morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-05-31
From: Dick's Dome shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: moderate rain

Monday, May 31, 2004 Day 78 18.9 miles (Dick¢s Dome to Bears Den Hostel) I packed up and left Dick¢s Dome at 7:00 am and arrived at the Bear¢s Den Hostel at 4:30pm. The second half of today¢s hike was a killer. The trail through here is known as the ¢Roller Coaster¢, a well earned moniker.The 17 year cicadas are really getting loud. I heard them yesterday, but today they were much more evident. I¢m also beginning to see them everywhere. I¢ve been noticing little holes in the trail, about a 3 eighths inch in diameter, and have just realized that the cicadas are emerging from these holes. Ants are having a feast on the cicada carcasses. It was cool, foggy and later overcast most of the day. I had to slog through some rather swampy areas.   Part of my hike today took me along the western boundary of Mosby¢s Confederacy.The sun didn¢t come out until I was well into the Roller Coaster. I passed a few day hikers and some section hikers today, but not as many as in the SNP. I also walked a few miles in a beautiful Poplar forest with some huge trees. Some of them had to be well over a 100 years old.When I got to the Bear¢s Den Hostel, I immediately recognized it from a hike I did with Robert Owenby in the 80¢s. This is a great place. I must remember to take some pictures tomorrow. It¢s an old stone house (built in 1933). I did my laundry, and ate a huge supper with a pint of Ben and Jerry¢s ice cream for desert.Who¢s here: Easy Duzit, Hawkeye, Slick, and some section hikers.I decided to go all the way to Harper¢s Ferry tomorrow. I will call Janet from there to tell her to meet me on June 5 instead of June 6. Slick and I decided to split the cost of a room in Harper¢s Ferry ¢ I called and made the reservations.
Date: 2004-06-01
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: few clouds

Tuesday, June 1, 2004 Day 79, 19.9 miles (Bears Den to Harpers Ferry, W. VA) I left Bear¢s Den Hostel at 7:30 am and arrived in Harper¢s Ferry at 5:30pm. I crossed a few highways today: Snickers Gap at VA 7 and 679, W.VA 32, and US 340 at the Shenandoah river bridge.Milestones: I have passed the 1000 mile mark today. I exited Virginia and entered West Virginia. I am at the ceremonial halfway point on the AT.The Cicadas were in rare form today. I am starting to see more of them on the ground, dead of course; their life cycle ended. I had beautiful weather until about 3:00pm. when I experienced powerful winds, thunder, and a little rain for about an hour. I did not get much rain on me, but some places obviously did because the trail got real sloppy. About 4:30 the sun was out again. When I came out of the woods about 5:00pm, I saw the broad Shenandoah River. It was a short walk across the bridge to Harper¢s Ferry.Slick and I had decided the day before to split a room at the Hilltop House Hotel in Harper¢s Ferry. Slick is a 54 year old accountant from PA who quit his job. He was just fed up with the daily BS. I Got to the hotel about 6:15pm and checked in. I took a shower, then walked downtown to get something to eat only to find that everything was closed, so I walked back to the Hotel and ate there. Slick showed up as I was eating and joined me for supper. He knows the area where Janet is going to meet me in Pennsylvania. He suggested that Janet meet me at Caledonia State Park since the trail goes through there.I called Janet. She was at Lookouts game, so I will call her in the morning.Slick and I flipped a coin. I lost and he got the bed.
Date: 2004-06-02
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Crampton Gap shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Wednesday, June 2, 2004 Day 80, 10.4 miles (Harpers Ferry, W.VA to Crampton Gap shelter) Slick and I ate breakfast at 7:30am. I got back on the trail at 10:40, and arrived at Crampton Gap Shelter at 4:00. Milestone: I left West VA. and entered Maryland today.I called Janet about 8:45am and we settled on the pickup location and time: Caledonia State Park, parking lot number 1 at 6:30 pm on June 5th. I called Mom and Dad, then I packed up and walked down to the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) headquarters where I registered and picked up my mail drop. I am officially the 184th North Bound (NOBO) thru-hiker to make it to Harper¢s Ferry this year, and I got my ¢official¢ picture taken. The cicadas are still noisy today. There are more of their lifeless bodies lying on the ground now. It was sunny most of the day, then it clouded up around 3:00PM. I got some rain at 5:00pm for about an hour.The first 3 miles of the hike consisted of crossing the foot bridge which paralleled a railroad bridge over the Potomac, then walking along the abandoned C&O Canal Tow Path. At noon I found a nice sunny spot with a large rock that made an excellent chair and proceeded to eat lunch. Soon I saw another hiker coming up the trail. ¢This guy looks familiar¢, I thought. It was Slainte¢, and he recognized me about the same time that I recognized him. He had taken a zero day in Harper¢s Ferry and was now hiking with his brother and a friend. We both had dropped a few more pounds since Damascus. I crossed US Hwy 340 and MD Hwy 572 near Gathland State Park and Burkittsville, MD. The Appalachian Trail (AT) is closer to civilization here than ever before. You can hear traffic noises from the shelter. I hope it quiets down at night. I am thinking I might go on to Cowall Shelter tomorrow instead of stopping at Pogo Memorial campsite. That would be 20.7 miles instead of the 15.5 to Pogo.Who¢s here: Easy Duzit, Slainte` (tent), St. Rick (tent). and Slainte¢s brother Joe and friend Steve (tent). Slick went on to the next shelter.
Date: 2004-06-03
From: Crampton Gap shelter

