morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-06-12
From: Peters Mountain Shelter

To: PA Route 443
Miles today: 22.6

Well so much for a peaceful night in the shelter. At 8:00 pm everyone was asleep. Shortly thereafter a group of young hikers came in and everyone got woken up. There was a fair amount of snoring which is part of shelter life and one of the reasons I rarely go into shelters and why most thru hikers carry ear plugs. They are well worth the small weight penalty. Today people started packing up as early as 4:00 am to get ready for a long hike to the next closest shelter some 19 miles away. I know some of the young hikers thought the early start was payback but it wasn¢t because I heard the early risers planning to leave at that time the night before. Papa Dale and I got up and left at out normal time. After a 19 mile hike we arrived at Rausch Gap Shelter. As we expected there was a large crowd and so we wanted to move further down the trail. Later while hiking, we met a local guy named Troy, who was out walking his huskies. He offered to walk with us to the trailhead and give us a ride to town. Hmmm. We weren¢t planning to go to town but a crowded shelter and the high probability of storms made it an easy decision for us. As they say, "The trail provides." The longer I am out here the more comfortable I get with that axiom. I appreciate the support on my guest book. I normally don¢t respond because it isn¢t possible from my cell phone but I do appreciate the support. But I want to give a couple of quick shout outs. Shawn - It was great hiking with you. You definitely have my vote for the strongest section hiker we have encountered. TJ - Good to hear from you. I wanted to take this hike since I was a youngster but one of the things the kept my desire burning was when I read Sylvia¢s copy of "A Walk in the Woods" on the houseboat. Your note reminded me of that.  Tom B - Still working on the beard!  Today we dropped into triple digits remaining. That¢s right only 996 miles to go!
Date: 2018-06-13
From: PA Route 443

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Ring Ring, Ring Ring. I was hoping it would be storming out so I could sleep in a while. No such luck, but it did rain overnight so the hotel was still a good idea. We could see rain on the mountaintop where we would begin our hike. So back out into the elements we would go. But first we had to find a way back to the trail head. Several people asked us about being thru hikers at breakfast so I thought one of them might offer to give us a ride, not this time. It looked like we would be hitch hiking again. But first PaPa Dale wanted to buy some snacks at the Speedway. While he was inside, I Yogied a ride from a local. That¢s right on the trail when we need something, we are like Yogi Bear. (We beg politely to get something while trying not to get caught by the Ranger) Ok, well some of you are old enough to remember.   The trail was unremarkable as far as sightseeing was concerned because it was fogged in and raining. This stretch of trail is less challenging because there is less change in elevation. And in general there is less to see. But there are lots of rock scrambles which can be fun. But today I was cautious because rain + rocks = slippery rocks. So we methodically made our way to the 501 Shelter by mid-afternoon and decided to stay. More storms were predicted. It was a shorter day than we hoped for but it was nice to get inside. 501 is one of the few enclosed shelters and is close to a road, so you guessed it we ordered pizza for dinner. The rain didn¢t arrive yet but it certainly is good to have the wet shoes off. Tomorrow we were planning to go to a hostel that provides transportation to the Yuengling Brewery but we have elected to go the 24 miles into Hamberg because they have a Cabelas and PaPa Dale needs new shoes.
Date: 2018-06-14
From: 501 Shelter

To: Stealth Site 1214.9
Miles today: 20.1

Well it¢s time for us to have that conversation that makes us all uncomfortable. At some point you know it needs to be said; no, not that conversion. It's the one about the Pennsylvania rocks. For some reason Pennsylvania was endowed with more than its fair share of rocks. It starts when you cross into Pennsylvania but doesn¢t get really bad until you reach the 501 Shelter. That¢s where we stayed last night. Pennsylvania has lived up to its reputation. The rocks are sharp and beat up your feet. I enjoy the boulder scrambles where you get to choose your path and make your way across the rock fields. However, the small sharp rocks beat up your feet, knees and ankles. That¢s the reason hikers call Pennsylvania, "Rocksylvania." We originally hoped to make it 24 miles into town but decided to stealth camp about four miles outside of town and hike in for an early breakfast. Other than the rocks, the trail was uneventful today. The weather was pleasant. I will say that the trail maintenance has been spectacular so far and it is done entirely by the volunteers of the 14 trail clubs along the A T. So it¢s hard to complain, but today¢s stretch was more overgrown and had lots of deadfall trees across the trail that had been there for quite a long time. Hopefully, it¢s just this short stretch. It was great to be outside on such a beautiful day. Falling to sleep to the pleasant sound of birds chirping.
Date: 2018-06-15
From: Stealth Site 1214.9

