morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-06-19
From: Big Meadows Campgrounds

To: Byrds Nest Shelter
Miles today: 16.9

Hello,    Left Big Meadows Campground around 10 this morning after a big breakfast. About a mile down the trail I saw 2 bears about 75-100 ft off the trail so I stopped and got some pics. Then hiked to Skyland for lunch and waited for the rain to quit, then onto the shelter we went.     There's this Australian woman on the trail I met about a month ago. Tough as nails, she was hiking with a broken rib and a 50 lb pack. Yesterday I had a tentsite at the campground and could share it with 6 other hikers. So as they came in I told them they could tent there. Then Aussie woman shows up with blood running down her face. She tripped and hit her head against a stone and left a 4 " gash. Two of the other hikers brought her pack in. So this morning 3 of the hikers shaved her around the wound and while one pushed it together another applied super glue, worked like a charm and looked pretty good . She went hiking again today. We tried talking her into getting rid of stuff in her pack to make it lighter but she is stubborn. I guess we will see how it works.
Date: 2018-06-20
From: Byrds Nest Shelter

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: broken clouds

Hello again from the AT,    Got an early start and made it to the Wayside for lunch by 12:15. Was hoping to beat the rain, but nope 1 1/2 miles to go yet. It really poured and I just skip the rain suits as I'm soaked with sweat anyway. It kept raining most of afternoon. By mid afternoon there were 15 hikers under the roof of a lean-to eating and visiting till 5 when the rain quit. Lol there was a mad rush and everybody was going. We hiked 6.5 miles to a shelter and made it just before it started raining again. Just a few nice thunder showers moving through. Hope it cools off tomorrow.     The waysides are little stores along the parkway that have food and camping supplies. It is nice to be able to have real food for a change.     I saw a mama bear with 2 cubs today, I couldn't get a picture. The lil' cubs were so cute. While we were eating at the hut tonite one of the guys said look at that copperhead. Right behind us about 6-7' a 2 1/2' copperhead crawled out of the fire pit. Got some pics and we got the trekking poles and pitched it down in the woods. That's all of the excitement on the trail for today.
Date: 2018-06-21
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Jim & Molly Denton Shelter
Miles today: 18.5

Hi everyone,     Another day on the trail. Walked out of the Shenandoah today and heading to Harpers Ferry. Did 18.5 miles and was planning on doing another 5 but had a 1000' climb at the end so decided to tent at Jim and Molly Denton Shelter.     Saw a big rattlesnake today, 3.5-4' Long and almost as thick as my forearm. It had between 10-12 rattles.     No rain for a change but feels like it's going to. Be nice to have some cooler weather.      Met up with Pensioner at the shelter this evening. I've seen him on and off last 2-3 weeks. He's is 62 yrs old. He's hiked a total of 5200' miles in the last 3 yrs. Hopefully get to hike with him in the future. We do almost the same miles. That's it for today.
Date: 2018-06-22
From: Jim & Molly Denton Shelter

To: Rod Hollow Shelter 
Miles today: 18.5

Hello from trail,     Well it was a rainy night and never quit the next day. I just wrapped up my gear and started hiking. I got to my first hill and oh my word, the trail was a river and there were lakes in the flat areas some ankle deep. Finally you just hiked through. A miserable mess. When I got to the shelter I went to the spring pulled off my shoes and washed them and my hiking pants. Absolutely a mess. Oh yeah rained all day. There were approximately 25 people at the shelter. We piled 16 in the shelter and the rest tented. It was one of the most miserable days so far, or I just forgot how miserable it actually is. They have a saying on the trail EMBRACE THE SUCK! And today was it.      Well not much else to say about today. Just met some new people at the shelter again. Tomorrow we enter a 13.5 mile stretch called the roller coaster, they only have a narrow corridor so the trails go up the hills and down without switchbacks. Sounds interesting. We will see what happens.
Date: 2018-06-23
From: Rod Hollow Shelter 