To: Ensign Cowell shelter
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Thursday, June 3, 2004 Day 81, 20.7 miles (Crampton Gap shelter to Ensign Cowell shelter) I left Crampton Gap shelter at 7:10am and arrived at Ensign Cowell Shelter at 5:30pm. I crossed US Hwy 40, the I-70 Footbridge, and MD Hwy 17 near Smithsburg, MD. It was a long day, and I had planned on only doing 15 miles originally. But the Pogo Campsite didn¢t look very appealing, so I kept on going. The Cicadas are still at it today, but there are many more dead ones on the ground. I saw deer, and they are much more skittish here than in the SNP. We are always very close to civilization here in Maryland. Cowell is a very nice shelter, but it¢s only a quarter mile from a road ¢ no Thru-hiker likes staying in shelters that have easy road access. I will put in a 16 miler tomorrow. That way I only have 10 miles left on Saturday, when I will meet Janet.Who¢s here at Cowell shelter: Easy Duzit, Slick, Smurf, Cool Hand Luke, Roobi, and Dances with Wolf Cookie.
Date: 2004-06-04
From: Ensign Cowell shelter

To: Tumbling Run shelters
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Friday, June 4, 2004Day 82, 17.7 miles (Ensign Cowell shelter to Tumbling Run shelters) I left Ensign Cowell shelter at 7:30am and got to the Tumbling Run Shelters at 4:15pm. I crossed MD Hwy 77, 491, Pen Mar State Park near Cascade, MD, and PA Hwy 16 (old and new). The weather was overcast all day and even a little cold. T-Shirt and shorts were ok as long as I kept moving. I crossed a lot of roads today. I can tell we¢re in a more densely populated part of the country. I saw a couple of deer today. Slick saw a big bear on the power line right-of-way this morning. I think we crossed at least 4 power lines today. Oh, yeah - the Cicadas are still at it, although the noise is not as loud and there are areas where I can¢t hear them at all.Milestone:   I crossed the Mason Dixon line/Pennsylvania-Maryland border (took pictures of signs).Some of the streams here have signs warning of polluted water, which is a first and a little depressing. I encountered tough rocky trails today which made some of the going slow. I feel like I¢m ready for those zero days that are coming up. The Tumbling Run Shelters (there are 2 here) are nice. The volunteer from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) was here doing some cleanup. Nice guy. He even took our trash which we normally have to pack out. The privy even has toilet paper! One shelter has a sign which states, ¢Non-Snoring¢ and the other a sign which states, ¢Snoring¢. Guess which one I¢m sleeping in.Who¢s here: Easy Duzit, Slick, Boyd.
Date: 2004-06-05
From: Tumbling Run shelters