To: Stealth Site 1223.5
Miles today: 8.6

We were up by 5 am but didn¢t leave camp until 6:30. We only had 4 miles to town and I thought we would eat breakfast there so I only ate two Pop Tarts for breakfast. This is half of the normal amount. The descent into town was steep. I fell way behind. My knee was really talking to me. When we arrived in town, No Filter aka Papa Dale wanted to go straight to Cabelas in Hamburg. He needed new shoes badly and after all, it is the largest Cabela store so he called Cabalas for a shuttle. Urge. No breakfast for us yet. The shuttle picked us up and we bought gas for our stoves, he purchased shoes and I splurged on some Mountain House freeze dried meals. I have been feeling run down lately so I wanted more nutrients. Cabalas let us charge our electronics and they watched our gear while we shopped. We wandered over to a nearby Red Robin for lunch. We resupplied at Walmart and went back to Cabelas for a complimentary ride back to the trail head. I forgot to buy coffee. I really like to have my coffee in the mornings. All in all it was a good day but we still needed to hike out to camp. Our packs were topped off and heavy. As you will recall from an earlier post, town is just a four letter word for full pack and a steep climb back up to the mountain top and my knees were still angry from the morning. Two short hikes in one day did not feel very restful to me. I really wanted a day off. Despite the mental challenges of the day, the camp was peaceful and no hikers passed by. The Mountain House dinner was good and the mosquitoes that are swarming outside the netting of my tent can¢t get to me. All in all it was another great day on the trail and I am looking forward to a good day of hiking tomorrow.
Date: 2018-06-16
From: Stealth Site 1223.5

To: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: clear sky

Tenderfoot is the first rank in Boy Scouts. I was a Tenderfoot when I was around 11 years old. I was a tenderfoot again after another day on the rocks in Pennsylvania. They were brutal on my feet. Today the Keystone State finally gave up some really good views. Each of them were stunning and a strong reminder of how rewarding the trail can be. Pulpit Rock, The Pinnacle and Dans Pulpit all gave us magnificent views of the valley below and the rolling farmlands of Pennsylvania. For a while each of the views took my mind off of the beating my feet were taking as we went back and forth between large boulder fields and the trail covered with sharp jagged rocks. We were out of water when we reached the shelter area where we intended to camp. The campsite was full of Boy Scouts. Most of them looked like they were new to scouting. Perhaps they were Tenderfoots. (Ok. I couldn¢t help myself.) Anyway since we were out of water and the closest spring was .3 mile down the trail it would be over 1/2 mile to go get water and return so we decided to push on and let the scouts enjoy the campsite. However, after we retrieved water we realized there wouldn¢t be a suitable camp site for at least 2 more miles. So we went back up the trail to camp with the boy scouts. As we arrived the scoutmaster approached us and offered us a large dinner. We were so very tired and really appreciated it. Their food was way better than what we had in our food bags. Trail magic! As former scouts, Papa Dale and I enjoyed telling them about our hike. Thanks to Troop 72 from Fogelsville, PA for the awesome dinner. We made sure to let our hiker friends who passed by the campground know what they missed.
Date: 2018-06-17
From: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter

To: Palmerton, PA
Miles today: 17.7

We were up early and on the trail just after 6 am. It was going to be in the 90's with a heat index over 100. So we wanted to get as many miles covered as we could before the heat hit. I was impressed that the Boy Scout Troop was almost packed up as early as we were. The other thru hikers were still sound asleep. We went past a SOBO (south bound) hiker who told us that we would be going across three long rock scrambles including the Knife's Edge. The Knife's Edge is a two hundred yard long rock formation that makes a narrow ledge that the trail goes along. It immediately grabbed my attention because I don¢t like heights. It was a blast to climb. Yes, it felt more like rock climbing than hiking so I put away my poles and enjoyed the adventure. The scenery was spectacular, so much so that we decided to have a snack on top. For me it was definitely the highlight of the day. Later we maneuvered through another good rock climb. We pasted Baked Oven Knob which offered a beautiful panoramic view of the mountain range ahead of us. A young man was on his knee proposing to his girlfriend as we walked past. When we arrived at the shelter area where we had planned to camp we realized we were only two miles away from Palmerton, so off we went for a warm dinner and a hot shower.
Date: 2018-06-18
From: Palmerton, PA

To: Palmerton, PA
Miles today: 0.0

We decided to take a zero day and regroup while in Palmerton. The heat index is over 100 which really zaps your energy. Our next stretch of trail is through Lehigh Gap which is a steep and rocky climb and my feet were still sore when I woke up. The trail guide says that it is nearly 30 miles to the next good water source. So with full food bags, sore knees, extra water to carry and the heat, we decided a day of rest was definitely in order. I spent the day resting, resupplying and catching up on my journal. I think this is our first zero day since Harpers Ferry, 250 miles ago. The rest will serve me well.
Date: 2018-06-19
From: Palmerton, PA

To: Leroy A. Smith Shelter 
Miles today: 15.8

I felt better after our zero day. My legs felt a bit stronger. It was a good thing too. The climb out of Lehigh Gap was very steep and required rock climbing with long reaches. It was a blast but a bit scary at the same time. It took over an hour to go the first mile. They tell me this is a great warm up for the Whites. I can¢t wait. When we reached the top we passed through an EPA superfund site where they are trying to reestablish foliage after a Zink mining operation. I couldn¢t really tell much difference from the rest of the land so hopefully their efforts are paying off. Later we passed through a meadow were we saw the first wild blueberries of the year. They were awesome. We eventually made our way to camp. We had to carry enough water for the full day because there were no reliable waster sources between town and camp. Then when we arrived at camp we had a .4 mile hike down a steep incline to refill out water bottles. I don¢t want to make that trip again so I am rationing water tonight. It¢s over 12 miles to the first water source again in the morning.
Date: 2018-06-20
From: Leroy A. Smith Shelter 

To: Delaware Water Gap Church Hostel
Miles today: 20.1

We left camp around 6:30. Almost everyone else was still in their tents. The first 6 miles went by fairly easily. We arrived at Wind Gap and found it was a steep climb of about 500 feet. Although the climb was steep it was the ever present rocks that wore me down. We stopped for an early lunch to recharge our energy. I made two extra strong coffees to ignite a spark. It helped but the rocks still made my feet and knees sore. We had a few nice boulder scrambles along the peaks. They offered a few good views of the wooded valleys below. However, none were as spectacular as we have seen over recent days. It was a long boulder scramble down into Delaware Water Gap. When we arrived we went to the Outfitter for equipment repairs and then to the hostel. The bunks were full so we took advantage of the grass where they allow hikers to camp. We walked to a nice restaurant for dinner and then returned to the hostel. Almost everyone from our small bubble is here. Tomorrow we reach New Jersey. I understand that the rocks continue a short distance into New Jersey but at least the end is near. Happy Birthday wishes to my daughter!
Date: 2018-06-21
From: Delaware Water Gap Church Hostel