To: Hostel
Miles today: 10.2

Hello from the trail,    Well today I hit the roller coaster and what a ride, especially after the 24 hr downpour. Mud and water everywhere and slippery downhills. The roller coaster is 13.5 miles long, if I remember correctly there are 6 or 7 climbs in the stretch with a few flat areas on top. After 10 miles of doing that with wet shoes and muddy, stinky clothes I said I give up and stopped at Bears Den Hostel. It was a rough 2 days physically and emotionally.     Bears Den is run by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. Just a huge beautiful old stone mansion. For $30 you get a bunk, a soda, shower and a large pizza. I met Abel there and we decided to go to the Horseshoe Curve restaurant for their all you can eat firemen¢s bbq fund raiser. Wow we really participated. Hey I saved the pizza for breakfast.     After hiking a thousand miles I¢m starting to experience some emotions I can¢t explain. Today I saw a couple with a little 2 yr old camping so I stopped and chatted with them and the lil girl just looked at me and I had a complete breakdown I just went over and held the little girl for awhile. It¢s just weird and thought it was just me till I started talking with other hikers and they just break down and cry.  They say they just can¢t help it, so I¢m not the only guy experiencing it. You get tears at just the weirdest things. I¢m starting to think it¢s about being so focused and trying to survive with all the wet weeather. I was walking down the trail and a hiker was just sitting there you could see he was having a hard time. So you just stop and talk try to encourage them. It¢s weirdest thing I¢ve ever experienced. The longer we hike the tighter knit we come. We keep trying to put one foot in front of each other.
Date: 2018-06-25
From: Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry 
Miles today: 20.4

Good day all,    This morning I left the hostel around 7:30 heading for Harpers Ferry, WV. Yesterday I hiked over the 1000 mile marker and into West Virginia. Glad to be done with Virginia, the green tunnel we call it, no views  just surrounded by trees. It does get old.  Next state is Maryland then into Pennsylvania. Next 500 miles is really flat till we get to Vermont. I¢m excited to get to the White Mountains in New  Hampshire. To walk 1000 miles just seems really amazing, but it was the mode of travel in yrs past. It keeps you in shape, I lost approximately 20#, I feel good, I actually ran the first half mile down the mountain going into Harpers Ferry.      My plans as of now are to go home for a week tomorrow evening on the Amtrak. It¢s going to be tough to leave the trail with all my friends going on up the trail. It will also be wonderful to see family again as it¢s been almost 3 months without seeing them. It seems like a long time.     Harpers Ferry is an interesting town with a lot of history. The town played an important part in the civil war as they used to make guns for the United States. It exchanged between north and south several times during the war, as it was a valuable asset do to its location on the Potomac and Shenandoah river, also with the trains going thru. They have lots of old buildings in the downtown area to tour.
Date: 2018-06-30
From: Harpers Ferry 

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

hi y¢all from the home sweet home   I¢m running a bit behind on my journal which should be normal as I¢m eating and sleeping at home for a change. I left Harpers Ferry Monday evening on the Amtrak and arrived in Alliance, Ohio train station or rather platform on Tuesday morning at 3 am. My nephew was supposed to pick me up but over slept and didn¢t pick me up till 5:45. I just laid down on the concrete and covered myself with the sleeping bag and slept. I kinda felt like a homeless person lol.     It is great to catch up with the family and jobs at work. Also really enjoyed Jonathon and Bethany¢s wedding on Friday. Met some friends at the wedding too. A lot of people are giving me words of encouragement to finish which is greatly appreciated.    Just a little update on few things: Lost 25 lbs.Harpers Ferry is not quite halfway.Yes I missed the family.I¢m afraid I¢ll lose my trail legs if I stay home any longer.It will be tough to get on the trail in this heat.The terrain will be flatter next couple of hundred miles.I haven¢t set a date to summit mount katadhin as of yet.Oh and I miss my singing youth groups a lot and can¢t wait to start again. You guys are awesome!Hoping to leave on Amtrak early Tuesday morning and be in Harpers Ferry by noon and on the trail that afternoon.Keep checking back next week for more updates on the journal.
Date: 2018-07-03
From: Harpers Ferry 

