morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-04-08
From: Rockfish Gap

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: moderate rain

The day started out chilly - when Stan was shuttling me to the trailhead we drove by the local bank  and the time/temperature clock read 22 degrees. There was snow on the trail in the AM, but it was gone by noon as it warmed up into the 40s. Sunshine all day. I entered the south end of Shenandoah National Park (SNP) today, and filled out the permit form which is attached to my pack. The shelter I am staying at, Blackrock Hut (they call shelters huts here in the SNP) is quite nice, a stone shelter, double decker, with a bear pole to hang our bear bags. A full shelter tonite, in addition to the 5 Young Guns and myself there are two SOBOs that are newlyweds (Spice and Shaker) that started in Massachusetts in the dead of winter. Ouch. As newlyweds no less.  They seem in great spirits, power to them! Also here at the shelter is Burger Feet, and a couple of folks that have hung their hammocks. A good group, folks are respectful of one another and there¢s good humor/camraderie. Everyone is experiencing the same thing on the trail, so we can all relate to the various adventures/misadventures we are going through.  A pretty easy trail today, not a lot of rocks/roots and even though we had about 5,000 ft of climbing elevation the grades were gradual. I did manage to fall twice early on in today¢s hike, as the rocks were icy and snow covered. I am fine, no injuries, they were soft landings. I am now up to 10 falls total, only one of which was a hard fall. yesterday¢s easy rest day at the hostel did wonders for my aches/pains from the previous day¢s falls, I felt great today. In response to the very nice trailjournals guest book entry from Julie (thank you), I have the following answers to the two questions you posed: 1. I am not familiar with the Conservation Trail, sorry. 2. PCT style means Pacific Crest Trail style. I would not do justice in describing, and would suggest you do a google search. There are several excellent youtube videos demonstrating this technique. The PCT method involves using a short stick (there are plenty of those around) and tying a clove hitch. This method does not require you to find that perfect horizontal branch about 15¢ up - that looks so good in the illustrations, but can be difficult to find at a camping spot. With very few exceptions bear canisters are not required along the AT. As I recall there were some relatively short sections in Georgia requiring canisters. In addition I¢d say about a third of the shelters along the trail so far have either steel bear boxes, cables or bear poles. Julie, you sound like an amazing person/athlete and I wish you the best. I am glad that the picture of Link proved to be inspirational. He has enjoyed his hikes with me in the Adirondacks, and I hope to get him up there this summer to climb a couple more high peaks. He is a tough kid and I think he has the makings of a real mountain man, if I can get him away long enough from his parents and two sisters, HaHa.I am safe, warm and dry in the shelter tonite. Goodnite.
Date: 2018-04-09
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Near Skyline Drive, AT Mile 907.3
Miles today: 23.6

Hey Mother Nature, is that all you¢ve got for the second week of April in Virginia?  Temps in the 20s overnite, a few inches of snow and totally overcast skies all day - that¢s it?  It¢s going to take a lot more than that to knock Opa and the 5 Young Guns off the trail. Come on Mother Nature, hit us with your best shot!I should know better than to talk smack to Mother Nature, but my prior pleadings for better weather fell on deaf ears so I¢m trying a different approach. As you can gather from the above, today was another winter day. It started snowing as soon as I hit the trail this AM at 5:15, and snowed all morning. Not heavy, but enough. And it was below freezing most of the day as my water bottles once again became slushies. It was also overcast all day, which meant zero views from the many fine outlooks in SNP that existed along the trail. Oh well, there¢s always tomorrow. My original goal for today was Hightop Hut, but I got there at 3:45 with plenty of daylight left so I decided to hike on for a few more miles. I am stealth camped in an area not far from one of the many AT crossings of Skyline Drive. I will have another long day tomorrow, the goal being to have a short Nero into Luray on Wed. I did pass the 900 mile mark today, another milestone. I saw no other NOBOs on the trail, not even any of the Young Guns who usually blow by me on the uphills. I suspect they are staying at Hightop Hut. I did cross paths with one SOBO (Cougar) who started last year on Katahdin and is headed to Springer. I also crossed paths with several dayhikers, and a group of four doing a week long section hike. At AT mile 891 I wanted to stop in to the Loft Mountain Campground camp store for a hot chocolate and to use the bathroom, only to find out that it doesn¢t open till May. Bummer. However a nice lady staying in an adjacent motel room with her friend saw me and said I could use their bathroom and give a charge to my phone. The ladies are former thru hikers, names Missing Kink and Pothole, and are active in ALDHA (I believe this stands for the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association). Thank you ladies for helping me out!I also hiked thru areas that were hit by the 70 mph windstorm that hit a few weeks ago, as evidenced by the  blowdown that had been freshly cut to clear the trail. A big Thanks to parks crews and volunteers for promptly dealing with the cleanup so that the trail is clear!I am safe, warm and dry in my tent tonite. Goodnite.
Date: 2018-04-11
From: Stealth campsite mile 931.2