To: Stealth Camp Crater Lake
Miles today: 19.7

We walked out of town and across the Delaware River on the I 80 bridge that has a pedestrian lane. About half way across is a sign painted on the ground indicating we were in New Jersey. I have seen several pictures of this but for some reason I wasn¢t thinking about it and didn¢t expect to get out of Pennsylvania so quickly today. I was ecstatic! I was actually pumping my fist in the air as I walked. I was ready to get away from the Pennsylvania rocks. However, somehow the rocks didn¢t end right at the state line. (Go figure.) Fortunately the trail was a bit gentler and the views were fantastic. In Pennsylvania we had some really great views but only at select overlooks. The trail here opens up much more frequently. The ridge line is miles apart from the next ridge so you can see miles across the wooded valley below. It was breathtaking. We passed back and forth with Wheat and Cannonball and the trail family that calls themselves the Doctors. Everyone stopped independently at the Mohican Outdoor Center for lunch which is nice facility. A guy from the city was out day hiking and he was in making a big commotion about seeing a bear that interrupted his hike. I chuckled to myself. What was he expecting? We would have loved to have seen the bear. On the wall of the center they had a picture that showed all the record holders that have set various records for completing the A T. I have heard about most of them. I wished I would have snapped a picture it was pretty cool
Date: 2018-06-22
From: Stealth Camp Crater Lake

To: Rutherford Shelter 
Miles today: 20.1

It was cool when I woke up, perfect weather for sleeping in but I wanted to make some miles. So I pulled the plug once again. No better way to motivate yourself to get moving than when the air rushes out of your mattress and you sink to the cold hard ground. We walked about .1 mile down the trail and saw Wheat and Cannonball camped along the side of the trail. It is amazing that they were so close and we didn¢t know it or hear them. Also it is surprising that they were still asleep because they usually are the only ones up as early as us. No Filter also know as PaPa Dale said, ¢morning sleepy heads" as we walked past. They didn¢t have their tent flies on so it was hilarious when they both popped up and watched us walk past. It seems like they like to stay ahead of us. We made good time to a road crossing where there was a bait and tackle store. We went in to try to find something to glue my shoes together. The sole is coming off after the Pennsylvania rocks punished them. I ordered new ones from my outfitter at home in Cincinnati. You can¢t always find what you want at the outfitters on the trail. I received a note that the new ones are in and customized to my request. Problem is my wife can¢t mail them to me until later next week. I'm not sure I can wait that long. So RRT offered to express mail them to me. Trail magic! I can¢t recommend these guys enough if you are in the Cincinnati area and need gear. We stopped and ordered lunch. I have been feeling run down for a while so I am trying to get town food at any opportunity. The only NOBO (north bound) to pass us today was Napoleon. That guy is amazing. He left Delaware Water Gap some time after dinner last night and was heading for Unionville NY. That¢s 52 Miles! After lunch we hiked until about 6 pm to Rutherford Shelter. It is back off the trail about .4 miles or so. No one else camped here except the Ridge runner. She is a thru hiker from the class of 2015. The register in the shelter had several comments about the Whiporwhill keeping people awake. Now I know why. It is right above us and very loud.
Date: 2018-06-23
From: Rutherford Shelter 

To: Pochuck Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: broken clouds

It was sprinkling when we woke up so we pulled our stuff into the nearby shelter to dry out and pack up. It was the first time that the shelter near us has been empty. We passed High Point State Park HQ which has an observation deck that offered a panoramic view. We turned around and there it was, a 220 ft obelisk towering off of the next mountain top signifying High Point, New Jersey, the highest point in the state. It resembles the Washington Monument. From there we went through rolling hills and pastures. They were beautiful. We also passed through some low land where the trail was essentially a board walk on top of a swamp. In Unionville, New York we stopped for lunch at a pizza restaurant and then a store to resupply. The town was very hiker friendly. We really enjoyed the hospitality. Once again we ran into a Boy Scout troop, which gave us an iced tea. We chatted with the scouts a while. We saw them again when they came into the same camp we were in for the evening. We arrived earlier than usual to our campsite which was nice to have some time to rest my feet which are still recovering from the PA rocks. Jets can be heard overhead. I assume they are coming out of Newark, NJ.
Date: 2018-06-24
From: Pochuck Mountain Shelter

To: Wildcat Shelter
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: overcast clouds

