morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2023-05-27
To: Tom's Run shelter
Miles today: 14.0

Got started early and made the first 8 miles pretty fast even though there was one steep up a steep down. Pennsylvania is much drier than Maryland with some conifers which is nice. I found the MD woods to be a bit dreary and dank.Knee pain comes and goes for no apparent reason but does seem to be less frequent each day.Lots of people out for Memorial Day weekend and I twice ran into Trail Magic. The first after a steep drop that had me limping. Someone had put out some rolls of toilet paper for whoever needed it and a cooler with cokes and candy bars. I sat down with a couple female hikers one named Sunkist who started in Georgia back in March. A few miles later, someone left a box of chips in a parking lot by the road. I grabbed a bag of Fritos for later.I arrived at the shelter to find Buckle, the U of M kid and his mom, whose name is Susan. They made fine company, we had a long chat around the campfire ring. The campsite was great right next to a babbling brook, but crowded with all the Memorial Day campers.Susan and her son saw a huge rattlesnake earlier in the day. They left warning notes but I guess I didn't see the first one only the second, after I passed the spot. The snake must have moved on.No wildlife today
Date: 2023-05-28
To: Deer Run campground
Miles today: 15.0

I covered the four miles into Pine Furnace State Park pretty easily. I can feel my legs getting stronger.Pine Furnace is famous for its ice cream challenge. Thru hikers must eat a half gallon of ice cream to win. I was doubtful about doing this. I didn't have much to eat for breakfast, so I ordered a sizeable egg bacon and cheese sandwich from the grill. Figuring I needed to wait 45 minutes for my phone to charge and after watching some skinny hiker kid finish the challenge, I figured what the heck. Took me about an hour but wasn't really all that hard. For my effort I get a little wooden token. Susan and her son are going home they were only out for a week. She gave me her last instant Starbucks and her leftover fuel can. She also gave me her email and asked me to let her know if I make it or not.Buckle is also leaving the trail I think he's going to Harrisburg for a few days. I'm sure I'll see him later.Turns out my body really needed all that sugar and protein from the ice cream. Kept me pretty charged up into the late afternoon. I got to a private campground by 6:15 and rented a tent space for $10. Had a huge pizza and a shower (I was starting to smell like 3-day-old spoiled shrimp) and I'm ready to pass out. Boy, my feet hurt. 16 miles to Carlisle tomorrow, then I get a day off. Two nights at a hotel, yay!
Date: 2023-05-29
To: Carlisle, PA
Miles today: 16.0

The campground was huge, must have had 200 RVs there. Tourist trap kind of place but very well kept and my tent site only cost $10. Very noisy, but I brought earplugs.Got out about 7:45 a.m. A little rugged in the morning had to get up and over a couple of ridges, but once I reached the other side it was all corn fields to Carlisle. Reached the trail town of Boiling Springs about 2pm and had a snack. Nice looking place. I've now hiked 100 miles.As I'm walking out of town, I meet a guy walking his dogs and he offers to carry my pack for me back to where his truck was parked, two miles away. That gave me a nice break and we had a very nice chat on the way. Gear has been good. It has mostly performed as expected and I haven't had any major failures. Weather has been gorgeous. Maybe I can be the first guy to walk the AT without ever being rained on. I doubt it, but nine days in a row to start.Zero day tomorrow.
Date: 2023-05-31
To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 18.0