To: US 211 Thornton Gap
Miles today: 11.9

Easy day today, low mileage and a nice trail. Nice views once again, I have certainly enjoyed my hike thru SNP!  I was on the summit of Mary¢s  Rock, mile 941.2, by 10. Great views. From there I had cell service, and coordinated with Alison (owner of Arm¢s Rest Hostel where I am spending the nite) for final details pertaining to shuttle service. She picked me up at 11:30 at US 11. Perfect timing. The usual at the hostel this afternoon:  shower, laundry, go thru my maildrop (thank you Kayanne), resupply shopping, etc. For dinner tonite I picked up a roasted chicken, some bread, mac salad and a tossed salad, and will eat here at the hostel. They have network TV here, so I will look forward to watching the news. Life is good. I did not see any other thru hikers today, but crossed paths with 5 dayhikers that were making the two mile climb up Mary¢s Rock as I was coming down. When I started my hike I expected that spring might catch me sometime in Virginia. I don¢t know if she¢ll make it, as I¢ve only got a few more days before I hit West Virginia. Mother Nature, you better hurry up. There is no foliage at all on the deciduous trees so far, nothing - especially at elevation. One benefit of not having any foliage is that it opens up the views. I also haven¢t seen any bears yet, which is disappointing as I¢ve heard they are numerous in SNP. There certainly are plenty of bear warning signs up. With the cold weather they are probably still curled up in their dens waiting for warmer temps. If I was a bear I guess I¢d do the same, HaHa! I have seen plenty of other wildlife, including: white tailed deer (they seem almost tame in SNP), rabbits, many squirrels, chipmunks, and of course field mice. At nite I also very often hear the howls of coyotes and the hoot of owls. Lots of birds as well. I am no naturalist, but there is one species of bird that suddenly takes flight from its hiding spot just as I am next to it, often giving me a start. Also here at the hostel are late arrivals Capt. Blackbeard and Mainer. They said they are totally exhausted, and are taking a ZERO tomorrow. Also here a s father/daughter team of flipfloppers, Farmer and Butter. Interestingly enough they are from a small town in Western NY, along the west side of Cayuga Lake. We are practically neighbors!A shout out to our nephew Matt, who turns 33 today. Happy Birthday big guy!I am safe, warm and dry in the hostel tonite. Goodnite.
Date: 2018-04-13
From: Tom Floyd Shelter

To: Rod Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 26.5
Weather: moderate rain

Spring it seems is here. A warm day today, in the eighties, and things are beginning to pop. Some of the smaller bushes have leafed out, particularly at lower elevations and on the southern and western exposures. Buds are swollen on the larger trees, and I suspect that with another couple warm days that they will begin to leaf out. Several different varieties of flowers are also in bloom along the trail. Beautiful!I drank a ton of water today with this heat. I never came close to running out, but I was filling a bottle(s) at every stream crossing. I am currently carrying 3 water bottles totaling 72 oz (two 20s and one 32), but have decided that at my next resupply in Harpers Ferry that I¢m going to replace one of the 20s with a 32. Running out of water is not my idea of a good time. I saw Shoemaker on the trail again today. He started at Springer on 02/18, eight days after me, so he is moving faster than I am. He is here at the shelter tonite in his hammock. There are also two section hikers here staying in their tents. So far I am the only one actually sleeping in the shelter. Speaking of shelters, on the advice of my friend and former thru hiker Reverend Yukon Jack (aka Sh_traker - but that is another story) I gave a wide berth to the Manassas Gap Shelter. I was walking past the side trail that leads to the shelter, but rather than risk it I avoided the shelter completely and stayed right on the main trail. I am very tired tonite after anither long day. Tomorrow I tackle the Roller Coaster, a 14 mile stretch of unrelenting steep ups and downs. I better get my beauty rest for that one!I am safe, warm and dry in the shelter tonite. Goodnite.
Date: 2018-04-14
From: Rod Hollow Shelter

