. Her legs look like she ran through a pineapple patch.   Just received some government Marine rations from a day hiker. Can't wait to open up the fun package. It's supposed to contain 8000 calories. Woohoo!!
Date: 2016-06-14
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 17.0

Slept like a baby last night. Woke up this morning and packed up quickly as we usually do when there's a town to look forward to. The first 10 miles flew by today as all I could think about was resting my legs and staying in Harpers Ferry for a couple of days. There were very few streams today that we could get water from and at mile marker 11 the shelter was the last water stop until we got into town. It just so happened that it was a quarter-mile straight down on a side trail with a trickle of water and then a quarter-mile straight back up. It was literally the hardest half-mile of the entire day. Pebbles had caught up to me at that shelter and mentioned that she felt very tired today. I immediately put two and two together and mention to her that that could be a sign of a concussion. She didn't even realize at the time that she had a huge three-inch gash on her forehead from her fall yesterday. Not many mirrors out here in the forest. As advertised the last seven miles into Harpers Ferry was fairly easy and mostly downhill.   I walked into the Appalachian Trail Conservatory and immediately got my picture taken and signed in. I am thru-hiker 699. It was so neat to look through their photo album and see the hikers I know who are in front of me. As soon as I finished up at the ATC Otter immediately picked up the five of us for a quick shuttle to his house. This place is beautiful. His mom came out with every different kind of vegetable you could imagine as a warm-up to the barbecue that followed. Truly heaven and a much-needed rest. I'm clean, I'm full and we are all staying downstairs for a couple of days with a 80 inch flat screen and everything else you need at our fingertips. I have to mention when the woman at the front desk of the AT Center ask me to sign in and if I was a thru hiker. I turned and held up a finger to motion, wait a minute. Yes, I am a thru-hiker. Got very emotional signing in to the halfway point of this hike. Wow, this ranger just called me a thru-hiker. I can't even imagine what it's going to be like to Summit Mount Katahdin this fall and have finished this cross-country journey.
Date: 2016-06-15
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 0.0

It's difficult to fathom that this trip is half over and I've hiked all those miles. Looking at the next few hundred miles of the trail it is almost completely flat but the equalizer is that it's loaded with sharp jagged rocks. I have decided to wait for my new hiking shoes from my wife until I get through the rockiest portion. I will just try to stretch these existing shoes out the next two weeks until they are completely trashed.   I would like to do a few things different on the second half of this journey. Among those I would like to stay in the woods longer and do less town stays. That means a heavier pack with more food but the lack of steep inclines and declines I don't think an extra 5 pounds will make that much of a difference.   My backpack seems to be getting even smaller and lighter as I am still getting rid of more clothes. Feeling extremely comfortable out here in the woods and actually prefer to hike alone most of the day. There are a lot less hikers out here now and the last four shelters have been virtually empty. It's going to be a completely different scenario than the first two and a half months out here.   When I checked into Harpers Ferry headquarters yesterday not only was it emotional but so exciting to see faces that I have not had contact with since the beginning of the trail. One girl came up and gave me a big hug though it took me a while to figure out where I remembered her from. She is also in the original picture on day one of me starting on Springer Mountain. Although a lot of these hiking days have run into each other and I can't remember every day I will never forget that first day climbing up Springer Mountain and looking at the plaque.   This has also been one of the most relaxing 0 days I've taken. No parties or running around town. Just eating, watching TV and resting the legs for the second half of the hike. I finally drew blood for the first time yesterday when in a rush to get here scratched up my right leg pretty good. I still consider myself so lucky to have no poison ivy, no mosquito bite scars, no blisters no sunburn, you get the picture no nothing. If anybody has any questions or is curious about any part of the hike please ask in the guest book on the left hand side of the homepage. I will have internet all night tonight and again tomorrow day and night and will be happy to answer your questions in tomorrow's blog. That's really the only way I can communicate back with the people that have signed my book. I am also going to do a bunch of shout-outs in tomorrow's journal to some of those who have helped me and encouraged me along this trip so far.
Date: 2016-06-16
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Still at Harpers Ferry.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Let's start today's journal with just a few shoutouts for some of my great friends and relatives from home.   The Rowley Family.   The Litchfield Family.   The Gronk Family.   The Crocetti Family.   Chief Murray   Chief McGahee   Chief Gamache   CUSH.   ABBY.   MELINDA.   The Graham Family.   The Couture Family.   The Kanc Gang.   The Verizon Gang.   The Eversource Gang (Lori)   Linda Currier. / J.K. Levasseur   Sharon in West Palm.   Cheryl Roberts.   Jim Bouthiette   Russ @ Ed   With almost three hundred of you signing my guestbook I want to thank everyone for coming along with me on the first half of this trek.   I am doing my one and only mail drop next week. If anybody out there would like to send me anything even a card, a package of Skittles, anything. I'm going to give you the address and directions. It would be great to receive anything while out here on the trail. My wife will be sending me much-needed supplies along with my second set of hiking shoes.   United States Post Office   Dan Paradis   Duncannon, PA. 17020   Hold for Thru-Hiker   If you decide to surprise me please mail your items out by this Saturday. Because I will be in Duncannon next week. I will be unable to wait in town for packages and would hate to have someone send something and me not receive it. Thank you.
Date: 2016-06-17
From: Still at Harpers Ferry.