My zero day was pretty boring, but I figured my feet and legs could use the rest. Ate some pancakes, did a little shopping and some laundry. 645 am this morning, i was back hiking.My feet and legs felt good all day long. Weird because they were sore and stiff the whole time in the hotel.Walking was easy first few hours, hay fields and pastures. Really nice spring day, something the photos can't show you is the scents. Fresh cut hay, wildflowers, just overwhelming greenery.The walk up Cove Mountain was a little tough and I almost ran out of water. Getting water at the top of the mountain was really tough, you got to walk down a steep trail almost 300 yards and I had to do it twice because I dropped my filter bag on the first trip.I was originally going to stay in that shelter but decided there push on to Duncannon and stay in a hostel tonight. I'm officially a little ahead of schedule now. Buckle is here, he didn't recognize me probably because I shaved back in Carlisle. He's going to Harrisburg tomorrow.Had dinner at the Doyle Hotel, a famed hiker hangout. Quiet night or maybe the rowdy days are over. I'll pick up my box at the post office tomorrow morning then I'll have a short day, only 11 miles to the next shelter. I did 18 today, a new high.Wildlife: two deer and two snakes. I almost stepped on the second one, a 4-footer.
Date: 2023-06-01
To: Peters Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0

The hostel was OK. Cheap of course, but you're in a bunk room with six other people. Buckle is off the trail. I thought he was going to thru hike but he left this morning and is probably done for this year.A lot of climbing early in the day and it's been hot. Some great views today. I forgot to put my knee brace on this morning, but since the knee wasn't giving me any pain I didn't bother. Held up good all day. Yay. And my cough is all but gone, too. I think I've decided I can do this indefinitely.Shelter's pretty nice and i have a good campsite, but to get water you have to go 300 yards down a really steep path. It sucks, but I have to go back down again tomorrow morning to fill up since it's more than 6 miles to the next water source.The shelter also has the worst privy I've seen in the whole trip. It's norovirus waiting to happen, better to poop in the woods.The next shelter is 18 miles away. I think I can make it although the route does not look that easy. Hopefully I can get a very early start and get a lot of miles in before it gets too hot, will be over 90 tomorrow. Met a Jewish kid named Bambi at the shelter. He's at least the third Jew I've met on this trip. They all knew right away that Amy and Paige were on a Birthright trip to Israel.Also here is Red and his girlfriend. I've seen them several times including at the hostel last night.Wildlife: one deer. When you're just standing there looking at your map or drinking some water, the deer will walk almost right up to you before hopping away.
Date: 2023-06-02
To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.0

Stepped ont my Ray-Bans today and broke a lens. I'm not too upset, the frames were bent already and one of the lenses kept falling out, so it was just a matter of time.My hat is also nearly a goner. I kind of laughed when Leya gave it to me this hat with all of its lights, but it turned out to be really useful. I wore it all the time, something she found endlessly amusing. But the wires are all corroded and brittle. I tried repairing them before I left but it only lasted a day. I have another one that Alex and Andrew gave me I'll probably use that even though it only has one light instead of three.Long walk today, didn't get to the shelter till about 7:30. As soon as I get my hammock and tarp up, the rain moves In. I thought about bailing for the shelter but since everything was already pitched I just rode it out. Just a steady light rain for 2 hours. The tarp did its job and kept everything dry but the moisture still makes everything clammy.6 deer today including a doe and fawn.
Date: 2023-06-03
To: William Penn shelter
Miles today: 13.0

Ran into a serious problem as the hostel I planned to stay in tomorrow night is closed. I also counted on it to resupply. There aren't many options in this stretch, so I just have to hang tough until I get to Port Clinton in a couple of days.Met a young girl on the trail named Jukebox. I just finished a 1,000-ft climb and was sitting down to rest when she came along gasping for air, asking why do they do this to us. She's 21 and just finished college.Jukebox was at the Penn shelter when I showed up. A troop of Boy Scouts and a couple of dads were also there. Looked like rain and I didn't feel like putting up the hammock anyway so I threw my stuff in the shelter. Good thing too, because right after dinner it starts raining. Not too hard, just fits and starts that would make you miserable if caught out in it. Even though the floor is kind of hard, I kept warm, snug and dry.Four deer, four snakes and a turtle today.
Date: 2023-06-04
To: Eagles Nest shelter
Miles today: 18.0