To: David Lesser Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: light rain

Another beautiful warm and sunny day. Darn it, I do miss the Shenandoah waysides and those blackberry milkshakes. I will have to drop a note in the ATC suggestion box that they ought to strategically place some snack shacks along the trail. One at every shelter would be good. Beef on Wick and Blackberry Shakes, that¢s all the selection they would need. The infamous roller coaster was tough, but not as crazy tough as some folks would lead you to believe. Again staying hydrated and not running short on water was the bigger challenge. I did cross over into WV today. Four states down, ten to go. I also went past the 1,000 mile mark, Yippee!I still say that VA was far and away the toughest state for me so far, primarily because of the harsh winter weather and significant snowdepths that I experienced in the southern half of the state. The northern half of VA, especially thru SNP, was very pleasant and had great trails/views.  Anyway, on to WV!With the warmer temps the bugs are starting to come out. I¢ve applied DEET the last two days and will continue to do so with the warmer weather. My single biggest concern on my thru hike  is with ticks and Lyme Disease. I have to be diligent about checking myself over at nite for ticks. The problem is that the little buggers can be as small as a pinhead. Hard to find. On top of that the literature says to especially check warm and moist areas on your body. Yea, right - like I am a contortionist. And I am not about to ask strangers to check my warm and moist places!There were a ton of people out on the trail today, the vast majority of which were dayhikers enjoying the nice weather. A few section hikers as well out for a weekend backpack. I bet I crossed paths with at least 200 folks. I also passed a couple of boy scout troops out for a weekend backpack. I love to see that, the Boy Scouts are such a great organization - it¢s good to see young people out enjoying the outdoors, a lot better than having them sit in front of a tv/computer/gameboy. The shelter here tonite is full, and many of the campsites are filled with tents. A busy place. The shelter itself is quite nice and has a wooden deck with benches and separate pavilion with a picnic table for cooking. It was however a long hoof for water, and uphill both ways, HaHa. I am safe, warm and dry in the shelter tonite. Looking forward to a NERO in Harpers Ferry tomorrow, I only have about 10 miles to go to get to town. Goodnite.
Date: 2018-04-15
From: David Lesser Memorial Shelter

To: Harpers Ferry, WV
Miles today: 9.3

I woke at 2:45 this AM, couldn¢t get back to sleep, so rather than laying there in my sleeping bag I decided to pack up quietly and hit the trail. I was hiking by 3:45, and was in Harpers Ferry by 8. I am staying in what is called the ¢Lower Town¢, which appears to be the older, more historic part of town. HF was apparently a much fought over area between the North and the South during the Civil War. A lot of history here. I am thinking of Night Train while here, as he is a war history buff and I know he was looking forward to spending some time here. Wish you were here buddy!The ¢hostel¢ I am staying at is the Town¢s Inn, a historic building. The hostel bunks at this facility had all been reserved as a block by a group staying here, but the owner put me in a private room for $5 more. I can¢t complain about that. After checking in, showering and getting my laundry done- and taking a quick nap to catch up on my beauty sleep - I walked the half mile to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters building and signed in with them. I am NOBO no. 16 this year. From the ATC I hitched rides to the Walmart and back, where I did some resupply shopping. No problem getting rides, the first two folks I asked were glad to help and dropped me off door-to-door.  Wow! The maildrop that I sent to myself is at the local USPS office which is closed today (Sunday), so I had to wing it a bit. I am doing a better job gauging how much food to carry, as I arrived in HF with very little extra food in my bag. I will pick up my maildrop tomorrow at 8, reorganize and then get back on the trail. I enjoyed a rather low key day here in HF, got to make some calls/facetime with family, catch up on texts/emails, etc. After having temps in the 80s the past two days it has turned markedly colder here today with rain/thundershowers/winds approaching. Brrrr, I¢m glad to be inside today. One day off the trail, and already I¢m turning soft. HaHa. Again a big thank you to all those following along on my trailjournals posts, and continued thanks to those of you that have offered your kind comments, helpful suggestions and words of encouragement - they are all much appreciated. I am also so thankful to be able to make this hike. The good Lord has blessed me in so many ways, I¢m a lucky man. I am safe, warm and dry in the hostel tonite - and eagerly looking forward to being back on the trail tomorrow. Goodnite.
Date: 2018-04-17
From: Dahlgren Backpack Campground