To: Stealth Site
Miles today: 5.2

Hello, I'm back again     Well it's time to get back on my journey north to Maine.    It definitely was nice to come home and enjoy the many luxuries we have and don't even think about it. It was nice to go to church again, but it was a short week as we were busy trying to see kids, grandkids and parents plus some work related days.     My son Steven took me to alliance train station, well more like a platform on Monday evening around 10. Train wasn't due till 3 am and I didn't want to inconvenience anyone at that early hour. Train was 2 hrs late, so I took a few catnaps between the trains going thru. Finally got some decent sleep after boarding.      David Miller and family from Goshen, IN were on the train and were getting off at Harpers Ferry to spend a couple of days doing day hikes and some biking.they have some nice biking trails in the area. David is a buggy maker and also makes the fiberglass frames for buggies. Had a nice chat with him and his wife.      Finally arrived in Harpers Ferry 3-4 hrs late. They had speed restrictions on the rails due to the extreme heat and the amount of trains on the tracks. Ate dinner and relaxed till 5:30 before heading out of town. WOW! And the heat was unreal even at 5:30, 95 degrees and the heat index was 105. My legs were doing great but the rest of the body was yelling at me, don't do it. Took 3 hrs to do 5 miles and get up on top. It should be better tomorrow.     Talked to a couple of hikers about jumping ahead to Rutland, Vermont and do the northern qtr to get out of the heat. I would probably come home after that and finish remainder during fall and early winter months, doing a week to 10 days at a time, as it would be nice to hike some of it with changing of the leaves, especially lower Vermont. It would be relatively easy to access the trail via Amtrak anywhere along the northeast corridor.       My strategy to beat the heat is to do 10-12 miles till lunchtime, take a break do 4-5 more then hole up somewhere for 2-3 hrs sleeping and eating till 5:30-6 and then go another 5-6 miles. Ok everyone stay cool.
Date: 2018-07-04
From: Stealth Site

To: Dalgrens Campsite
Miles today: 12.2

Hello everyone,      Well I'm done with WV and might be able to hike out of Maryland tomorrow and into Pennsylvania. It was a brutal this morning with the humidity but the trail was decent and I had 12 miles done by 12:30 so I stopped at Dahlgrens campground for lunch. When I got there they had a nice little buildings with toilets and hot showers, it was amazing after being totally soaked with sweat, my hiking pants were even totally soaked and could wring them out. I was planning on resting till 3 or 4 and hike on for another 9 miles but never made it out as thunderstorms moved in and rained till 7:30. I just sat there and ate and visited with other hikers. Hey at least my new shoes are still dry after only the 2nd day of use. I get excited about small things like that. They say cooler weather by the weekend which would a sweet relief.    The trail in Maryland was fairly flat with some minor ups and downs with some rocky sections.      I passed thru Gathland state park today and stopped to read some of the signs which told the story about some of the battles during the civil war in the area, very interesting. I would love to do a trip through the south to visit some of the battlefields. It's only been 150 yrs ago. It's really hard to imagine how they moved troops through the mountains with artillery and how they positioned troops as I walk along the ridges and valleys.      Hikers talk about a lot of things in the evenings. They talk about life and almost any subject you can imagine. An interesting subject came up the other evening during at the pizza place. They encourage no trace out on the trail. What you carry in you also carry out. Also going to the bathroom you have to dig a hole 6-8" deep to do your business and then cover it up. One of the hikers said it's in the Bible and there was a scramble for the phones to look it up. Dueteronomy 23:13 so there's part of your reading devotions for you.
Date: 2018-07-05
From: Dalgrens campsite