I wanted to try to hustle today and make it to the next shelter even though it's 19 miles and the trail has been getting very rocky.I make it to PA 183, my original destination by 5:00, so I can make it to the shelter by 8:00 or 9:00. That would leave me with a short hike to Port Clinton tomorrow, which would be great. I need time to resupply, get a hotel, do some laundry.The last couple of days I've been cursing whatever Trail Club is responsible for this stretch of trail. It is marked very poorly, I often have to guess which way to go. I'm right most of the time but I got one wrong and I ended up about 0.25 mile out of my way before I figured it out.When I reach 183, there's trail magic, which is awesome since I'm on short rations anyway. I get two pieces of very tasty homemade bread and two Modelos. I had no idea how important that was going to be.I cross the road and go about a half mile when I come out of the woods with four roads in front of me and no markers. I put my pack down and scout down each of the four looking for a blaze, but there isn't one. I finally decide the gravel service road in front of me is the best option and start walking. My phone tells me the trail should be up ahead a mile or so, but when I get there it isn't. I wander down a couple of overgrown forest roads trying to find it to no avail. I meet two different couples out walking the road they both tell me the trail crosses again but it's several miles ahead. I can see it on my phone, I also see that's only a mile from my shelter. So I start hoofing as fast as I can, hoping to get there by dark. Of course I never find it. I pitched my hammock along the trail and will figure out what to do in the morning. I built a small campfire which was nice and ate what little food I had left. Using my phone to try to find the trail depleted the battery.18 deer today and one snake. This is a state game area and I guess you can tell.
Date: 2023-06-06
To: Ecksville Shelter
Miles today: 15.0

Eggs and pancakes for breakfast, then i caught the shuttle from Cabelas to Port Clinton. Two hikers were waiting to take the shuttle back into Hamburg, one was the girl i met at the Duncannon post office. I dont recall her name, but with her glasses and short brown hair, she looks like Luann who used to live next door on S Vaughn Cir.Met a couple om the trial, Right Here and Blaze. They started in GA, but injury to Blaze forced them off in Damascus, VA. After healing up, they rented a car and got back on at Pt Clinton.Stopped got lunch, then the rain came. I struggled to get my poncho over my pack, but finally managed to use it and my rain jacket to cover up. I probably looked like an idiot, but it worked. The rain only lasted 20 min, but made everything damp and sticky for the rest of the day.Ran into Hero and two other hikers late in the day. They made great company for the last 3 miles. Made it to the shelter, it is a converted garage with bunks, running water and a shower.There are two Germans here that I met this morning in the hotel. They were having breakfast when i left so I'm not sure how they beat me here.Pretty good day despite the rain. Saw a doe and two fawns and two red spotted newts.
Date: 2023-06-07
To: Bake Oven Knob shelter
Miles today: 17.0

Got on the trail about 7:30 a.m. The early going was rough with a steep climb and lots of rock scrambles. By 1:00 p.m. I'd only gone 7 miles with 10 to go. I wanted to make the shelter so I'd have a short hike into town tomorrow and possibly take an extra day off with rain in the forecast.The first few miles after lunch were really easy, then I hit the Knife Edge. This is a ridge of rock 5 to 10 ft wide with 80 ft drops on each side. I had to lash my hiking poles to my pack and climb along a bunch of narrow ledges by my fingertips. I made it down without incident but man I hope I never have to do anything like that again. Talk about your anus-clenching adventure.I finally make it to the shelter about 7:30 Julie is there the hiker I met on the first night. We don't recognize each other at first probably because I have a much thicker beard and she was wearing a hoodie. She came out of her tent when she heard me yelling at a porcupine that had wandered over and was chewing on the shelter floor while I was making dinner. She's from Florida and didn't know porcupines can't shoot their quills but can climb trees. The porcupine didn't run far so she did get some nice photos.The weather has been unseasonably cold, at least 15 degrees below normal. Probably because there's a big forest fire up in Canada casting a heavy haze of smoke the last 2 or 3 days. Looking out from the ridges you can't see anything it is so thick.The shelter is old and lopsided. There's no place to hang my hammock here and no water. I wear three layers of clothing to bed. Around 3:00 a.m. I hear scratching outside the shelter. I flash my light outside but don't see anything. 15 minutes later more scratching, close. I turn on my head lamp and there's the porcupine on the shelter step, two feet from my head. I holler at him until he waddles off. My shelter mates probably think I'm nuts. I sleep the rest of the night with my hiker pole next to me. The porcupine doesn't return probably realizing if he does, he's going to get a sharp poke this time.
Date: 2023-06-08
To: Danielsville
Miles today: 14.0