To: US Hwy 30
Miles today: 9.6

Saturday, June 5, 2004 Day 83, 9.6 miles (Tumbling Run to US Hwy 30 near Fayetteville, PA)It started raining last night about 8:00 pm and rained all night. It was still raining this morning. Slick said he wanted to do 20 miles today, so he got up early and was on the trail in the rain at 6:45. I only had 9.5 miles to do today, so I thought I would wait for the rain to stop before leaving. The temperature also dropped a bit to about 55o.It was still raining at 8:00am, so I made preparations to leave anyway. I wanted to get lunch at the pizza place on Hwy 30. I was hiking in the rain at 8:30 am. I ran into a couple that were weekend hiking, and 8 people who were orienteering. I was wet and cold, so I stopped after a couple of hours to put on a long sleeve shirt underneath my raingear. This helped the cold, but my hands were getting numb. The temperature was near 40 according to my thermometer. I reached PA Hwy 30 at 1:00pm and walked the 3 tenths of a mile down to Taormina¢s Pizza Restaurant. It was still raining. As I was removing my pack, Stumble Bum came out of the restaurant. I hadn¢t seen him since Gatlinburg. I also found that Slick was inside. Slick had called his wife to come get him. It was too wet, too cold, and too close to home for him finish the 20 miles. I ate lunch. Slick¢s wife arrived a little later, and Slick and his wife gave me a ride to my hotel, the Best Western in Chambersburg. I called Janet, who was sitting in the Cincinnati airport, and told her she didn¢t need to pick me up in Caledonia SP. Janet got here at 6:30pm.
Date: 2004-06-06
From: US Hwy 30

To: none
Miles today: 0.0

Sunday, June 6, 2004 Day 84, 0 miles (Chambersburg, PA)Janet and I just drove around, getting the ¢Lay of the land¢, and shopped for my hiking shoes and re-supply items. We ate at a Ryans AYCE buffet. Look, to a thru-hiker quantity is more important that quality when it comes to food.
Date: 2004-06-07
From: none

To: none
Miles today: 0.0

Monday, June 7, 2004 Day 85, 0 miles (Chambersburg, PA)We went to Lancaster and the Amish Country, where we visited an Amish house and farm. I finally found some shoes (Merrills) at an East Mountain Sports in a shopping mall near Lancaster. We ate at the Olive Garden (going for quality this time).
Date: 2004-06-08
From: none

To: none
Miles today: 0.0

Tuesday, June 8, 2004 Day 86, 0 miles (Chambersburg, PA)We drove over to the Gettysburg Battlefield, and did the grand tour. I highly recommend touring this historic site. We ate lunch at a brew Pub and grill near Lee¢s headquarters, and had supper at Bob Evans. I sent post cards, then packed up for tomorrow. This has been a fantastic 3 days of zero mileage.
Date: 2004-06-09
From: US Hwy 30