To: Pen Mar state park
Miles today: 23.5

hi y¢all,     I¢m still loving Dalgrens Campsite, because I took another shower this morning. I left around 6:15 am and hike to Washington¢s monument, which was the first one they built and the better known one which was built later in Washington DC.      The trail was really nice and flat with some ups n downs thrown in and some of those miserable boulder fields, which is nothing but rocks and boulders. The last 3-4 miles going into Pen Mar state park was just miserable especially at the end of a 23 mile hike. At least it was a couple of degrees cooler than yesterday. I met a hiker (mountain dew) yesterday and this morning I caught up with her and hiked with her till lunchtime. She¢s from England and her work was to go through trade agreements with 3rd world countries to make sure they were in compliance. She just a stressful environment and had to get out. So interesting the kind of people you meet out here.    Today¢s hike ended at Pen Mar State Park. The reason was pizza, they deliver pizza up to the park from waynesboro, pa. I was excited after the long day. As I sat down to eat a local couple walked over, they were Levi Hess and his wife and son. We chatted about 15 mins, he¢s a dairy farmer from 2 miles down the road. Oh not sposed to camp here as the park closes at 6pm but the trail comes in the back so hikers have a tendency to wait till it closes then they set up in the back. I¢m the only one here tnite and I¢m sleeping in a large pavilion overlooking a big valley and Waynesboro. Looks like rain moving in tonight so I should be dry again. Dry feet are happy feet. Also I¢m .3 miles away from the Pa line or what they call the Mason Dixon Line. Let¢s see what happens tomorrow
Date: 2018-07-06
To: Stealth Site
Miles today: 12.2

Hello,     Well I had some exciting events unfold last eve and ended a little after lunchtime today. About a mile before the park last evening I stopped to call the pizza place to order food so when I arrived, the food would be there shortly. Anyway I thought I would put this on my credit card and when I pulled my billfold out, whoops no card! Well it was a cash evening which was fine but my card was gone. By that time the restaurant was closed where I used it last. Now I have to wait till 11 am when they open in the morning. It was kinda a light rain so it was good. At 11 I called the restaurant they didn't have my card. So I spent 2-3 hrs canceling cards and setting up new cards. Finally started hiking at 1:15 and ended up hiking with Fable and story. Ended up doing 12.2 miles.......should of done more but need sleep as I didn't fall asleep till 3:30 this morn. Must of been that pizza and the 2 liter of coke......but it was good and at 3 this morning I ate the last 2 slices . Anyway I'm out gotta get sleep.
Date: 2018-07-07
From: Stealth Site

To: Tons Run Shelter
Miles today: 22.2

Hi all,    The trails came alive with thru hikers today. Met some new ppl today. Everybody was thinking the same thing I was that either ppl dropped off or we are the tail end of ppl heading north. Big Red, rogue cartographer, Lupine and Alicia.      Got into the shelter at a decent time so we build a fire and had a great visit, just an awesome evening.      Hiked 22 miles today and crossed Rt 30 just before I entered Caledonia State Park.     Tomorrow the plan is to travel thru pine grove and there they have the half gallon ice cream challenge. If you eat it all it free otherwise it costs you $10. I should be there at 8 in the morning and I¢m not sure if I¢m up to the challenge that early even though it¢s 3 am while I¢m doing the journal. I¢m so hungry I can¢t sleep and I have no snacks so I have to cook something. If the trail wouldn¢t be so rocky I¢d just get up and hike. Oh well guess I¢ll eat an oatmeal packet. Well that¢s it I¢ll let you know about the challenge if I do it.
Date: 2018-07-08
From: Tom's Run