To: Raven Rock Shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: clear sky

It never warmed up today as forecast, but stayed cold all day. Snow flurries off and on during the course of the day, but it did not stick. I tried drying out some wet socks again by hanging them off my pack again. Checked them about mid/morning and they were frozen. Freeze dried socks anyone?I was on the trail at 6:15, and arrived here at the shelter about 4:15. The next shelter would have had me arriving right at nightfall, which I didn¢t want to do. Maryland does not allow stealth camping, so I decided to call it an early day and stay tight here at Rock Raven. It is a brand new shelter, really nice. There are 8 of us here at the shelter. I came across quite a few more backpackers on the trail today, mostly section hikers, a couple of NOBOd like me, and several flipfloppers. Lots of flipfloppers start in the Harpers Ferry area about this time of year, some heading south and others north. Today I also met Flash and Footprint, they are NOBOs having started at Springer on 02/26 - which means they are really moving. Footprint is from the Czech Republic. I also met flipflopers Meg (from Canada) and Matt (from Australia), they have only been on the trail a couple days now. Also section hikers Achin, Trudger (from Rochester area) and Rock Dawg. Bangles and Johnny Walker are also here at the shelter. I stopped at Ensign Cowall Shelter, and was offered a slice of pizza by the threesome of Flash, Footprint and John Goodman. That pizza really hit the spot. A couple of difficult stream crossings towards the end of the day, requiring significant detours to get across.  The streams are high from all the rain yesterday. If it was warmer I would have considered wading across, but not today. I am safe, warm and dry in the shelter tonite. Goodnite.
Date: 2018-04-18
From: Raven Rock Shelter

To: Tentsite at Mile 1089.5
Miles today: 28.7

On the trail at 4:45. The day started out chilly (water bottles were slushies after a couple hours) but it warmed up by the afternoon.  Lots of sunshine, a nice day for hiking really. I crossed the Mason Dixon line early today, am now in Pennsylvania. That¢s 6 states down, 8 to go. PA has a bit of a bad reputation amongst thru hikers because of the rattlesnakes and all the rocks on the trail - predominantly in the eastern part of the state. The state is sometimes not so affectionately referred to by hikers as Rocksylvania. I will defer judgement until I see for myself how the trail is. As far as today was concerned, the trail was great and I was able to pound out the miles. Admittedly I am only about 20 miles into the state, we¢ll see how she goes. Like yesterday I again crossed paths with a number of hikers, either section hikers or flip floppers just starting out. I went by a group of four ladies, they are sisters, one of whom (Rainbow) is a flipflopper that started last week. The other sisters are along for a week to offer moral support. I also ran into Blue Stem who is completing his final 400 mile section, he has about a week to go. Congratulations Blue Stem. I also met Traveller, a flipflopper just starting out. He completed a thru hike in 2015 and is back for round 2. Traveller is from Stuttgart, Germany and we spoke briefly in German. I hadn¢t uttered but two sentences and he immediately knew that I was from Bavaria. We had a few laughs over my Bavarian dialect and apparent mispronunciations, HaHa. Tonight I am at a tentsite along the trail. Also camping here is a young man from Philadelphia, Matt, just out for an overnighter before starting a new job on Monday. We spoke for awhile around a campfire, a nice guy. Looking ahead I hope to be in Duncannon at the Doyle by Saturday, for a rendezvous with three of my Rochester hiking buddies who were doing an AT section hike in Virginia this week. I am safe, warm and dry in my tent tonite. Goodnite.
Date: 2018-04-19
From: Tentsite mile 1089.5