To: Dahlgren Campground. 79/58 
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

First, I would just like to remind everyone if you're going to send me anything to put in large letters on the package " Hold for thru-hiker "   Second, I will start leaving the high and low temperature for the day in the above box marked destination.   Got dropped off at the ATC headquarters this morning by Squid and Otter. I made a beeline for the exactscale that I weighed myself on when I walked into Harpers Ferry two and a half days ago. Very pleased to see that I put three and a half pounds back on during my rest.   The walk out of town this morning was like no other. It was flat as a board for the first three miles. This old railroad bed followed the river for the entire time and it was a beautiful way to start the morning. This is by far the easiest terrain on the entire Trail to date and I've managed to cover 15 miles plus today in under 5 hours. Barely breaking a sweat. I could get used to this.   Arrived @ the free campground to find hot showers. Wow. What a treat.Got a little fire going and in bed by 9:00.   Just want to thank Otters parents and his friend squid for everything!!! It was the most quality Zero time spent so far.$70. Food
Date: 2016-06-18
From: Dahlgren Campground. 79/58 

To: Ensign Cowall Shelter 83/61
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: broken clouds

Maryland today. Pennsylvania tomorrow. Now that I am out of Virginia the states are flying by. Once again the first five miles went by very quickly and there have been rumors of a trail magic picnic up ahead. Oddie and I got there early and within 10 minutes people started pulling in with food and drinks. It is now noon time and there are about 10 through-hikers here but enough food for 30. I have eaten three times and drank as many waters, juices and soda as I possibly can. I'm going to wait another half-hour and then eat one more time before trying to waddle another nine miles down the trail. Not a cloud in the sky and easy terrain ahead for the next week. It's another great day on the Appalachian Trail.   A short time after leaving the trail magic I ran into a couple of through-hikers who I haven't seen in a month. Great to see familiar faces and ended up hiking with them the rest of the day. They are doing the four-state 44 mile challenge in one day and started hiking at 2 p.m. this morning. They tried to talk me into hiking to the Pennsylvania line with them but that would have meant night hiking and setting up my tent near midnight. I had to take a pass. But took them up on pizza and Gatorade tonight for supper when their father met us at a road crossing. Ate so much food today took over 3 hours worth of breaks and still managed to get 20 miles in. A long but perfect day.$Zero.
Date: 2016-06-19
From: Ensign Cowall Shelter 83/61

To: Caledonia State Park 87/ 66
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: clear sky

Hitting the trail around 6 a.m. Looking forward to a hot shower or jumping in the pool at the State Park this afternoon. I wish the whole day of hiking could always be like the first few hours. Odie and I left together and 3 miles into the hike stopped to use the bathroom at a state park. A couple out for a day hike ended up giving us their leftover food from breakfast. We immediately ate it right in front of them. This seemed to be the theme for the day. It got hot quickly today and the water sources were few and far between. Everyone was complaining that they were out of water. I used mine very wisely   Plans changed multiple times today as I tried to text a bunch of the gang. I did manage to get a quick swim in under a bridge. You have to take everything off now or the wet shorts will cause irritation. After going back and forth with multiple hikers and trying to step up with the pics with little water I was completely exhausted when I reach the final state park around 6 o'clock. The trail today was either very easy or extremely hard rock climbing. It just kept jumping back and forth and you never knew what you were going to get around the next corner. I was pleasantly surprised that two of my friends were waiting for me at the State Park and we immediately jumped in the river followed by a quick trip to the store for ice cream and hot dogs. As we were finishing up supper and had a last two and a half miles to get to the shelter an elderly couple approached us and offered us their leftovers from Kentucky Fried Chicken. It was great. Extremely tired, don't know if it's the long mileage I'm putting in or I'm not drinking enough. It could be a combination of both. I crossed the Mason-Dixon Line this morning around 9 o'clock. Yeah, I'm in the North. Also ended up doing 25 long miles instead of my intended 23.  I want to thank my daughter Laura for sending me that great picture as I completely forgot that it was Father's Day today. Thank you honey!  $5 Food
Date: 2016-06-20
From: Caledonia State Park 87/ 66

To: James fry Shelter 87/70
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: broken clouds