To: Toms Run shelters
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Wednesday, June 9, 2004 Day 87, 16.3 miles (US Hwy 30 to Toms Run shelters)Janet is going to try to get an earlier flight home, so we got up early and drove over to McDonalds for breakfast. I was really wanting to eat at a Cracker Barrel, but they¢re scarce up here. After breakfast we headed for the trailhead and got there about 8:30am, just in time to meet Spot, a NOBO Thru-hiker. He was emerging from the woods onto Hwy 30. I introduced myself. Spot was going into Fayetteville for re-supply and would get back on the trail later today. Janet and I said goodbye, and I got back on the trail and immediately entered Caledonia State Park. I reached Toms Run shelter about 4:30. The first thing I noticed were the Cicadas again. Not as loud as before, but still making noise. There were more dead ones in the trail. It was only last Saturday that I was so wet and cold, but today¢s weather is hot and humid. We may get rain tomorrow. It was easy walking to Toms Run Shelters, and Spot caught me just before I reached the shelter. He¢s fast!Who¢s here: Easy Duzit, Spot.From the entries in the shelter registers, I know that Just Do It, PA Mule, Slainte¢, St. Rick, and Camel are ahead of me now. Spot said that Mello Yello was not too far behind. My next mail drop is in Duncannon, PA, and I need to get there before noon Saturday. The President is closing the Post Offices on Friday for a National Day of Mourning for Ronald Reagan, so there¢s no rush to make it by Friday. Getting to Duncannon in time should not be a problem as the terrain looks fairly flat. I¢ll need to do 20 miles and 24 miles in each of the next 2 days. Since I now have my cell phone, I called Janet in the evening. She was able to get the earlier flight and had made it home by 5:00 pm. I¢m never too far from a cell in PA.
Date: 2004-06-10
From: Toms Run shelters

To: Alec Kennedy shelter
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: broken clouds

Thursday, June 10, 2004 Day 88, 19.2 miles (Toms Run to Alec Kennedy shelter)I left Toms Run Shelters at 6:30 am and reached Alec Kennedy Shelter at 5:00pm. I saw a couple of deer today. These deer are very shy, not at all like the SNP deer. I crossed PA Hwy 233 at 7:45am. I need to tell Janet that there is a sign there marking the AT since she said she hadn¢t seen one when she drove to the airport yesterday. The bright yellow hiker sign is missing, so it would have been hard for her to see the AT marker from the car. I entered Pine Grove Furnace State Park, just off PA 233. Since I got to the Park store before it opened, I could not take the half gallon ice cream challenge. This park is the actual half way point on the AT, so the tradition is for thru-hikers to eat a half gallon of ice cream here. I took a picture of the half way mileage marker. It¢s not quite accurate since relocations over the years have lengthened the trail.The walking was fairly easy until I reached PA Hwy 94. Then the AT went up over some huge rock outcroppings. I had to do some rock climbing that required me to put my poles away and use my hands. At one point I had to take my pack off to scale a boulder. It was kind of fun. Just as I got through the worst of the rocks, a ¢scattered¢ thundershower hit. It rained hard from 3:30 to 4:30. I got soaked, but my pack contents stayed dry and I did not get cold.Who¢s here: Easy Duzit, Just Do It, Boyd, Cimarron (81 yrs old), and tenting were Coyote and Ishmael, Siesta and Servasa and Zac (a couple with a 1 yr old son). Siesta is carrying Zac and Servasa is carrying everything else. I had met them and Coyote earlier while eating lunch at Tagg Run Shelter today. Coyote¢s husband, Ishmael, is hiking and supporting Coyote¢s thru hike. They have a car. I heard some owls today, and as I¢m writing this I hear a huge flock of crows putting up a great fuss.
Date: 2004-06-11
From: Alec Kennedy shelter

To: Darlington shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: moderate rain

Friday, June 11, 2004 Day 89, 18.2 miles (Alec Kennedy to Darlington shelter) It started raining again last night about 11:00 pm. It was still raining when I woke up at 5:45 am. It was a steady rain and not a thunderstorm. I ate breakfast, packed up, and waited about 45 minutes for the rain to stop. The rain was still falling at 7:50, so I left Alec Kennedy shelter in the rain. The trail was real sloppy. Just Do It had left 30 minutes earlier. It should have been easy walking today, almost all flat, but the rain made for slippery footing. I got to PA Hwy 174 at Boiling Springs, PA about 9:30 where I ran into Just Do It. We left our packs at the Cumberland Valley ATC office and walked over to the Cafe¢ in Boiling Springs, PA. I had 3 cups of coffee, a sausage-egg-cheese bagel, a raspberry Danish, and a huge peanut-butter cookie. We got back on the trail at 10:30. It was still raining, and the trail was very sloppy, more like a stream, now. The water was ankle deep in some places, but we were still moving at a good clip. We were hiking through a lot of farm land. We took a high water detour to avoid flooding on a 3 quarter mile section of the trail near the river. We would probably have been knee deep in water if we had not taken the detour. I¢m glad Just Do It was with me since he knew about the detour. We got to Darlington Shelter at 4:30. It was too late to try to make it to Cove Mountain Shelter, 7.5 miles further. This means I will have to get up early tomorrow so that I can reach Duncannon before the Post Office closes (tomorrow is Saturday), 11 miles away. I need my mail drop. It¢s now 7:00 pm and still raining.Who¢s here: Easy Duzit, Just Do It, Curtis (flip-flop thru hiker who started at Harper¢s Ferry)
Date: 2004-06-12
From: Darlington shelter