To: Tentsite mile 1114.7
Miles today: 25.2

It rained during the nite, but stopped before I broke camp. Laying in the tent at nite, listening to the sound of the rain hitting the tent, is in some ways I find to be very soothing. It rained most of the morning, and sections of the trail were a mess. There were very few drainage bars, so the trail was a stream/pond. Impossible to keep my feet dry, but hey, once they are soaking wet who cars- I can just wade through the water, the feet aren¢t going to get any wetter. In the afternoon it started to clear, but it was cold - occasionally sleet would make an appearance. Fortunately the trail was pretty easy (not a lot of rocks/roots, and modest climbs) so I was able to pound out more miles than at first I thought I would. My mileage the past couple days has not aligned with the shelter spacing, so I¢ve been camping at tentsites. Frankly when it¢s cold I¢d rather be in my tent anyways: I¢m completely shielded from the wind, and the tent is warmer than a shelter. I saw very few hikers on the trail. The only thru hiker I encountered was southbound flipflopper Mini HaHa, who started her hike at Delaware Water Gap. I was disappointed to find that the Pine Grove Campground General Store, home of the half gallon challenge, was not yet open for the season. Let me tell you, I was ready. As my family will attest, you are looking at a man who loves his ice cream. I buy my ice cream in Super Scooper pails. I¢ve been know to top a large bowl of ice cream with a couple of ice cream sandwiches as rabbit years. I¢ve also gotten a large custard cone at Abbott¢s, then gotten right back in line and ordered a second one. Ha, a half gallon would have been child¢s play. In all honesty it¢s probably a good thing they were closed, as I¢d have polished off that half gallon and probably come down with a bout of scheisserei because my system wouldn¢t have been used to the sudden infusion of ice cream. Don¢t need any scheisserei on the trail. Remember I wrote in my entry of a week or so ago, when we had those two warm days in Virginia just before Harpers Ferry, that it looked like spring was here? Well it seems like I¢ve outrun spring, because let me tell you there is nothing ready to leaf out here in PA. We need some warmer days Mother Nature!I did pass the official halfway point today in terms of mileage. Slowly but surely I¢m making my way north!I am looking forward to seeing some of my family soon as I make my way across PA and on into NJ and NY. First my sister Heidi and her family, then a few days later our some Eric and his family, and then a few days after that our daughter Amy and her family. Can¢t wait, it will be great seeing everyone!!!! Five grandkids in all:  Link, Lucy, Elena, Evelyn and Charlie. And one on the way, due in July. Grandkids are the best!I am safe, warm and dry in my tent tonite. Goodnite.
Date: 2018-04-20
From: Tent Site mile 1114.7

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: light rain

A nice day for hiking, lots of sunshine and dry trails. Much of today¢s hike took me thru farmland which provided a different perspective than always walking thru the woods. I enjoyed it, easy grades as well. I was on the trail at 5, and was in Boiling Springs shortly after 9. Spent some tome at the ATC Mid-Atlantic Regional Office, where I ran into Flash, Footprint and John Goodman. Around 10 my friends Eric, Max and Dan arrived. They had been doing some AT section hiking south of here for the past week and were on their way back to Rochester, so a rendezvous was convenient for all parties. Eric walked all of us over to the boiling spring after which the town was named (he has a mind like a steel trap), then we went out for breakfast. I ate heartily to no-one¢s surprise (juice, eggs, pancakes, home fries, bacon, toast and a bagel with cream cheese). The four of us had a nice visit and enjoyed some laughs, we said our goodbyes, and I was back on the trail at 11:30. I am in the shelter tonite with Tang, Windrider and Redman - a good group. The forecast calls for another chilly nite, overnite low of 29. I am safe, warm and dry in the shelter tonite, looking forward to a NERO in Duncannon tomorrow. Goodnite.