I was reminded last night of the negative aspect of sleeping in a shelter. With only one other hiker choosing this option I thought it would be fine. After 2 hours of almost going deaf,I grabbed all my sleeping equipment and set up under the picnic table. Slept great after that. You can sleep just about anywhere as long as you have that 2 inch inflatable sleeping pad. 5:45 am, time to beat the heat.   Once again all of today's miles were State Park family friendly. Mostly level, extra wide, no rocks and no roots. Pretty much a golf cart path for most of the 18 miles. This allowed Wicks, Pebbles and myself to easily get to our beach destination by 1 o clock. Pine furnace State Park also happens to be the place for the famous half gallon challenge. The trail literally goes right by the store and the beach. The goal is to eat a half a gallon of ice cream in half an hour. For the last few days I was getting myself psyched up for this but old age and good judgment took over and when I got to the store I knew that buying a large hiker Burger with all the fixin's and a side of fruit salad was a much better choice than a half a gallon of sugar. Took some ribbing from the other hikers who all ate the ice cream but I need protein.   Could not ask for a more perfect day on the Appalachian Trail. There are nine of us all swimming in a beach with white sand and in a few hours we'll hike on three more miles to a beautiful campsite with free showers. 21 miles with good food and fun. Wish everyday was like today. I also spotted 10 packs of hot dogs and we will be cooking out tonight around 7:30.$14 Food
Date: 2016-06-21
From: James fry Shelter 87/70

To: Boiling Springs, PA 93/68
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: broken clouds

Back-to-back great days. Woke up this morning to a hot muggy feel in the air. It concerned all of us because we were low on water and according to the guidebook the next source is 5 miles up the trail. For the first time that I know of the book was completely wrong and that was a good thing. 300 yards after starting to hike this morning I came across a brook with a nice flow, similar to a faucet on full blast. I drank one liter and filled my two bottles as a few other hikers caught up to me and did the same.   Early on in the morning I started to hear a very faint rumble of thunder. As time went by it of course got louder and louder. Finally the day turned to night and I almost needed my headlamp to continue in the already dark thick forest. Luckily I missed most of the hail and the real heavy stuff. Within a few minutes it stopped raining for the rest of the day. Easy terrain again allowed us to get into Boiling Springs by 2 in the afternoon. This was definitely the hottest day on the trail and reach 93 degrees as we found our way to a gas station for Gatorade. We were talking about trying to hike another ten miles to make sure we could get to Duncannon tomorrow when a woman overheard us on the porch and said "I just opened a hostile today you should stay at my place". We all believe it is her first day open as she is only charging $10 a person for a bed, shower and all the hot dogs and eggs you can eat. Don't really see how she's making any money. But this was too good to pass up. We figured we'd push our luck and ask her a big favor so the hikers voted me to do the talking. I asked her if it would be possible if we hike out of town this afternoon another six miles and then she would pick us up at the road crossing and bring us back to her hostel. She agreed. First we had to run across the street as everybody was starving. Long story short, the pizza place gave us a large free pizza because they said they made a mistake out back.   The last 6 miles today was a piece of cake. All cornfield hiking. Such a different environment than we're used to. The first ten miles out of town tomorrow will be all the same. I'm now at the hostile with this woman and her husband and it is probably the best deal we've come across so far. Super friendly very nice house and so inexpensive. These are the places that I look at and say I could spend a week here. Going to take a shower, eat, supper again and go to bed. Looking forward to Duncannon tomorrow and my new hiking shoes with packages from friends, thank you  $$25Food/Hostel/Beer
Date: 2016-06-22
From: Boiling Springs, PA 93/68

To: Duncannon, PA 84/65
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

A quick note to start today off. "The hostel" we stayed at last night in Boiling Springs is a must-stop. It was one of the friendliest, nicest and most inexpensive hostel we've stayed at. Our gracious host took us all back to the trail at 7:30 this morning. Those extra six miles we did last night were crucial because the trail had some surprises for us today. We were lulled into a false sense of security as the first 10 miles were all cow pastures and level, easy hiking. But I rarely look at my guidebook before I head out and today I should have. There was a special note in there with a six mile stretch of all rocks. This section was slow-going an extremely rough on the feet. These rocks are sharp and angled at every direction. I'm so glad I still have my original shoes on. They will be changed out in 2 days. I would have hated to put on my new hiking shoes and ruin them out of the gate.   The goal for the day has been accomplished and we made it to Duncannon Pennsylvania exactly at 5 o'clock when the Lutheran Church opened their doors for an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner. This also came with unlimited fruit and salad. Some of the hikers thanked me for letting them know about this free feast. More and more people on the trail are asking me about what is coming up next or for advice. Looks like 15 years of planning this hike is paying off for me and whoever is in my vicinity. Because of the hundreds of journals I read, I'm trying not to overlook any opportunity out here. This Church Feast happens only on Wednesdays between 5 and 7 o'clock. A very small window once a week..We are now staying in another gorgeous house compliments of strecths grandmother. They have given us the entire bottom floor of this house which is actually bigger than my entire house at home. I can't wait to return these favors to some of my hiker friends when we go through New Hampshire and let them stay at my vacation condo in the White mountains.   Just want to give a shout out to a couple of our hiking friends who are pulling 30 mile days to try and catch us. Don't hurt yourself guys but keep on Truckin. Grizzley, PBR, and Otter.$Zero.