When we left the campsite I expected a fairly flat terrain. We had a big climb up to the camp the night before. Well I was wrong, no flat terrain, instead to get the day started we were greeted with a steep long climb. After a while we progressed to a large marsh. We crossed it on a boardwalk which then transitioned into a pair of two by eights laid side by side. They covered the marshy floor for nearly 6/10 of a mile. After completing the boardwalk, we stopped at a local barn that sold fresh produce, flowers and food. We decided to have a second breakfast there. From there we went up and down several large steep climbs which eventually brought us to the mountain tops and provided us with wonderful views. The one named "Stairway To Heaven" is especially notable. There was another one that was so steep we had to use rebar ladders to make our way up the mountain. This is the first time since Dragon's Tooth in Virginia that we were climbing on rebar. The water sources were rather murky and even after we filtered the water it provided a gray looking water. We chose not to drink it and so I started to feel a bit dehydrated as we progressed on down the trail. After about 20 miles we exited in Bellevue at the Belleview Farm and Creamy Whip. Thankfully, we were able to refill our water bottles and eat some wonderful ice cream. Two large thunderstorms rolled through while we were there so we waited them out and avoided getting wet again. Then we proceeding up the mountain in search of a stealth spot to camp. We quickly found a nice spot to camp but we wanted to make it farther up the trail to the next shelter in order to stage up for the next day, so we moved on. It turned out to be a big mistake. We had to go over two very large rock formations at the top of Virginia Mountain. It was still very slippery from the earlier rain and dark was upon us. I fell once and No Filter fell a couple of times. From there we still had about a mile to go and had to use our headlamps to make our way to the campsite. The shelter exit was extremely dark and the only way we could find the camp was to use the directional arrow on our GPS. We had to set up our tent in the dark in a light rain while trying not to disturb the other campers. We finally were all settled in around 10 PM. It was a really long, tough day. Well at least we made some good mileage today.
Date: 2018-06-25
From: Wildcat Shelter 1375.1

To: Tiaroti State Park 1391.1
Miles today: 16.0

After two rainy days we finally had absolutely beautiful weather. It was sunny in the mid-70s with a nice breeze which kept the mosquitoes away. We expected to have a relatively easy hike today. We hoped to do about 20 miles so that we would have a short day into Fort Montgomery on Wednesday. Instead, we quickly found a series of very steep climbs and descents. These were the kind that make your knees really sore. We were covering about half the miles that we would normally cover in an hour. It was a very, slow, hard progress. The water in New York has been a bit sketchy so we have been fortunate to find several gallons of water cashed at nearly every road crossing so we could refill. Eventually we made it past the lemon squeezer. This is an iconic obstacle on the AT. The name says it all. We eventually found our way to Tiarota State Park. We asked about camping and were told we could camp in the group campsite for a small fee. No filter and I are the only ones in camp. It is awesome. A beautiful evening to cap off a really, really, tough hiking day. Thanks to Ed and Deb of New Jersey for helping out today, we really appreciate the generosity.
Date: 2018-07-03
From: Limestone Spring Shelter

To: Glen Brook Shelter 
Miles today: 17.1

It¢s still very hot outside. In fact, it¢s so hot that the rocks are even sweating. I¢m not sure what type of rocks they are but they sweat and become very slippery. As I tried to call my wife while hiking I hit one and upped the fall score to Mountain 3 - Me 0. Back to the heat...it took its toll again as we only made 17 miles today. I hiked ahead with Irish and he is fast so I felt the effect as I hustled to keep pace. I have never been to this part of Connecticut. It is beautiful and more rugged than I anticipated. We had three large climbs. The last two were partially in the sun which added to the difficulty. The climbs were much steeper than we have had in some time. We climbed Bear Mountain (no not the same one as in NY) then Mt Race and then Mt Everett. Mt Everett is so steep that they had to place wooden steps on the long granite rock faces. Bear Mountain is the highest peak in Connecticut but the ledges on Mt Race offered some of the best views we have seen on the entire trip. The terrain shifted throughout the day which made the hike today interesting. I am camping in a pine forest next to a stream. A nice creek is rumbling nearby. I am enjoying the wonderful fragrance and peaceful sounds but not the mosquitoes.