Yesterday's update didn't save correctly, so if you read it and it was short, you might want to look againA couple days ago I coincidentally heard from two different softball parents within an hour of each other. For you softball families out there, make sure your daughters know how important they are to keeping me motivated. I'm sure they remember the many occasions I quoted what Tom Hanks says in A League of Their Own when Geena Davis wants to quit, that if something was easy anybody could do it. The hard is what makes it great.Now it's time to take my own advice. The thought of disappointing any of those kids, including my own, keeps me going.And boy, I needed it today. I planned to hike to Palmerton only 9 miles away and stay there overnight. But I couldn't find any place to stay, so I reserved a spot at a bed and breakfast in Danielsville, 5 miles further. The owner warned me those five miles were very steep. It didn't look bad on the map but she was right. After a steep 300-400 ft ascent on the trail, I came to a series of boulder fields and cliffs. I had to climb over and through a bunch of huge rocks, then haul myself up three 30-40 foot high cliffs. Fingers and toes gripping inch-wide ledges, I managed to get up to the top without breaking my neck. I signed up to hike, not solo free climb sheer rock faces.I said yesterday I hope I never had to do a climb like that again. Well I did, and about 10 times worse. I guess I've managed to successfully navigate every challenge the trail has thrown at me, there's that. I'm not sure how much further I want to press my luck either.The bed and breakfast is rather lovely. I ordered and ate an entire pizza. 15 miles tomorrow the Wind Gap and I'm taking a day off. 15 miles after that and I'm done with Pennsylvania. Every hiker I've met is ready to be done with this stretch.If you want to see what I climbed today, look for YouTube videos titled AT climb out of Palmerton. There's at least two videos, although truthfully they don't really capture the height and steepness of my personal Cliffs of Insanity.
Date: 2023-06-09
From: Danielsville

To: Wind Gap, PA
Miles today: 15.0

Ate a serviceable breakfast at the BnB, then the host dropped me off at the trailhead at 8 am.I hurt my right knee on one of the rock climbs a couple days ago. Doesn't really hurt much but it's very swollen. I was going to ice it last night but I fell asleep. Anyway I put the brace on that knee today and it seemed to do ok. I have ice for it tonight.Fairly pleasant hiking today. Cool sunny weather, only saw a couple hikers today. The trail was a lot less rocky that has been the past several days.Right at the end of the day I came across a burned area of woods. We've been hearing for several days there was a forest fire in this area and I think they actually closed the trail for a while. I guess it is out now.I was going to spend two days in Wind Gap since I have to pick up my box from the post office here. But on the hike I decided to make it just one since the weather is going to be good tomorrow and probably Sunday before rain moves in for several days. I'll wait till then to take a day off.Good call as the only motel here is an absolute fleabag. Seriously, the worst I've ever been in. I'll probably sleep in my quilt on top of the covers rather than get into the bed. I'll have to be sure to stash all my food or I'm sure mice will get it. At least I got a hot shower.I may have to rethink some of these town stays. I need to go into town for supplies but lodging has tended to be overpriced, a dump, or like tonight, both. I'd be better off sleeping in the woods honestly.20 minute walk into town but I did find a very nice sports bar where I had some chicken wings. Hoped to find a decent breakfast spot near the post office but no luck, so I'll be having tea and some Hostess Donuts in the room tomorrow morning. On my search for a breakfast cafe I did find an ice cream shop which had a bunch of really cool vintage candy including candy cigarettes and bubble gum cigars. I had a sundae and bought a couple snacks for the trail.It's still very cold, dropping into the low 40s at night.Delaware Gap tomorrow where I'll probably stay at a church hostel.Two deer today.
Date: 2023-06-10
To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 15.0