To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Saturday, June 12, 2004 Day 90, 11.4 miles (Darlington shelter to Duncannon, PA)I Got up early, so did Just Do It, and we left Darlington Shelter at 6:05am. I have to make it to Duncannon before the Post Office closes. The rain has finally stopped, and the sky is blue. It¢s a bit cool, and I started out in long sleeves and t-shirt plus shorts and rain gear. It was in the 50¢s and everything I had to wear was wet or damp. I warmed up and soon shed the rain jacket. It was a beautiful morning with the sunlight filtering through patches of fog. Soon all the fog burned off. The walking was easy for the most part, with a little rock walking to keep me honest. I reached the Duncannon Post Office at 10:45 and picked up my mail drop. There¢s a 100 year old hotel in Duncannon, The Doyle, with rooms for $18.00.   The Doyle is 4 floors with one bathroom for each floor. I got a room and ate lunch (hamburger, brat sandwich, and 2 beers). While eating lunch, I met a hiker named Wildcat for the first time. He said he was a Thru-hiker, but he looked too neat and clean. I found out later that indeed he is a Thru-hiker.   We would later team up and complete the trip to Katahdin together. He had been to his son¢s graduation in San Diego and was headed back to the trail. I took a shower and did my laundry.Who¢s here: Easy Duzit, Just Do It., PA Mule, plus others that I haven¢t met before.Just Do It, PA Mule, and I ate supper at Sorrento¢s Pizza. I will take my time tomorrow. I have only 11.5 miles to do, but may go further. After writing these notes (7:30 pm), I laid down for a 30 minute nap. I was going to meet PA Mule and Just Do It in the bar for a beer later, but when I woke up, it at 10:00 pm, so I decided to call it a night.
Date: 2004-06-13
From: Duncannon, PA

To: Peters Mountain shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Sunday, June 13, 2004 Day 91, 11.3 miles (Duncannon, PA to Peters Mountain shelter) I met Just Do It, PA Mule, and Rude Dog for breakfast at the Cafe¢ across from the Doyle. Rude Dog is having to quit his hike (minor emergency at home). Just Do It, PA Mule, and I were on our way out of town by 7:45am. I reached Peter¢s Mountain. Shelter at 1:30pm. It¢s 17 miles to the next shelter, so Just Do It and I decided to stay. PA Mule will go on and camp.Peter¢s Mountain Shelter is large, holds 12 people, and is very clean. About 100 ft from here is a tiny shelter built by Earl Shafter. I took some pictures. We crossed the Susquehanna River outside of Duncannon and took some pictures after we crossed and as we worked our way up the mountain on the other side. It was a very cool day. There was no rain, but it was overcast. I wore t-shirt and shorts, but when I stopped walking, I had to put on raingear to stay warm. I ate a hot lunch and a hot dinner, and we built a fire.Who¢s here: Easy Duzit, Just Do It, Chris, and Mac (a retired school principal from Buffalo, SOBO section hiking) Late comers: A father and Son team stayed in the old Earl Shafer shelter and a couple we saw in Boiling Springs. It was 10:00 when they arrived.The views were good today, but, since the mountains are not very high, not as spectacular as in GA and NC. I am now three days ahead of schedule. I will probably pick up another day after Pt. Clinton. Mac saw a rattle snake today and warned us that we may ran across the same snake tomorrow as we head North.
Date: 2004-06-14
From: Peters Mountain shelter