To: Taggs Run
Miles today: 10.9

Hello from the at     Well I tried, prevailed and conquered the half gallon ice cream challenge for breakfast at Pine Grove General Store and a western wrap. It took some time. My choice was moose tracks by Hershey's, which is 1.5 gals and then they give a cup for the remainder and that choice was raspberry swirl something. I didn't move for awhile and the plan was not to do a lot of miles anyway right after ice cream and my right knee was hurting from pushing day before, as I did those miles in 11.5 hrs with 2.5 hrs of breaks.     I did only 10.9 today and am planning on big day tomorrow and Tuesday and back off on Wednesday and Thursday. Trying to condition for endurance as by Friday or Saturday we will be in the rocks for 2 or 3 days, a wickedly brutal stretch.     I saw 3 other hikers do the challenge too and one was just a little thing. 5.2 and thin as a rail. It took awhile but she did it, lol.
Date: 2018-07-09
To: Darlington Shelter 
Miles today: 16.2

Hi all,   Guess I'm hiking with a new group again just don't have all the names down yet. Tuffy, big red, story and fable.     I started hiking around 5.45 and did 12 miles into boiling springs. Had lunch and picked up some snacks and rested for 2 hrs. At 2, I started again and did 14.2 miles to shelter and am tenting at the darlington shelter. Got here at 8:45 and oh my feet hurt but not as bad as they have in the past.      Tomorrow I'll be Duncannon by mid morning and pick up some resupply and head back out. From the reports ive been hearing it's gonna be a rough 20 miles as it's lots of boulder fields. Been talking with Whichway and he said it's brutal as his wife fractured several bones in her foot and will be off for 6 weeks . I guess we will see.     The trail went through a lot of farmland today, saw ppl making hay and harvesting barley. It was nice for a change.
Date: 2018-07-10
From: Darlington Shelter 

To: Clark's Ferry Shelter
Miles today: 25.6
Weather: clear sky

Hi everyone,     Well it looks like we are out of the open fields and back into the mountains and rocky at that. It's going to be some slower hiking next 100 miles and yes I'm still hurting from big day yesterday.      The town we got to was Boiling Springs and the trail goes right thru town, guess they want us to stop.     Jerry came down today as they only live 45 mins from here and picked me up and went to the trailhead with snacks and Gatorade for the hikers. Ben and Jerry are off the trail now. We had met them at Beech Gap when Marion and Robert were along and I hiked with them for 2 weeks.     I'm tenting at Clark's Ferry Shelter with Magic, Big Red, Gazelle, Dan, Fable, and Story. Ok I'm out.
Date: 2018-07-11
From: Clark's Ferry Shelter

To: Tentsite
Miles today: 24.4

Hello from the AT     Today I hiked from Clark's Ferry Shelter to a tentsite by a beautiful large stream and have my tent set up next to it. I love hearing streams cascading over the rocks.    The trail today was not as bad as what they were saying but it was still miserable with some ups and downs with a few boulder scrambles on the top and some flat areas. The first 17 miles were like that and what didn't have boulders it was course gravel with an occasional rock thrown in and it just kills your feet. It feels like a half a dozen hammers on each foot pounding for hours and every step a new spot. It's like the worst foot massage ever!    The weather was very pleasant with a nice breeze on the ridges.      Hiked by myself today and hope to meet up with Nick and 2 steps and camp with them tomorrow eve. Well that's all I'm really tired and my feet ache.
Date: 2018-07-12
From: Tentsite

To: 501 shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: broken clouds

Hi everyone.     I hiked 17.5 miles to the 501 shelter. This shelter has a shower which got me excited since it's been at least a week since I've showered. So I grabbed my stuff and went to check it out. It was a wooden 4 by 4 frame with 2 barrels on top with a hose from the house going into the barrels. Now on the inside there's a hose coming down with a nozzle. No towels, I'm using my bandanna as a washcloth. Oh boy ai du yammer yay was it cold!!     I've been trying to catch up with Nick and 2 Steps and finally did so around lunchtime. A great reunion it was. Nick and I shared a room several weeks ago when we were waiting out the rain and 2 steps and I met in Georgia. We hiked to the shelter and Nick ordered pizza as they deliver to this shelter. Later as we sat around the campfire 2 guys walk in and informed us that they will be doing trail magic for breakfast. That got everybody excited. Well that's it for now