Well, I didn't get robbed in the middle of the night and rodents didn't chew up my gear, so I got up, had a hot shower and went down to the post office.I got a fair number of things I needed out of the bounce box like sanitizer, a fresh bottle of insect repellent, hot chocolate mix, potatoes, trail mix and mayo. I also retrieved my Under Armor base layer which means it will be 90F every day from now on.I mailed the remaining items up to Kent, CT where I'll be in about 14 days. That's probably the final trip for that box, anything left over after Kent will probably just get shipped home.I didn't get on the trail until 10:00 a.m. Julie aka Chicken Wing was at the trailhead enjoying some trail magic. I realize I've been telling you about all these people but you have no idea what they look like, so I'm going to take photos, starting with Julie.With a late start, I had to hurry to make it to the hostel at Delaware Water Gap at a reasonable hour. Although the trail was really rocky for most of the day, I did pretty well and got to town about 7 pm, well ahead of my best expectation.I'm staying in a church hostel tonight. It is very clean and comfortable and I surprisingly have the place to myself. And it's free although I did leave $10 in the donation box.DWG is like most of the other small Pennsylvania towns with a bunch of old houses, but they mostly seem to be pretty well kept up here. They have a nice section of town with some cool restaurants although everything closes up by 8 pm, even on a Saturday night.20 miles tomorrow so I have to get up early. The hostel in High Point had an cancellation, so I'll be staying there Monday and Tuesday night, taking a zero day. Probably going to rain everyday starting Monday, so might as well.No notable wildlife today, but heading into the black bear capital of the Northeast tomorrow.
Date: 2023-06-11
To: Buttermilk Falls campsite
Miles today: 21.0

Done with PA! Nothing wrong with Pennsylvania at all, but it feels good to cross a state off. At 229 miles, only Virginia, Tennessee and Maine have more trail.Too bad the rain wasn't coming in today because the church hostel in Delaware Water Gap was great and I wouldn't mind staying there another day. I was the only hiker there so I just slept on one of the sofas.There was a scale at the hostel. I weighed in at about 196 lb. I'm not sure what my weight was when I left but probably 208-209 lb, so I've lost at least 10 lb. I may have to buy new hiking pants.I crossed the I-80 Bridge into New Jersey at 6 am and hit the trail. I made pretty good time and that let me stop at the AMC Mohican Outdoor Center for lunch. It was pretty great, a grilled ham and cheese with chips, cucumber salad, and a Milky Way bar. I washed it all down with two Diet Cokes, one of the things I crave the most while on the trail. Man were they good.On the way out, I ran into Bob and Tracy. a couple of hikers I've been seeing regularly the last couple weeks. Bob is from New Hampshire, I'm guessing Tracy is too.Bob is a snake magnet, he's seen at least a dozen rattlesnakes in the last week. He also saw two bears a few hours before this photo was taken. They started in Georgia in March and I'm rather pleased to be keeping up with these two veteran hikers.I had some easy stretches in the afternoon which was great since I had a long way to go. While crossing a road, I found one of those air horns. It still works, so I'll keep it handy if any bears decide to show up tonight.Bears don't worry me too much, they tend to be rather timid, although this time of year before the blueberries come in they are still hungry from hibernation and don't have a lot of food sources. I like my hammock, but if a bear decided to bite me while I'm in it, it's almost impossible to get out of fast. Do you know what you call a hiker in a hammock? A bear burrito.21 miles today, a new high. I'll break it tomorrow because I have to go 22 to make it to High Point State Park. That's where the hostel will pick me up for my 2-day stay.Four snakes today, no rattlers, but I did see a very big rat snake.