To: Rausch Gap shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: light rain

Monday, June 14, 2004 Day 92, 17.5 miles (Peters Mountain shelter to Rausch Gap shelter) I left Peter¢s Mountain Shelter at 6:45am. My stomach is hurting again like it did at Erwin. I hope it eases off. I had to loosen my pack belt to put more of the weight on my shoulders. I reached Rausch Gap Shelter at 3:15pm. I didn¢t eat lunch because of my stomach. There was no rain today. It was overcast with the sun burning through the clouds every once in a while. The walking was easy with just one major climb of 1100¢ up Stony Mountain. But that was long and gradual, so it was no problem. My gut problem was a little better this evening. I have two long days ahead of me, so I hope it does not become a problem. I saw no snakes today, but did see a deer. I crossed PA Hwy 325. Who¢s here: Easy Duzit, Just Do It, and CurtisThunder in the distance at 7:00 pm. I think it¢s going to rain. There¢s no cell phone signal here.
Date: 2004-06-15
From: Rausch Gap shelter

To: 501 shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: light rain

Tuesday, June 15, 2004 Day 93, 17.4 miles (Rausch Gap to PA Hwy 501)I left Rausch Gap Shelter at 6:50am and got to the 501 Shelter at 4:00pm. My gut is in much better shape today. The weather today was hot and muggy, but at least there was no rain. The walking was easy most of the way, and we even got to see a few decent views. I saw a deer, a turtle, and several chipmunks. I crossed several highways today: PA 443 near Green Point, PA 72 at Swatara Gap, I-81, and PA 501 near Pine Grove, PA. It did rain last night. The Rausch shelter walls were built of stone half way up. Condensation had formed on the stone walls, and I made sure not to touch the them especially with my sleeping bag. The 501 Shelter is closed in, holds 12, has a Sun Roof (hexagon about 10¢ to 12¢ across), a table, and pizza delivery. The caretaker¢s house is right next door. This place has a cold shower and running water. It¢s a long day tomorrow into Port Clinton. I need to get: Batteries for my headlamp, alcohol for stove, my Mail-drop on Thursday   Who¢s here at 501: Easy Duzit, Just Do It, Bean and his dog Root, NY Mule, Chigger, and Zack.
Date: 2004-06-16
From: 501 shelter

To: Port Clinton, PA
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: broken clouds

Wednesday, June 16, 2004 Day 94, 23.7 miles (PA Hwy 501 to Port Clinton, PA)   Just Do It and I got up early, but Just Do It¢s knee was bothering him again. I was on the trail at 6:05am, and my goal is Port Clinton. Just Do It says he is only going to Eagles Nest Shelter. I arrived in Port Clinton at 5:30 pm. Walking was easy, but 24 miles is 24 miles, so I was pretty tired when I got to the Pavilion, 1/2 mile off the trail in Pt. Clinton.Who¢s here: Easy Duzit, Wildcat, Chigger, Death by Cotton, Nutty, Ilad (from Israel), Zack, NY Mule, PA Mule, Bag of tricks (trail angel)Bean and Root were here, but he¢s meeting his wife taking some time off.It was a very long and steep descent into Port Clinton. It looked like someone had ridden a bike down the trail. They had to be crazy. This particular stretch of trail can best be described as boring. There is not much in Port Clinton. There¢s no grocery store. The Food Lion is 6 miles away in Hamburg, PA. There¢s also big outfitter in Hamburg called Cabela¢s. Fred, the caretaker, said he would be by in the morning to take us to the store. PA Hwy 61 runs right by the Pavilion, and man does it have the traffic. Hope the noise doesn¢t keep me awake.